Diplomatic World_69

ONE OF YOUR MOST PROMINENT AREAS OF
WORK IS THE REINTEGRATION OF WOMEN INTO
SOCIETY FOLLOWING PERIODS OF WAR AND
VIOLENCE. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE
WORK YOU DO IN THIS REGARD THROUGH
THE INTISAR FOUNDATION?
I am committed to constantly making the leap from advocacy
to action, so here are just a few examples of how I and my team
at the Foundation quickly pivot in order to help our beneficiaries
to overcome any new challenge they might be facing and reintegrate
into society.
In 2020, Intisar Foundation quickly pivoted to provide online
or they would stick to their lists of demands? I believe that we all
know the answer to these questions.
HOW DOES THE WORK OF THE SOCIAL ENTER-
PRISES, NGOS AND CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS
WHICH YOU LEAD CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNITED
NATIONS 2030 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
AGENDA AND THE KUWAIT 2035 VISION?
All my initiatives are original in their concept and implementation,
developed on the basis of a long-term and data-driven strategy,
impactful across multiple SDGs, localized for Arab cultures/
regions, but scalable across the world and inclusive of different
The significance of Intisars and Ebbarra also rests upon their
support to my philanthropic goals – as much as half of the
proceeds from the sale of both Intisars and Ebbarra Jewellery
are being allocated to the Intisar Foundation.
In the area of education, my non-profit organisations (Alnowair
and Bareec) supplement the education system and workplace
cultures across Kuwait with programmes in socio-emotional skills
through the use of positive psychology.
To date, Alnowair has positively impacted more than 1.5 million
people across 300 events, campaigns and programmes that
improved community, education, and workplace environments.
Here are some more examples from the work of Alnowair in order
In celebration of the UN International Day of Education in
January 2020, I was invited by the President of the 74th session
of the United Nations General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande,
to present an overview of the impact of Alnowair’s
Boomerang and Bareec programmes in relation to the UN
Sustainable Development Goal 4. In this manner, Alnowair and
Bareec became the first and only two NGOs from Kuwait to
have presented their work to the United Nations.
COULD YOU SHARE WITH OUR READERS YOUR
VISION FOR A MORE PEACEFUL ARAB WORLD?
HOW CAN IT BE ACHIEVED?
drama therapy sessions in order to support its beneficiaries
nationalities due to their science-based approaches.
to illustrate how its work contributes to eliminating violence in
My vision for the Arab woman of the future is the same as my
during national lockdowns. That was the first time that we started
its many different forms and/or establishing a renewed spirit
vision for the Peaceful Arab region of the future.
providing online drama therapy sessions, but it was necessary
In more details, here is a breakdown of the UN Sustainable
of cooperation and collaboration among the members of the
to support our beneficiaries during such stressful times.
Development Goals that they contribute to:
community they serve in each particular case:
An Arab woman who knows her value is a woman who knows
how to bridge and transcend the past narrative that she grew up
Another example is that, following the massive explosions at the
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality) - Intisar Foundation
• Alnowair’s Boomerang programme to combat bullying has
with about women’s roles in society with an updated and more
Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020, Intisar Foundation partnered
• SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing) - Intisar Foundation,
been scientifically proven to successfully impact school envi-
empowering story about herself and her future. This bridging can
with a local, Beirut-based NGO to offer a psychological support
Alnowair, Bareec, Intisars, Ebbarra
ronment through its innovative interventions of applied theatre
be supported in different ways, from wearing a piece jewellery
programme based on drama therapy to women in business
• SDG 4 (Quality Education) - Alnowair, Bareec
and kindness strategies. To date, it has conducted
that will serve as her self-empowerment tool, to gaining educa-
affected by the 2020 Beirut blast. This intensive 12-week drama
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) - Intisars, Ebbarra
225 + students workshops across 33 private schools in
tion in positive thinking and well-being, or to attending culturally
therapy programme was designed to improve women’s emotion-
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) -
Kuwait, engaged 15,000 students, impacted 264 real life
informed psychological support programmes that will heal not
al awareness, create a sense of belonging, and help resolve their
Intisars, Ebbarra
victims, bullies, and bystanders, and trained 70+ educators.
only her but her family and community as well. Arab women of
trauma, focusing largely on providing a structured and sequential
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institution) -
According to its research, on average, 85 percent students
the future will be Arab women who know their value.
mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) intervention.
