My Dear Sister, citizen of the Middle East,
We are both daughters of our father Abraham. Abraham, father of Isaac and Ishmael.
You and I and the rest of our sisters live in the Middle East are mothers, grandmothers, daughters, aunts, sisters and friends. Striving to find stability, happiness and live without conflict and strife. We want the best for our families and for our children.
The 21st century is the century for women. Women are taking a leading role in public life and have important positions in the decision-making arena.
This is the century where we women break ceilings and barriers. It’s time to break our borders in areas of conflict. As women, we understand the values of protecting our families, and most of all we can understand each other much better than men.
There are 350 million people in the Middle East. Out of 350 million inhabitants more than half are women. It is up to us to make a change and a difference. It is time for us to connect, communicate and stay together.
Another Abraham once said, “United we stand, divided we fall” – let us keep the legacy of this Abraham, whoever he is, here in the Middle East. We will be united in our interests in the fields of health and welfare, economics and women’s rights. If we do stay united, we will not fall.
This is a wake up call for us women, and for you my sisters in Syria, Jordan, Egypt Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Abu Dhabi, Israel, Dubai and Qatar, Lebanon and Iraq.
Let’s work together to help strengthen democracy through demanding rights, changing laws and having more public involvement. Let us make a better quality of life for all of us, wherever we are. Trust me sister, men will follow – there’s nothing to be afraid of. And by the way sister, if you are afraid, you can always count on me.
Salaam and Shalom,
Galia Albin, – woman, mother, grandmother and a proud citizen the Middle East
www.galiaalbin.com