"Forces of Change: Women, Art & Literature in the Arab World," a symposium to be held March 16-18 at The Carter Center, will address the changing role of women, particularly in art and literature, in the Arab world. Keynote speaker, Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan, will address the conference during opening remarks at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 16. The ambassadors from Yemen, Jordan and Algeria will also participate in the conference.
The symposium will provide a forum for the academic exploration of the central issues of Arab women and social change. Topics include: "The Changing Role of Women in Contemporary Arab Societies"; "Arab Traditions of Feminism"; "Arab Women and the Arts"; "Art, Literature and Society in the Arab World"; "Arab Women Writers"; and "Religion, Society and the Arts in the Arab World," as well as a panel discussion of "The Artist in Exile" and screenings of films by Arab cinematographers. Scholars from Duke University, the University of California at Berkeley, New York University and George Mason University are among those who will address these topics.
In conjunction with the symposium, art exhibits at NEXUS Contemporary Art Center and the Gwinnett Fine Arts Center will be displayed. Titled "Forces of Change: Women Artists of the Arab World," the exhibits open to the public March 17 and run through April 29.
"Forces of Change" is presented by The Georgia Humanities Council, Emory, NEXUS Contemporary Art Center and the International Council for Women in the Arts. "Forces of Change" is co-sponsored by Agnes Scott College, Ogle-thorpe Univers-ity and Spelman College. Confer-ence organizers are Gordon D. Newby, professor of Near Eastern and Judaic languages and literatures at Emory, and John Fenton, professor in Emory's religion department.
Registration is $30 at the door with additional costs for specific meals. For information and a schedule, call 727-2697.
-- Joyce Bell