Actress Yasmin Raeis, feminist writer Saadawi to be honored

CAIRO – 21 April 2018: Two notable Egyptian women, actress Yasmin Raies and feminist writer Nawal El-Saadawi, have been invited to receive honors at the 22nd Tunisian Association of Innovative Arab Women conference.

Running April 26-28 in Sousse, Tunisia, the theme for this year is “Self-Representation in the Creativity of Arab Women”. According to Ahram Online and MAD Solutions, the forum was established in 1996 with the goal of "introducing the creativity of Arab women in all human fields, facilitating the exchange of experiences between Arab creators and strengthening the bonds between them."

Saadawi is an author, doctor and an activist dedicated to combating female genital mutilation (FGM). She has been one of the most active and recognizable voices of Egyptian feminism for more than 45 years and has published an extensive amount of literature, with well over 50 works, including plays, short fiction, full novels and feminist critiques. Her most recent book was published last year, titled "A Notebook of an 85-Year-Old Girl". Expanding on excerpts from pages of her personal journal, it covers her thoughts on how women her age are perceived and the various situations Egypt has faced across her many years of life. The festival will honor the immense work she has done for women's rights in the Arab world.

Raies is a rising star in contemporary Egyptian cinema. Originally working as a model, she decided to bring a dramatic change into her life by opting to become an actress, and success has only followed her. Raies’ big break came in 2010 after starring in the television series "Ard Khas" by Hadi El Bagoury. Afterwards, she began starring in various renowned films, such as "Looking for Umm Kulthum", "Made in Egypt", "Hepta" and "Factory Girl", which has earned her multiple awards, including the Horus Award during the Cairo National Festival for Egyptian Cinema and the Dubai International Film Festival's Muhr Award. It is also for this film that she will be honored at the conference.