44 February 2013 www.bahrainthismonth.com happeningsclubssocieties Fabric of a Nation To promote harmony across the Kingdom, the Ministry of Social Development launched the ‘Wehda Wahda’ (Let’s Unite) campaign. This national scheme seeks to kick-start social reconciliation among Bahrain’s youth after the unrest and to heal some of the divisions that have occurred over the past two years. The American Women’s Association (AWA), together with the ministry, aims to use a traditional handicraft to, in a literal sense, showcase the social fabric of the Kingdom. “A quilt can tell a story, commemorate an event, honour the dead, unite a community and reflect a culture,” says Jarna Jeet of the AWA and the project’s chairperson. “The idea was inspired by a ‘Friendship Quilt’ that was made last year to bring together Bahrain’s communities and society.” All Bahrainis, residents and other women’s associations are welcome to participate in the project and contribute pieces of cloth that represent the heritage, culture and future of the country. The AWA aims to collect a staggering 117 blocks to stitch together; the deadline for submitting entries is February 18. Each block will be 25 inches by 25 inches. “The project is important because there is a division in society after recent events and bringing women together towards a common goal to benefit the society will bring the sense of unity back to the community,” adds Jarna. In addition to building bridges between communities, AWA hopes to bring together underprivileged Bahraini women to teach them how to make quilts and enhance their skills. “Women are the backbone and the silent strength of society, so helping them will be helping the whole society,” Jarna comments. “A part of the project is therefore women’s empowerment; we want to teach economically disadvantaged women they can make a living out of making quilts.” To help the participants get started the society will be holding a series of workshops to train them in the techniques of stitching and quilting. The workshops, headed by Bana Al Bsat, Liz Gardner and Khadija Al Aradi will be held every Thursday from 10am to 1pm. To maximise the learning experience each session will be limited to 12 individuals. “We want each block of quilt, to represent an individual’s, or organisation’s, aesthetics and sense of purpose, while staying in line with the Bahrain theme,” notes Jarna. “The first block was received from the Bahrain Japan Business Friendship Society last month.” Other organisations who have signed up for the project include the Bahrain Women’s Society, Pakistani Women’s Association, Greek Consulate, Awal Women Society, Riffa Elderly Home, Young Ladies Association and St Christopher’s Cathedral. When the quilt is complete, the AWA aims to display the final version at either the Bahrain National Museum or the Bahrain National Theatre. E Call 38 884-924 or email [email protected]. It’s a craft that goes back to time immemorial when people simply wanted to keep warm. Today, quilting has become an art form, a means to express how we feel and think. When? February 1-18 | Event? Quilt project | Venue? American Women’s Association
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