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NORA'S SISTER SEMINAR:“The Future of Acehnese Women: Towards a Community of Solidarity”

Nora’s Sister Seminar

“The Future of Acehnese Women: Towards a Community of Solidarity”

Hotel Hermes, Banda Aceh, 28 April 2010, Time: 1 PM
Organized by Institut Ungu and Norwegian Embassy

Background

The seminar Nora’s Sisters has been organized 17 times in 15 countries around the world by Norwegian Embassies in cooperation with local institutions since 2006. The idea behind the seminars is to put women’s issues on the agenda in different cultures by using the writings of Ibsen as a source of inspiration.

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) was a Norwegian playwright who is the most performed writer worldwide after Shakespeare. His plays were highly controversial in his own time, and still remain contemporary in terms of topics and criticism – more than 100 years after his death.

The Centre for Ibsen Studies in Oslo is running a project called “Ibsen between cultures”. Its specific goal is to reach an understanding of Ibsen’s function as a global dramatist, i.e. how an Ibsen play is evaluated, and how the value of the plays are altered, shifted, transferred and appropriated, when localized in new cultural contexts.

Nora is the main character in Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House written in 1879. It was the first of Ibsen’s to create a sensation and is now perhaps his most famous play. It was controversial when first published – and is often characterized as the first true feminist play. The story portraits a woman who has been treated as a toy all her life – first by her father and then by her husband. Finally she is revolting by leaving her husband. Thus A Doll’s House criticizes the traditional roles of men and women in 19th century marriage. The end of the play, where Nora slams the door and leaves her husband has been subject to critics, interpretation and change ever since the original version and several alternative endings have been produced throughout theatres all over the world.

Both the topical interest and cultural flexibility in Ibsen’s writings make Aceh an interesting venue for a seminar of this kind. In the Acehnese context Nora’s life and destiny is highly relevant, as it is in many countries. The purpose of using Ibsen’s play as a starting point is to discuss under which conditions men and women are living together and what kind of expectations, traditions, laws and regulations that define their relationship, both at home and in society.

Consistant with the Acehnese context and cultural setting, the seminar is inviting panelists who can address these issues from different perspectives:
• How is the cultural and social history of Aceh encouraging women to take active part in society?
• What influence do Acehnese women have on their own situation? Where do they see themselves in 10 years? (since reformation era/post Soeharto era)
• What are the expectations for the future towards Acehnese women –from themselves, their family, the community?
• How can the women in Aceh create a community of solidarity, if they would like to change anything?
• To what extent is the current political and religious trends in Aceh conflicting Indonesian law and international obligations?
• To what extent is sharia law compatible with a society having modern aspirations?

PANEL discussion
1. Muhammad Nazar, Deputy Governor of Aceh, Will discuss the history of women in Aceh, the context of socio-cultural relations and also a future perspective for Aceh. He will also discuss the government’s programs for the advancement of women, including in the cultural field.

2. Suraiya Kamruzzman, founder of Flower Aceh and a member of Aceh Women’s Solidarity will discuss her experiences as a women’s rights movement activist in Aceh. She will be looking at the situation of women under the New Order and into the Reformasi era.

3. Dr. Eka Mulyani, Deputy Director for Postgraduate Studies at Banda Aceh IAIN (Institut Agama Islam Negeri – State Islamic Institute) will discuss the situation of women in Aceh for the perspective of Islamic culture and law, including Sharia law.


4. Dr. Yuniyanti Chuzaefah*, chairperson of the National Commission on Violence against Women will discuss the situation of women in Aceh from a national context. She will look at the interaction between syariah and other legal instruments, such as the Indonesian Constitution and also CEDAW. What are the future perspectives for the advancement of women in Aceh: what are the challenges and opportunities?

The seminar will be chaired Debra H. Yatim. Opening speech by representative from Norway and the Rektor of Universitas Syah Kuala Prof. Dr. Darni Daud

Programme Schedule:

Press Confrence (27 April 2010) 15.00 (Hotel Hermes)

Seminar at Hotel Hermes:

12.00-13.00 Registration, lunch and Sholat Zuhur (Pray)

13.00-13.30 A performance of excerpts from “Rumah Boneka” by Henrik Ibsen, constructed onto a short dramatic piece by Faiza Mardzoeki and performed by Utami Aditia Wardani and Wawan Sofwan

13.30-9.40 Representative of Norway
13.40-13.50 Rektor Universitas Syah Kuala Prof. Dr. Darni Daud

13.50-15.10 Panel presentations chaired by: Debra H. Yatim

The First Panel : Suraiya Kamaruzzaman
The Second panel : Dr. Eka Sri Mulyani
The Third panel : Bapak Muhammad Nazar, S.Ag
The last panel : Dr. Yuniyanti Chuzaefah

15.10 -16.00 Questions and answer discussion and closing remarks by chair. (no break but coffee and snack will be available during discussion.)

16.00-16.30 Aceh Traditional Dance

16.30 -17.00 finish- closing administration, Sholat Ashar.


ORGANISING COMMITTEE

Institut Ungu and the Norwegian Embassy supported by Flower Aceh

Steering Committee:
Faiza Mardzoeki, Yeni Rosa Damayanti (Institut Ungu), Herborg Fiskaa Alvsaaker, Lily Maramis (Norwegian Embassy), Suraiya Kamaruzzaman (Flower Aceh)