Waris Dirie Foundation

Exclusive Avant-Premiere of Desert Flower in Paris

Eva — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:38:36 +0000

With an exclusive avant-premiere, the PPR foundation celebrated the release oft he movie Desert Flower in France on Sunday. Besides Waris Dirie and Francois-Henri Pinault, producer Peter Herrmann, director Sherry Hormann and lead actress Liya Kebede were present at the event.

Among the top-class guests were the PPR CEO’s parents Marie-Yvonne and Francois Pinault, Vogue France Editor in Chief Carine Roifeld and the French Minister of Health Roselyne Bachelot.

„I would like to thank the PPR Foundation and especially Francois-Henri for their generous support oft he fight against FGM and for women’s rights!“ Waris Dirie said after the event.

Waris Dirie Foundation and PPR join forces against FGM in France

Eva — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:35:46 +0000

Paris - The Waris Dirie Foundation and PPR have joined forced against FGM and violence against women in general in France. On sunday, the French retail giant will present an exclusive avant-premiere in Paris with 500 invited guests of the PPR luxury brands including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney. The money from ticket sales and donations will be given to a France-based organisation’s fight against violence against women.

FNAC, the French multimedia retailer is holding a discuccion forum on the isue in five large French cities. Additionally, all FNAC stores will run a special promotion for the movie edition of the book “Desert Flower” . The movie trailer will be shown on all of the 7.000 screens in FNAC stores throughout France.

Other PPR brands such a Redcat and Conforama are promoting the movie and the fight against FGM on their websites and in their newsletters. At PUMA stores, special information leaflets on FGM will be handed out in the women’s section.

You can find more information in the numerous measures taken in France here.

Waris Dirie collects EUR 10.000 for her foundation in Brazil

Eva — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:44:48 +0000

Sao Paulo - Waris Dirie has collected a 10.000 Euro donation during her visit to Sao Paulo / Brazil this week. The donation comes form Camarote Bar Brahma, who invited Waris Dirie to attend the Brazilian Carneval in Sao Paulo. This year’s theme of the Carneval is “Africa”.

“It is my first time in Brazil and I am very happy to finally visit this beautiful country. The Brazilians are not only good football players, they are also good people” Waris said.

Here are two articles on her visit to Brazil (in Portuguese):

Marie Claire

Delas

First successes of the new campaign in Germany

Eva — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:21:17 +0000

The new campaign launched by Waris Dirie earlier this month has already prompted big reactions. The German Bundesrat put the issue back on its agenda and is discussing stricter rules concerning FGM performed outside of Germany, as well as longer jail sentences for those who perform it.

The German teachers’ union has also published a statement on FGM, demanding that teachers should learn about this practice and possible signs that a girl may be threatened or affected.

Furthermore, the German TV channels VOX, ntv and RTL are showing the Stop FGM spots.

Waris Dirie presents new campaign “Stop FGM NOW” in Berlin

Eva — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:58:07 +0000

Waris Dirie and representatives of six other NGOs presented a new worldwide campaign against FGM in Berlin yesterday.The campaign, which was realised by the agency Heyman Brand de Gelmini from Berlin, provokes with the statement “just cut out her clitoris, and she’d be perfect”. The face of the campaign, German topmodel Manon von Gerkan was also present at the press conference in Berlin.

You can find more information on the campaign and watch the clip here.

Big step against FGM in Mauretania

Eva — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:21:54 +0000

The Forum of Islamic Thought in Mauretania has spoken out against FGM, issuing a fatwa, an Islamic ruling against the practice that affects more than 70 percent of women in this West African state. As the secretary general of the organisation made clear, FGM is not demanded by the Choran, and is in fact not allowed by Islam since it is harmful to health.

Alhtough a fatwa is not binding, it is believed to have a strong influence in communities that practice FGM for religious reasons.

FGM in Iraq and Iran

Eva — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:02:42 +0000

The Waris Dirie Foundation has received information indicating that not only in Iraq, but also in Iran FGM is widespread. We will publish more details on this matter shortly.

According to several reports health care providers in Iraq are covering the practice of FGM, which affects approximately 60 percent of the Kurdish women, and are promoting misinformation on the risks and consequences of FGM. A draft legislation from 2008 condemning FGM was not passed by the Kurdish parliament in Iraq.

Waris Dirie Foundation Community brings FGM to Davos

Eva — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:10:10 +0000

Youtube and the World Economic Forum in Davos have started a competition in which young speakers from all over the world couldparticipate with a video speech on a chosen topic. The winner, who was voted by the Youtube Community will present his topic at the World Economic Forum in Davos next week. With the support of the Waris Dirie Foundation Community, Julia Lalla-Maharajh was able to win the contest. On January 30th, she will discuss with Prof Muhammed Yunus (Nobel Prize Winner), Ann Venemann (Unicef Executive Director) und Dr. Margaret Chanh (Director General of the WHO) on the topic of FGM.

You can find more information on Julia and her campaign here and here.

Desert Flower receives the Bavarian Movie Award in Munich

Eva — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:49:02 +0000

Desert Flower has received the Bavarian Movie Award in Munich last week. The prize is endowed with a 200.000 Euro purse.

“I am very happy that Desert Flower has won this award. This was made possible by the hard work of the entire team. The more people see this movie, the better. I hope that desert Flower will be shown in cinemas all over the world, and especially in Africa.” - Waris Dirie

Christmas Miracle: 20 Somali communities say no to FGM

daniela — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:22:59 +0000

Hundreds of women, men and children gathered in a stadium in the Northern parts of Somalia in the early morning heat to witness a historic declaration: the collective abandonment of FGM by representatives from 20 communities. The event, attended and lauded by women’s activists, religious leaders and local goverment officials, was the culmination of over three years’ work by the international NGO Tostan and its local partner, the Somaliland Culture and Sports Association. The communities as true agents of change have talked to their neighbours, shared experiences and made an informed decision to uphold the rights of children and women.

A similar public declaration in October 2009 saw 14 communities from northeast Somalia also collectively proclaim their abandonment of FGM.

Waris Dirie: “A lot of Somalis contact Waris Dirie Foundation and we know that especially young people totally oppose this criminal practice. When there will be peace in Somalia, this process will increase dramatically. The biggest problem is that Somali children have no access to education, only 7 % of girls visit school and 13 % of the boys. Education is the key to stop FGM and to rebuild my country.”