“Globalization at its Best”

We parked against a cinder block-gray wall within the windy network of small town roads. Everything was gray and dusty, and we piled out of the van like a rainbow. First the Turkish contingent: Ebru in a deep blue blouse, Attila in a faint yellow blazer and striped polo-shirt, and Burak in a clean white blazer and black tie. We walked together towards the workshop. As we approached our colors melted together with the colors of the traditional garments of the wonderful women of Al Uswa El Hasana. They were extremely welcoming as always. I expressed as much happiness to see them as I could whilst juggling cultural/language barriers and my own natural shyness. I felt an uneasy mixture of excitement at the grandeur of the accomplishments we were celebrating, and nervousness in regard to my ability to properly document it. In my experience, when marveling at the wonders of a different culture I tend to get lost in my imagination, but my job today was to capture the event in my mind, as well as, through the lens. When I had arrived the day before, an E-mail explaining who I was had burned away with some servers in Aruba. So I, being a completely unknown giant stranger, was lumbering around taking pictures and video of their workshop until one of the ladies basically asked our UNICEF companions “Who the heck is this guy?”. Once I explained myself it was all smiles. The workshop contains a lovely juxtaposition of beautiful classic sewing machines lined up next to the new, top-notch ones supplied by Orta Blu. The women who inhabit the workshop are very serious about their work, but when we broke away from the piles of denim for some Lebanese sweets I noticed that they love to laugh and laugh constantly. I remember really wishing I spoke Arabic just so that I could join in on the hearty laughter. But it was the day of the big ceremony so all the neat rows had been pushed aside to make room for the guests. As everyone started to arrive the room looked more and more like a full subway car in Queens. We represented Orta Blu, and among the crowd were the folks from UNICEF Lebanon and other international organizations intertwining with the local men, women, and youths. After some initial welcoming and conversation, everybody took their seats in an oval, giving the room an air of great importance like some ancient Roman theatre in preparation for an oration from Cicero. The mayor of WAJ presided over the crowd like an old king whose white beard speaks of great wisdom. The respect paid to this man was greater than that of any mayor I’d ever met. But what struck me even more was the tact with which he received these honors. Speeches were made from all parties. Some were more informative and others were more of an expression of gratitude at being involved in such an amazing project. Joumana Nasser, a UNICEF Program Coordinator, kept switching from English to Arabic translation depending on the speakers native tongue. At some point a young student from one of the local schools got up to make a speech. Being slightly nervous she spoke very fast without giving spaces for translation, but she held herself in front of this adult mass with strength and dignity in a way I found beautiful. After the speeches the school uniforms, produced by the Women Group, were ceremonially unveiled.

The young lady who made a speech on behalf of the school.

By Teo J. Babini.