Cultural Centre partners with Women Writers Support Network on Iran-Africa Women Writers cultural exchange competition
Another opportunity has arisen this year. The Women Writers Support Network – Africa (WWSN-A) is partnering with the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Zimbabwe for another competition.
The Cultural Centre of the Embassy of Iran is a significant institution that promotes Iranian culture, art, and heritage globally. It serves as a hub for cultural exchange and is dedicated to fostering art and culture. One of the Centre’s objectives is to enhance understanding and exchange between Iran and other nations. To achieve this, the Centre collaborates with local cultural institutions, universities, and artists to promote cross-cultural dialogue and cooperation.
WWSN-A, in partnership with the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of Iran, will hold a competition to promote cultural exchange through artistic expression. Submissions can be in the form of short stories, poetry, illustrations, paintings, photographs, and graphic designs. The themes for the submissions include heritage, sisterhood and diversity, success stories of women in Iran and Africa, and what African women can share with Iranian women. Another theme is ‘In a Woman’s Shoes: Solidarity with Women Suffering in Palestine.’ The submission deadline is July 20, 2024.
We believe this competition will enhance the creativity of Zimbabwean women. Such competitions are crucial because they enable creativity to transcend borders and help Iranian and Palestinian women know they are not alone. This initiative also aims to strengthen relations between Zimbabwe, Iran, and Palestine.
The Cultural Counselor of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Hamid Bakhtiyar, said:
“Cultural exchange is important for learning from each other. This competition provides an opportunity for the cross-pollination of ideas as well as advocacy against social ills. We are delighted with our partnership with the Women Writers Support Network and hope to continue working together on more projects.”
All women living in Zimbabwe are encouraged to participate in this competition to unleash their creativity, and entry is free.
WWSN Project Coordinator Thabani Mlilo added: “We use writing as a form of therapy and advocacy. This competition will culminate in a book featuring stories, poems, and illustrations. The book will be launched at a prize-giving ceremony that will recognize top achievers in each category. All visual entries will be displayed in a special exhibition held simultaneously with the book launch. This event will spotlight many new artists.”
WWSN-A is an organization that believes in writing as therapy. Women from different backgrounds come together to “bleed on paper.” Hope has been instilled in women through various writings with the belief that healing is essential, and we heal together as women.
In 2022, WWSN-A, in partnership with the Embassy of the State of Palestine, held a writing competition resulting in fifty submissions becoming part of the anthology publication titled “A Cry of Hope and Freedom: Amplifying the Voices of Women in Solidarity with Palestinian Women.” This competition explored the creativity of women as they expressed themselves through art, poetry, and short stories.
