SEVEN is an acclaimed documentary play conceived by Carol Mack and written by seven award-winning playwrights: Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Anna Deavere Smith, and Susan Yankowitz with the support of Vital Voices Global Partnership.
The play is based on true stories of seven inspiring women who fought for the rights of women and girls in their region – Farida Azizi in Afghanistan, empowering rural women; Annabella De Leon in Guatemala, giving voice to the poor; Mukhtar Mai in Pakistan and Hafsat Abiola in Nigeria, fighting for women’s education and rights; Inez McCormack in Northern Ireland, promoting peace and equality; Marina Pisklakova-Parker in Russia, protecting women from domestic violence and Mu Sochua in Cambodia, rescuing girls from human trafficking.
The readers and organisers of SEVEN in Geneva.
The play has been performed in 42 countries and has been translated into 31 languages. Just before the 38th UNHRC session began on June 18, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the Voices Projects organised a reading of SEVEN and a panel discussion on the need of safe spaces in Geneva on June 14.
FII Founder Japleen Pasricha was invited to Geneva by GCSP to read Farida Azizi’s story and participate in the panel discussion, where she talked about her work at FII and sexual harassment at the workplace in India.
Below is a short behind the scenes video by GCSP.
The event began with an opening by Barbara Handricks, acclaimed operatic soprano and concert singer. This was followed by the reading of SEVEN and a short panel discussion.
Japleen Pasricha during the panel discussion.
Check out some of the tweets from the event below.
.@japna_p, Founder of .@FeminismInIndia will be reading the story of Farida Azizi at #7onTourGeneva. Farida challenged the #Taliban to get books and medical care to women in #Afghanistan – register today https://t.co/x3qn8Sou8O! pic.twitter.com/mRdGbutGDv
— GCSP (@TheGCSP) June 13, 2018
Our readers have come together and are ready to begin rehearsal for tomorrow’s #7onTourGeneva! Find out more at https://t.co/WLIBzXRQ7V
.@grufyikiri
.@AnjaWydenGuelpa
.@monicapferro
.@SophiaPA29
.@japna_p
.@LaurentSierro
.@honeysayed
.@FleurHeyworth
Major Adrian Foster pic.twitter.com/v2YdYGjEwn— GCSP (@TheGCSP) June 13, 2018
I’m in #Geneva this week, where I’ll be reading out #FaridaAzizi‘s story tomorrow from the play SEVEN right before the #UNHRC begins. Farida challenged the #Taliban to get books & medical care for women & children in Afghanistan. #7onTourGeneva
Register: https://t.co/jl99JfNfnH pic.twitter.com/NgYckIa58D— Japleen Pasricha (@japna_p) June 13, 2018
#7onTourGeneva opened by Barbra Hendricks.@TheGCSP pic.twitter.com/bMYSV247CK
— Marc Finaud (@FinaudMarc) June 14, 2018
7 stories, 7 courageous women #7onTourGeneva #PressForProgress pic.twitter.com/Yows0iPdde
— EU at UN in Geneva (@EU_UNGeneva) June 14, 2018
‘My one call to action after tonight is that we need to believe #women’ says .@japna_p Founder of .@FeminismInIndia at #7onTourGeneva pic.twitter.com/ddgFyYG6CT
— GCSP (@TheGCSP) June 14, 2018
Thank you to our readers and speakers at #7onTourGeneva for a memorable night! .@FleurHeyworth .@honeysayed .@DusseyCh .@monicapferro .@AnjaWydenGuelpa .@japna_p .@SophiaPA29 .@LaurentSierro .@grufyikiri .@GranqvistIda .@HeddaInSA .@pisanoUN and Major Genderal Adrian Foster pic.twitter.com/ixGzKyT48a
— GCSP (@TheGCSP) June 15, 2018
Also read: FII At re:publica 18 Conference In Berlin
