COMMUNIQUÉ INTERNATIONAL FEMININE CONGRESS FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE WOMEN’S TURN TO SPEAK Association Internationale Soufie Alawiyya ONG Internationale

World Premiere

Gender equality for Muslims, a vital necessity

Mostaganem, July 9th

2014 – The International Feminine Congress for a Culture of Peace « Women’s

turn to speak » will be held in Algeria at Oran and Mostaganem from October 27th to November 2nd

2014. Organized by AISA, International NGO and by the foundation Djanatu al-Arif, this congress

aims to initiate a discussion on the importance of women and the feminine in the Muslim tradition to

assist in generating a profound mutation in our societies enabling men and women to become equal and

responsible.

«All over the world, women and men are eagerly and anxiously awaiting the establishment of gender

equality. This first world congress on relationships between men and women in the Muslim culture aims

to carry this essential message, that must be heard everywhere, bringing a deep reflection and a new

concrete vision into the destiny of our lives. » says Sheikh Khaled BENTOUNES, the spiritual leader of

the Alawiyya Sufi path, the organizer of this congress.

The International Feminine Congress will bring together more than fifty international specialists who will

reflect on the role of the feminine and women in the Muslim culture and their importance in creating a

true culture of peace that will promote « better living together."

The discussions will be organized around five main themes:

Axis 1 – The Feminine: Different Perspectives

Feminine and masculine stereotypes have been deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of

humanity, despite a significant evolution of attitudes. They reflect a rigid image of women that

reduces them to mere appearances, thereby creating individual and societal imbalances, as well

as ever-increasing gender conflict. Through different perspectives that humanity adopts

concerning women, and through a return to the consciousness of primordial unity, we propose

to work towards a reconciliation of Feminine and Masculine.

Axis 2 – The Feminine: Ethics and Education

In an ever-changing world, how can we promote an open-minded education to transmit human

values? How can we raise our children to be free and responsible beings in a society sick with

consumerism?

Axis 3 - The Feminine: Tradition and Modernity

In our dehumanized world, it has become essential to reflect on the meaning of human and

universal values. How can we highlight the values and wisdom shared by all, in order to build

together a world of peace?

Axis 4 - The Feminine: Veiling and Unveiling

Many women today hope to lay the foundations for open and constructive dialogue on the

religious, cultural and spiritual meaning of veiling and unveiling. What are the taboos that have

become intertwined with this question throughout history? How can we deconstruct all the “false

truths” about women in order to let them reacquire their own history, rights and dignity?

Axis 5 – The feminine and culture of peace

Peace, we all talk about it, and each of us wants it. But what exactly is peace? It is not just the

absence of conflict; it is a state of being that implies reconciliation with oneself, with others, and

with nature – an ever-present challenge. Peace is a reality that touches everything. How can we

build the foundations for a culture of peace based on education, respect for human rights, and

sustainable economic and social development? The congress will be an opportunity to ponder

together on how to build a culture of peace that will benefit all humanity.

For the spiritual leader of the Alawiyya Sufi path, Sheikh Khaled Bentounes, this meeting is a big step

forward to gender equality, an inevitable way to build a true culture of peace. «This congress is crucial.

Every day we are bombarded with stories and images of conflicts, violence and misery, the consequences

of the irrational behavior of human beings. And yet, the yearning for peace has never been stronger ».

« The development of information technologies coupled with profit-driven globalization have brought

about rapid changes in today’s societies − changes that destabilize and weaken a world with its

inescapable exchanges of ideas and where the mixing of peoples of different origins and diverse cultures

is an undeniable fact. Humanity must react and redirect efforts towards an alternative − in fact − a

golden opportunity: a society of “better living together,” with all the values that this concept conveys.

This is a new challenge. Its significance extends far beyond geographic, cultural, social and religious

borders and can only come to fruition through a culture of peace », concludes Sheikh Bentounes.

Information regarding the International Feminine Congress is available on the website:

http://www.congres-international-feminin.org.

Follow us on Facebook : facebook.com/congresinternationalfeminin.

Present in many countries worldwide, « AISA International NGO » is a spiritual organization with a « special

consultative status » from the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN. AISA contributes, through the

spiritual and ethical issues, to the promotion and consolidation of the Living together between civilizations and

religions. It works to facilitate the understanding of the principles of gender equality, non-discrimination, social and

cultural progress of humanity, promote a culture of peace and fight poverty. It promotes cultural cooperation,

brotherhood and mutual understanding of religions and human spiritualties. It wants to hinder fundamentalism,

religious wars to create a more just and united world in the service of humanity.

Source: AISA International NGO Information: Meriem Benachenhou meriem@aisa-ong.org Farid Ait-Ouarab farid@aisa-ong.org