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Imagine stepping off a plane and finding yourself in a giant beehive. This introduction to the architecturally unique Abu Dhabi airport was the first of many delights I experienced during my time in the United Arab Emirates. After 25 hours of travel, Erin, Becky Reichard (the Kravis post-doctoral fellow), and I arrived in the capital city on March 11, excited to represent CMC and the Kravis Leadership Institute at the Women as Global Leaders Conference.
This year's conference, Communities in Transition, highlighted women's leadership roles in community and social change, and provided a whirlwind of lectures, discussion groups, and networking with women from all over the world. Delegates were treated extremely well: our favorite indulgences were the huge feasts, heated toilet seats, and a laser-and-fireworks show at Babelshams, a nearby desert resort.
The night before the conference officially started, we were introduced to keynote speaker Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, who visited CMC in March 2003. I was a bit nervous about meeting the first female president of Ireland, but she put me at ease with a diplomatic smile and we chatted about our leadership interests. I almost didn't wash the hand that she shook.
To avoid conflict, I figured it might be best not to mention the Dubai Ports deal or the war in Iraq. However, the Emirate university students were eager to discuss controversial events with us. I made friends with Amani, an Emirate woman, and we covered topics from current politics to Muslim dating protocol to reasons for Arab women covering themselves with headscarves.
One of the most interesting breakout sessions I attended was a panel on women in the workplace in the UAE. The Emirate women explained feeling torn between getting a university degree and taking a place in the workplace to represent the interests of their country (foreigners comprise approximately 90 percent of the workforce in the UAE) or staying at home to raise a traditional Muslim family.
Before leaving Claremont, we had considered forming an international network of women interested in women's leadership. At the conference, we exchanged business cards and e-mail
addresses so we could keep in contact with the women (and the few men) we met, in hopes of using this network at CMC.
Of course, our spring break was not all leadership seriousness.
We rode camels in the desert, went sand surfing and dune bashing, and explored the renowned hotels, beaches, and shopping in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates is an amazingly modern, accepting, and diverse country and was a great introduction to the Middle East.
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Excerpts from Erin Sedloff's Conference Journal
Arrival in Abu Dhabi
I must admit that my first impression of a group of young women dressed all in black, with faces veiled, was hesitation. Although Abu Dhabi is one of the most modern cities I ever have visited—the skyscrapers and cutting-edge hotels shoot up out of the horizon, reflecting the sun 365 days a year-the sight of fully veiled women stood in blatant contrast to my Western-oriented notions of modernity. What does Women as Global Leaders mean to them?
Mary Robinson speaks
I found myself washing my hands next to Mary Robinson, and demurely introduced myself while trying to conjure up the perfect words to explain that I was a big fan of her work. Moments later, she was on stage explaining that "the cause of women is inseparable from the cause of humanity" to a crowd of women leaders from more than 100 different countries.
Reflections
In the UAE no government mandate demands that women cover, veil, or wear a burka, but the students from Zayed University explained that familial tradition and societal pressure influence them to wear the modest clothing. I must admit culpability in having associated such coverings with oppression, particularly since 9/11. However, after watching these confident, outspoken, intelligent, articulate, happy, charismatic, and ambitious women interact with one another, my understanding of these customs has been challenged and changed.
East vs. West: Conceptions of Women as Global Leaders
Throughout the course of the conference, women from all over the world joined together in dance, feast, and celebration. At other moments, we sat on opposite sides of the table explaining the beautiful differences that divide us. As cliché as it may seem, I left the UAE with a new, broad understanding of women as global leaders. Leading globally is about recognizing the diversity of cultures in the world; it is about letting go of judgment, broadening one's perspective, and understanding the very different but very real needs of the world one hopes to lead.
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Fine Print
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From:
CMC magazine
Summer 2006
Feedback:
E-mail the office of
Public Affairs & Communications about this article:
publicaffairs@claremontmckenna.edu
The Author:
Katie Gilmer '06
Photo credits:
Katie Gilmer '06
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