Intisar Foundation, Alnowair, Bareec, Intisars, Ebbarra
who watched the Boomerang plays were “inspired to be kind-
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) - Intisar Foundation,
er”, while students also reported being “more prepared
In the same way, I envision our Arab region as a region that has
WHY IS IT ESSENTIAL TO ENHANCE THE ROLE OF
WOMEN IN STRENGTHENING BOTTOM-UP PEACE-
BUILDING APPROACHES IN THE ARAB WORLD?
Alnowair, Bareec, Intisars, Ebbarra
In the area of women’s self-empowerment, my two enterprises
(Intisars and Ebbarra Jewellery) are developed on the basis
of scientific research aimed at helping women achieve better
to solve bullying through kindness.”
• Alnowair’s corporate training programme Yelloworks engages
employees through positivity interventions to generate positive
behaviour change leading to an increase in employee produc-
transcended its past narrative, effecting change for all people
living in our Arab countries.
Peace must be borne of the Arab world. It needs to be found
within ourselves and come forth from us. For far too long, the Arab
I am a firm believer that empowering Arab women impacted by
well-being and positive mindset. Both stem from my long
tivity and organisational profitability. Its impact to date includes
narrative has been one of conflict, sinking in negativity, begging
the brutality of war and violence can transform them into the
struggle to overcome war trauma and depression caused by
190 employees trained, 180 hours of workshops, resulting in
the question as to which global actor will bring us Peace.
Arab world’s most impactful peacemakers.
the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
15 percent increase of employee engagement.
The truth is that nobody is coming to deliver this, and nor should
As I explained before, I believe that enabling the psychological
Intisars is a fine jewellery brand whose pieces hold self-empow-
• Alnowair’s environmental campaign on the beach in Jahra
they – I believe that the Arab world will create its own Peace.
recovery and self-empowerment of a mother leads to one
ering words for their wearers, while Ebbarra is a high-quality
Governorate to mark the World Clean-up Day 2020, received
I believe that we, Arabs, ourselves can emerge victorious from
family becoming more Peaceful. In healing mothers, Intisar
silver jewellery collection which harnesses the power of Arabic
a massive volunteer response (over 5,000 participants, includ-
our personal ordeals, build positivity in our communities, and
Foundation is therefore effecting a long-term, systemic change
poetry to remind its wearers of the power of words to transform
ing Ambassadors, government representatives, members of
create Peace across our region, and that Peace shall flow to
in the Arab world.
their lives.
45 different volunteer groups, and many others) and interna-
reach all of humankind.
tionally promoted Kuwait as a leader in facilitating local action
This is the reason why our One Million Arab initiative, a 30-year-
Intisars and Ebbarra support the UN Sustainable Goals SDG 8
that addresses environmental issues.
My life is testament to the fact that Peace can only be fostered
plan to alleviate war and violence trauma in one million Arab
(Decent work & Economic Growth) by creating job opportunities
by battles. With the victories that I have managed to achieve
women, has been hailed as an innovative approach to the field
in Kuwait and Italy. We work only with family run businesses
Bareec has conducted over 20 trainings and reached over 500
fuelling my conviction, I continue to dedicate every day of my
of peace-building worldwide.
which she regularly visits to evaluate the health and well-being of
teachers. Bareec is being implemented in 47 schools, reaching
life to developing solutions that foster self-love among women,
the workers (SDG3 (Good health & Wellbeing)). All materials, gold
more than 11,600 children. It has been included in the human
spread positivity among our children and young people, and
But now, let us all think about how much change we would
and stones are ethically sourced or mined, while all raw materials
development plan of New Kuwait Vision 2035 by the Supreme
psychologically heal Arab women impacted by the brutality of
witness in the Arab world if a woman was allowed to take part in
are traceable and sustainable (SDG 12 (Responsible Consump-
Council for Planning and Development, and has been approved
war and violence.
a peace-building process, to represent one or both sides. What
tion and Production)).
by the Ministry of Education of Kuwait in its new five-year plan
do you think? Would these women decide to end a war instantly
for the development of education.
18 19