Dubrovnik
 
 
2011 Welcome
Introduction Women's Rights
View Program 2011
 
 
Women are still second class in the new global economy
Brutal rapes in Libya and the Congo, slave-like conditions for teen sex workers in Thailand, Cambodia and Russia, honor killings of young women in Palestine and India, severe punishments for women who seek a divorce in Saudi Arabia (or dare to drive a car), the murder of young girls by the Afghan Taliban for the “crime” of going to school and genital mutilation “coming of age ceremonies” in African countries. These are just some of the violent and barbaric conditions that many women in the developing world face on a daily basis.

Amid all the opportunity and modernization that the new global economy has brought to the world, there are still horrible conditions for females and dangers at every turn. Unfortunately, the treatment of women is influenced by age old traditions, zealous religious practices and plain and simple views that females are second class citizens with few if any rights.

As we hear or read about these atrocities in far-off parts of the world, there is not only jaw-dropping revulsion but also a kind of smug confidence that women here do not live in fear that they will become victims of abuse or murder. Unfortunately, women in our own state are not immune from violence and mistreatment.
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Hylas and the Nymphs by John William Waterhouse, 1896.
 
There are so many people with different perspectives on what reality or justice is. Often at UN and NGO websites about Women's Rights we can see horrific pictures and movies what men and also family members are doing to women; acid burning, beatings, stoning etc., victims of these abuses are often trapped in their society. If we realize only 20% of people worldwide have access to internet and only 1% owns a computer, we know much of all ugliness what's happening is hidden in places far away from the public eye.

At Le Petit Festival we don't have the illusion that we are going to make much of a difference on a world scale about what's happening inside Women's Rights. It will take generations for humanity to evolve into a truly global civilization. What we can do is to follow the strategy of Amnesty International. People get desillusioned about seeing so much horror and abuse. Amnesty International's strategy is to show where they have success with their actions. That's what we also can do. To create a platform where we can invite individuals and other organizations to come together within our world of art. To share moments of beauty and intimacy together, to create a safe environment for sharing experiences, to nurture and heal eachother, to have a feeling we are coming together for a good cause. We can learn from eachother. Perhaps in collaboration we can do bigger things together in the future.

A World of Art

To add a theme of Women's Rights to the festival is new. We are not professional human rights activists. We are just a group of creative minds with a strong desire to express ourselves through art and design and who simply wish prosperity and a good life for all, everywhere.

In the spirit of '100 years of International Women's Day', which took place this year at March 8, we will come together at our festival in June to celebrate and honour what women have achieved worldwide the last 100 years.

Visiting Le Petit Festival 2011 will be as if you step inside a fairy tale forest, a world of nymphs and goddesses. Deep inside the forest all nymphs, goddesses and animals of the forest will come together for a celebration at the old temple of Ragusa, the temple of 'Wisdom, Passion & Joy' (Until 1808 Dubrovnik’s official name was Ragusa). Visitors of the festival are invited to dress up together with all artists and performers every day during the week.
 
About Nymphs and Goddesses

In the past nymphs (Νύμφαι) were minor female deities or spirits, who inhabited the mountains, woods, waters and seas. Like the gods, some were literally forces of nature. They were indistinguishable from the element of nature.

Greece: Apollon and the Nymphs.
There were quite few different types of nymphs. The oreads lived in the mountains, while the naïads (Ναϊάδες) were nymphs of the water, such as the spring and lake. The nymphs of the trees were called dryads (Δρυάδες), hamadryads (Ἁμαδρυάδες), alseids and meliae (Μελίαδες). The Nereïds (Νηρεΐδες) were sea-nymphs. The Oceanids don't have specific attributes.

Some nymphs were named after region or island, like Europa and Asia (Oceanids). There was an island named after Aegina.

Sometimes the division between nymphs and goddesses blurred, such as the cases of the sea goddesses, like Oceanid Doris, or the Nereids Amphitrite and Thetis. These three were goddesses of the sea. Whereas the Oceanid Metis, goddess of wisdom, had nothing to do with the sea.

Nymphs were sometimes worshipped alongside with the gods or heroes in their temples or sanctuaries, though these cults of the nymphs were usually found in caves.

Nymphs were often attendants to goddesses, like Artemis, or to other nymphs, like Calypso who has attendants on her island. Artemis was often seen as the mistress or goddess of the nymphs, since many of them were hunting companions of the goddess. Some nymphs attended Apollo or Hermes looking after flocks of sheep, as shepherdesses.

India: Stone figures of naked, posing apsaras (heavenly nymphs) at temples of Khajuraho.
The poets and writers often described the nymphs of great beauty. Because of their beauty, they often received unwanted attentions from gods and mortals. They often tried to preserve their virginity, like the goddess they followed, but often they are powerless to resist mighty gods, like Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo or Hermes. Some were willing, but in many cases, they were raped.

Often to escape from the unwanted advances, even from the powerful gods, they were transformed into springs, trees, or flowers.

Most nymphs have at least one divine parent, while only a few nymphs have mortal father and mother. Even more important is that many of the nymphs have become mothers of heroes and gods.

The term "nymph" had later meant young beautiful woman, or seductress. Even worse was the term "nymphomania", which was used to describe uncontrollable or excessive sexual desire in women; a woman who was insatiable.

(Source: Timeless Myths)
 
Medusa, the embodiment of all things feminine.
Stepping inside

Together w
e will be stepping inside a fairy tale world. But also here we have monsters and demons. Lets not run away. Lets join together to face them, to start a conversation. Perhaps these monsters and demons will start listening and become our future friends.

Lets create this world together, lets make magic tricks and fly high in the sky above the ancient European city walls of Dubrovnik. Lets come closer and share with eachother and everyone at the festival the healing power of a Smile!
 
Soon online our festival program 2011, info participating artists, press information, etc. so come back soon.

Looking forward to meeting you this year in Dubrovnik at the mysterious temple of Ragusa.
Lets create something new and celebrate!