Sawt Foundation’s Programs and Activities in Yemen (2011–2022)
Visual Arts Program
• Sawt Cinema Project (2015–2016):
The Sawt Cinema Project established a dynamic cultural space for young men and women – and the wider community – in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, by screening and discussing a diverse selection of Yemeni, Arab, European, and American feature and documentary films. The project was implemented in two phases and showcased 58 films, supported by the Prince Claus Fund and the Embassy of the Netherlands. More than 2,500 people attended the public screenings. Each screening was followed by substantive cultural, intellectual, and artistic debates about the films and their themes. The project aimed to promote peace and acceptance of the “other.” Two volumes of a book were published under the title Sawt Cinema: The Soft Change (Volume I in 2015 and Volume II in 2016).
• Photography Exhibition Project (2013):
In cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation – Yemen Office, Sawt organized a photography exhibition featuring 50 photos highlighting the role of “women in the shadows” – those not recognized in the media, such as housewives, mothers, and teachers – during the events of 2011. The exhibition took place at the House of Culture in Sana’a and lasted for one and a half months. It included a series of side activities, such as academic papers presented by researchers analyzing the representation of women in different media outlets. A group of women were honored during the exhibition.
• Fine Arts Project (2014):
This project aimed to highlight the role of Yemeni women from diverse social groups, professions, and age categories. One of its main activities was painting portraits of pioneering Yemeni women on the walls of the Faculty of Arts in 2014, coinciding with the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
• Film Production Project (2011):
Implemented in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation – Yemen Office, this project produced the documentary Yemeni Women Creating Change, which spotlighted the aspirations and goals of Yemeni women in cultural, social, educational, media, and political fields. The film was translated into German and screened in Berlin in 2012, at the University of Hamburg in 2013, and in several Arab countries.
• Short Animated Film Circumcision of the Soul (2022):
In 2022, Sawt produced a short animated film titled Circumcision of the Soul, addressing the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM). The film won first place across Asia and North Africa, receiving an award from the Arab Women’s Center for Training and Research (CAWTAR) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) – Arab World Regional Office. The film examined the consequences of FGM and its harmful impacts. It was translated into English and screened at the University of Hamburg in 2023, as well as in several Arab countries.
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Local and International Engagement Program
Sawt Foundation engaged in multiple local and international initiatives, including:
• Participation in the Arab Media Monitoring Network on the Image of Women and Men in Arab Media.
• Contributing to the development of the Arab Media Strategy and participation in the 2014 Arab Media Charter Conference.
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Human Rights and Cultural Program
Sawt collaborated with several local partners to promote and advocate for cultural and human rights causes, as well as to address key issues such as enforced disappearance, to raise awareness and advocate for accountability. Partners included the Yemeni Ministry of Culture, the Yemeni Writers and Authors Union, and Al-Nidaa Newspaper.
