Moroccan poet Malika Taleb in a press interview: – “Contemporary Women’s Issues” conference

Moroccan poet Malika Taleb in a press interview:

• The conference “Contemporary Women’s Issues” aims to bridge perspectives and address problems.
• Arab women have been influenced by cultural, technological, and industrial development.
• Poetry carries within it signs, goals, discusses issues, and finds solutions.

Moroccan poet Malika Taleb rejects the negative image painted of Arab women and the media’s promotion of inaccurate stereotypes based on customs and traditions far from the reality of Arab women, who have entered all fields, absorbed all sciences, gained extensive experience in various areas, become self-sufficient, excelled intellectually and academically, and held high positions, including ministerial roles in several governments.

In her discussion with the media committee of the international conference “Contemporary Women’s Issues Among Reformists: Challenges and Solutions,” organized by the Union of Afro-Asian Universities in collaboration with several universities and research institutions in October, poet Malika Taleb talked about the reality of Arab women past, present, and future.

Malika Taleb has two poetry collections, “The Talk of the Soul” and “The Scent of Pomegranate,” and is about to release a third titled “My Journey to Berlin.” She has received a royal medal of excellence, a commendation and certificate from HRH Princess Jawaher bint Fahd, and numerous other medals and awards.

The poet emphasizes that Arab women have been affected by cultural, technological, and industrial advancements, demonstrating their capability and competence. She notes that Arab women have drawn from tradition for their roots and from modernity for its advantages while maintaining their Islamic values and traditions.

Taleb believes that the relationship between men and women in the Arab world is healthy, equitable, and rights-based; women, in her view, are the cornerstone of family building alongside men, sharing, sacrificing, and staying up nights for the comfort of their children, and are giving without expecting anything in return.

She observes the spread of women’s empowerment demands in Arab society, stating, “There is a call today for what is known as women’s empowerment, but this term remains vague and needs to be precisely defined to avoid making women’s empowerment synonymous with marginalizing men, as societal conditions vary culturally, socially, and politically.”

She points out that women in rural areas still suffer due to outdated customs and traditions, and emphasizes the need to focus on their education to keep up with development. She continues, “Without educating women, they cannot understand their rights and duties,” adding, “In the presence of the law, awareness of their rights is conditional on their education.”

Taleb stresses the importance of the legal aspect for women, as it provides a legal framework to protect acquired rights and link them to reality.

Regarding the upcoming “Contemporary Women’s Issues” conference in October, Taleb stated that it will elevate the value of women, crown them with worth, and pour the essence of experience into women’s issues, enhancing their prestige and radiance. She considers the conference a significant achievement for its efforts to bridge perspectives, address problems, and create roots for acquaintance and exchange of experiences among members.

In her discussion of poetry and women, Taleb explains that poetry reflects beauty and love, and transforms words into music that satisfies the soul’s yearning for imagination. For Taleb, poetry contains signs and goals, aiming to discuss issues and find solutions, and contributes to enlightening thought and exploring life’s depths.

She concluded the interview with a poem about Arab women:

Be a woman who carries all the baskets of light,
A woman who causes the palm trees to sway in her presence,
Dropping dates when she passes by,
A woman who swims among the stars of the universe,
Sailing in the night of longing without a captain,
A woman who does not sink into oblivion,
A woman like a festival, breaking all chains,
Be a woman like the whispering shadow in the dark black nights,
A woman who does not know despair, nor resides in darkness.