NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ARAB WOMEN TO PRESENT SCULPTURE SYMBOLIZING 'SISTERHOOD SOLIDARITY',
Press Release
NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ARAB WOMEN TO PRESENT SCULPTURE SYMBOLIZING 'SISTERHOOD SOLIDARITY',
19961001 FIRST-EVER GIFT FROM WOMEN TO UNITED NATIONSA gift from Arab women to the United Nations and the world's women -- a sculpture symbolizing "sisterhood solidarity" -- will be presented to Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali at a 12:30 p.m. ceremony on Thursday, 3 October, in the North Garden at Headquarters.
The sculpture will be the first gift from women of any country or region to the United Nations since the Organization was established. It is also a symbolic gift to the women of the world from women of Arab countries that are members of the League of Arab States -- Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The sculpture, which was financed by private individuals from Arab countries, is of brushed stainless steel, approximately 12 feet high and weighing around 3,000 pounds, that sits on a pink marble base. It was designed by artist and sculptor Silvio Russo, and shows 12 women holding hands in a synergetic representation of a rising sun.
The initiative to offer the gift to the United Nations was taken by an Arab-American woman, Rajaa Mukaddam, who founded several women's organizations, including the Institute of Arab-American Women and Arab Women and the World, Inc., which are located in Lebanon and the United States.
The ceremony will be attended by the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Esmat Abdel Meguid, who will speak on the occasion, and by representatives of the sponsoring countries.
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