He for She Arts Week Bangkok

In 2017, I was part of the "He For She Arts Week" in Bangkok managing 60+ volunteers in coordination with the United Nations Women agency. The 7-days event is part of a global coordinated series of events, aim to bring public awareness to multiple forms of gender inequality through arts and cultural exhibitions.

The event aims to raise public awareness of the multiple forms of gender inequality continue to face around the world, and to mobilise broad support for shifting culture to a more gender equal society, where the participation of men and boys as agents of change is crucial.

This was my first interaction with an art event that focuses on social issues. And to get involved working directly with UN Women was my honour. There were movies and performances that moved me deeply to my core, and still impact me to this date. It was my first time organising art at such a scale. Seeing the audience's emotions and the impact of delivering social messages in such a beautiful way left an inerasable impression in me.

I still remember handing out movie tickets for a whole Thai family of 3 generations, grandparents, parents and children, holding hands excited to spending their weekend together at the cinema. We were giving out free tickets, something I think enabled them to have that experience as a family.

The movie in screening was "Wadjda" by Haifaa al-Mansour, the first long movie directed by a female Saudi Arabian director. It is a story about a 10 year old Saudi Arabian girl, who wants to participate in her school's Koran reading competition to win the prize money and buy her favourite green bicycle.

The world that was shown to me on that screen was so different to any reality that I have ever known. A little girl living in a country with such a different culture and landscape than mine, has struggles and joys that are so familiar with my own, and resonate with women and girls I know anywhere.

I always wonder what conversations would spark within the 3 generational Thai family that was there with me for that movie screening. Were they moved as I was? What would they tell their little girl about her role in this world? What would the little boy think about his role in this world toward gender injustice?

This powerful memory of mine was only a few hours within a week long transformative experience that I had with the He for She Arts Week Bangkok. I'm forever grateful for this experience and it is my dream to one day participate in such an event again as a professional artist.

You can learn more about this event at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1872343032982270/?active_tab=discussion