Womens Worlds 08, Madrid Spain

My room was on the sixth floor and I walked up and down. Breakfast was served at 0730 and not a moment before. I met many women while eating and went with two who were presenting for the International University Women. One was on call for the Red Cross just in case of an emergency involving a Brit.
We took the metro underground to a special building where the plenary session was held and the morning was filled with welcomes. And an hour of flamenco singer, very powerful music. Maybe someday I will hear what the words were. they too must have been powerful. We heard from the Executive Director or the UN development fund for women. Then a free spread was set up and we gorged on finger tidbits for an hour. I also had a beer, a lemonade, and water.
Then it was on to the meat of the conference. Nawal el Saadawi, founder of the Arab Women´s Solidarity Association told a different story of the arab politics. And she pulled no punches about George Bush and his twin Asma bin Ladin. I will get her speech and we can see the world from other perspectives than England and CNN.
Somaly Mam from Thailand told her story of protecting the victims of trafficking for Sexual Exploitation. She had personal experience of held in a brothel but after telling her story received the 1998 PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS award for international cooperation. This is not just of the sexual abuse but the selling of women by families and the purchase of young people for sexual gratification. The world still lets - or makes - men believe they will not be held accountable for their actions.
That was all I could take for the day so off I went to the underground blue to yellow line and to the hotel.
Naomi Sherer