Bonn 2009

At the Congress we didn’t find the time to visit the women’s museum of Bonn. Here a virtual guide from Marianne Pitzen and her team:

presentation frauenmuseum

This is a wonderful virtual visit of the museum and introduction of his activities. Compliments to Marianne Pitzen and her team, specially to Gudrun Angelis!

Thanks to Tetiana Isaeva from the women’s museum of Ukraine, who found it in the net!

Press Release

Re: 2nd International Congress of the Women’s Museums in Bonn/Germany

September 9^th - 12^th, 2009

The conference, from September 9^th to 12^th 2009, was attended by 60 women managers, women curators and foundresses of the women’s museums worldwide and by an equal number of representatives of different museums from the whole of Germany.

About 500 guests already flooded the big opening on September 9^th, 2009 – visibly multicultural. The work of the South Tyrolean artist Brigitte Niedermaier „woman!” formed the beginning of the exhibition „Women’s Museums Worldwide“, an exhibition of women’s museums about themselves. Last year in Merano, the photographer had taken a photo of the participants of the different women’s museums and now her work forms the prelude of this exhibition.

The atmosphere of the conference was productive, communicative & cordial.

The most important decisions:

1. Foundation of a global coordination committee of delegates from each continent.

Africa: - Omima Mustafa, Sudanese Women’s Museum, Omdurman/Sudan

- Maria Diatta, Musée de la Femme, Island Gorée/Senegal

Asia: - Ki Young-in, feminist art group (association which presently runs the Women’s History Exhibition Hall/Seoul/Korea)

Australia: - Helen Jaraslafsky, National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame/Australia

South America: - Graciela Tejero Coni, Museo de la Mujer, Buenos Aires/Argentina

Europe: - Astrid Schönweger, Women’s Museum, Merano/Italy

- Bettina Bab, Women’s Museum, Bonn/Germany

Besides, Astrid Schönweger of the Women’s Museum / Merano is the official speaker of the network and is responsible for public relation and fundraising. The committee prepares the statutes of the global association of the women’s museums.

2. The next conference takes place in Argentina in 2010

A worldwide association of the women’s museums will be founded in Buenos Aires; and the question of an own section “women’s museums” within the international museum association, ICOM, will be discussed there.

3. The first joint exhibition of the women’s museums worldwide

“Idols - Role Models – Heroines” will be presented in the Danish women’s museum after November 11, 2009, and then in the Austrian women museums of Vienna and Hittisau. In 2011, the exhibition will be shown in the Women’s Museum Merano in Italy.

4. Solidarity demonstration with the Iranian women’s museum

Unfortunately, the foundation directress Mansouréh Shojaiee was not allowed to leave the country, hence, the conference members decided to send her a Letter of Solidarity signed by all the attendees.

Marianne Pitzen Astrid Schönweger

Directress Women’s Museum of Bonn / Germany Coordinator network wm

Dear Bettina,

about five months ago I had been notified of the women’s museum conference in Bonn first by Ms Astrid Schönweger and then Sabri Najafi after wards I received your invitation.

At that time we were hoping for changes after the election and participated in the women’s coalition in convergence (For demands of women’s issues in the election) it was an opportunity not be missed, also occupied with other time pressing commitments such as Campaign for one million signatures to change discriminatory laws, Site of The Feminist School, Sedigheh Dolat Abadi women’s Library, even though your conference and the introduction of Iranian Women’s Museum was equally important.

As I was prohibited to travel and on many occasions was called for interrogation in the revolutionary court but in regards to the importance of your conference and the recommendation of Ms Shirin Ebadi and with the help of Nasrin Sotoudeh, were in the process of acquiring passport and did visit the revolutionary court for permission to travel which proved unsuccessful, even though, friends in the cultural department of the German embassy did try for a visa to be issued.

After the election a lot of pressure was exerted, with all the problems for all of the human rights and women’s rights activists which was minute to the problems that Ms Ebadi was experiencing, even trying to contact Ms. Shirin Ebadi was proving to be very difficult, side by side with the people in the demonstration we tried to demonstrate our independence and perusing women’s demands, many friends were arrested and many were called to account including me and hence we had to take short trips outside of Tehran to be away from the reach and as such no access to telephone or at times Internet connections were playing up so one could not follow the latest news of the conference and on the women’s museum but even then, we had the same apprehension as you for the Bonn conference. In any case through my sister Mitra I managed to contact Ms Ebadi and dear Parastoo Forouhar and asked to introduce and present the case for the museum, and Mitra to report on the situation of the women activists.

We are all extremely happy on the success of the Bonn conference and are aware and appreciate that without your help this conference and the introduction of the women’s museum would not have had such a vast exposure, even though because of the security issues we are unable to reflect the way we should but the conference and Iranian women’s museum in the solidarity network of the world museums did make us all proud and has placed upon us all Iranian’s more dedication and commitment we just hope that with the current situation we can continue the way it is bestowed upon us.

We all from the bottom of our hearts would like to thank all of our sisters in the world that helped in the introduction and presentation of the Iranian women’s museum and with wishes of equality, peace and security for the entire citizen’s of the world in particular our oppressed sisters in the world who live in suppressive societies which have shown their support and solidarity.

The solidarity statement from our sisters will be published in different women web sites for all to see and be encouraged.

“ Us Sisters Of The World, Will Propagate Justice In The World ,Even To The Point Of Eradication.”

