Stories For A Sustainable Future

THEME III: EDUCATION AND WELLBEING
Creative media
#EuropeanFootprints #WhatDoYouCareAbout
Arts and culture are considered to be the mirror of human achievement in a certain society. They
help us to reflect on our behaviour, problems and opportunities, and to express ourselves. Some
forms of art have a huge impact on people, and their creators should be aware of the
responsibility they hold when they are reaching out to people. We can use these creative media
around us to spread tolerance, educate each other, and bring people together.
Jara, Netherlands
Together with six other female staff members of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, I
performed the play Seven on International Women’s Day 2017. I, the only student, was
joined by prominent female figures affiliated with the university, including the President of
the Executive Board. Seven is an internationally known and critically acclaimed
documentary play that tells the story of seven women’s rights activists from all over the
world, who have, among other things, fought for education for girls in Pakistan, for the
protection of domestic abuse victims in
Russia, and against sex trafficking of
women in Cambodia. The play is based
on the lives of real women, which is
both terrifying and empowering at the
same time. It is unbelievable that there
I strongly believe in the
power of art to inspire and
to shape thought.
are women living in these unbearable circumstances with no prospect of change or
the possibility to escape their reality. Even worse is that the female activists who fight for their
rights and dignity have faced insults and even death threats because of their ambition to make the world a better place.
Taking part in the play was empowering, and it made me realize that change is possible if you’re willing to fight for it.
Gender equality is something that has driven me for a long time, and I have studied it from an economic and philosophical
perspective during my studies. Therefore, I immediately accepted the invitation to be part of the cast of the play – I strongly
believe in the power of art to inspire and to shape thought. Moreover, it can greatly complement other discussion channels
such as debate and activist writing.
The Netherlands is a rather progressive country, and I believe that the forms of gender discrimination that still take place there
are generally more subtle but vivid. Therefore, the play serves both the goal of making sure that we don’t forget how far we
already have come, and realizing that there is still a long way to go. Gender equality is not just a women’s issue; it’s about
human lives, and full equality can only be reached through cooperation between all genders. It’s a shared responsibility
between women and men.