Best wishes

Mansoureh Shojaee

The women’s museum of Ukraine has its own blog and you can find them informations about the 2nd International Congress of women’s museums in Bonn/Germany:

http://gender.at.ua/news/2009-09-15-111

http://gender.at.ua/news/2009-09-10-101

http://gender.at.ua/news/2009-09-10-99

The new exposition about the artist: Ilse Heller-Lazard

flyer_ilse_heller_lazard

mj_3-09_74-75

Bonn, 11.09.2009

Avowal of solidarity to Shirin Ebadi

Dear Shirin Ebadi,

we, the participants of the second international conference of women’s museums worldwide (Bonn, 9^th - 12^th Sept. 2009), came to know about the prohibition of Mansoureh Shojaiee to leave the country, who, thus, unfortunately could not participate at our this year’s meeting. We were informed about this by Mansoureh Shojaiee’s sister, Mitra Shojaiee, to be exact: Her explanations were worrying, her speech a cry for help. We want to ask you, dear Mrs. Ebadi (who appreciates our engagement for women, their culture and their art all over the world, and also took our first congress under your patronage) to deliver Mrs. Mansoureh Shojaiee a message of solidarity.

We count on you and thank you sincerely beforehand.

With many, dear greetings,

the participants of the congress of women’s museums in Bonn 2009.

Bonn, den 11.09.2009

Avowal of solidarity

Dear Mansoureh Shojaiee,

we, the participants of the second international conference for women’s museums worldwide (Bonn, 9^th - 12^th Sept. 2009), want to tell you today, that we would have rejoiced a lot to your participation at the conference. We appreciate your engagement for the Women’s Library in Iran very much, that country with one of the oldest, continuing cultures.

In the same way, we would have been very honoured to welcome you here as a guest. As a sign of our hospitality we now send you a gift in form of books, as we know you are a member of a writing culture that lasts many thousand years. All our best wishes accompany you!

In hope for a later meeting, we greet you sincerely.

The participants of the congress in Bonn 2009

Press release from women’s museum Bonn:

Pressemitteilung

zur Konferenz der Frauenmuseen weltweit

Zusammenfassung:

Die Konferenz lief vom 9. – 12.9.2009.

Zu den 60 Direktorinnen, Kuratorinnen und Gründerinnen der Frauenmuseen

aus aller Welt kam noch dieselbe Anzahl von Vertreterinnen verschiedener Museen aus ganz Deutschland hinzu.

Schon zur großen Eröffnung am 9.9.09 strömten rund 500 BesucherInnen - sichtbar multikulturell. Die Atmosphäre der Konferenz war produktiv, kommunikativ & herzlich. Die Unterbringung im Kunsthotel Dormitorium hat allen sehr gefallen. (Doku. folgt)

Die wichtigsten Beschlüsse:

1. Gründung eines weltweiten Koordinationskomitees, das aus den Delegierten von jedem Kontinent besteht.

Afrika:

- Omima Mustafa, Sudanese Women’s Museum, Omdurman/Sudan

- Maria Diatta, Musée de la Femme, Insel Gorée/Senegal

Asien:

- Ki Young-in, Women’s History Exhibition Hall, Seoul/Korea

Australien:

- Helen Jaraslafsky, National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame/Australien

Südamerika

- Graciela Tejero Coni, Museo de la Mujer, Buenos Aires/Argentinien

Europa:

- Astrid Schönweger, Frauenmuseum, Meran/Italien

- Bettina Bab, Frauenmuseum, Bonn/Deutschland

Astrid Schönweger vom Frauenmuseum/Meran ist zudem die offizielle Sprecherin für das Netzwerk, zuständig für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Fondraising

Das Komitee bereitet die Statuten für den Verband der Frauenmuseen weltweit vor.

2. Die nächste Konferenz 2010 findet in Argentinien statt.

Dort in Buenos Aires wird der Verband der Frauenmuseen weltweit gegründet.

Diskutiert wird dann auch die Frage nach der eigenen Sektion „Frauenmuseen“ im internationalen Museumsverband, ICOM.

3. Die erste gemeinsame Ausstellung der Frauenmuseen weltweit

„Idole .- role models – Heldinnen“ wird nach dem 8.11. 09 im dänischen Frauenmuseum gezeigt, danach von den Frauenmuseen in Wien und Hittisau.

4. Solidaritätsbekundung mit dem iranischen Frauenmuseum

Die Gründungsdirektorin Mansouréh Shojaiee durfte leider nicht ausreisen, daher beschlossen die Konferenzteilnehmerinnen, ihr ein Solidaritätsschreiben zu schicken, das die Anwesenden unterschrieben haben.

12.9.09, Marianne Pitzen

12.09.09

Great meeting about the future of network womeninmuseum.

We create a council with representatives of each continent:

Africa: Omima Mustafa, Sudanese Women’s Museum, Omdurman /Sudan and Maria Diatta, Musée de la Femme, Gorée/Sénégal

Asia: Ki Young-in, Independent feminist art group, Seoul/Korea

Australia: Helen Jaraslafsky, Natioanl Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame/Australia

America: Graciela Tejero Coni, Museo de la Mujer, Buenos Aires/Argentina

Europe: Bettina Bab, Frauenmuseum Bonn/Germany and Astrid Schönweger, Frauenmuseum Meran/Italy

Astrid Schönweger from the women’s museum Merano/Italy is nominated as the official coordinator for the network.

The following museums presented themselves:

- Women’s History Exhibition Hall, Seoul/Korea

- Women’s museum Sudan, Omdurman/Sudan

The film-documentary will be produced for the beginning of october, all the pictures with description will be prepared for the flickr within september.

The partecipants of the Congress are requested to send their pictures with description to the coordinator of network.

There are following impressions of this day: