CAIRO: As part of the Arab World Social Innovation Forum (AWSIF), three new social initiatives were launched, the most prominent of which is the “1,350,000 Flowers Initiative,” by globally renowned Iraqi Oud player Naseer Shamma. “The flower is a symbol of the value of women as I see it and how I was brought up to see it,” Shamma told Daily News Egypt. “1,350,000 flowers is the number of widows in the Arab World today. Although the number could be much higher and is on the rise due to the ongoing wars and conflicts,” he explained. The initiative will put together one of the largest flower bouquets, which will go in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the largest flower bouquets ever made. The bouquet will be displayed at a music event held in Abu Dhabi. The money raised from selling each flower along with the sponsors will go to a fund under the supervision of the Emirati Red Crescent, which will be allocated to teaching the widows skills and crafts then establishing income generating projects to support themselves and their children. Shamma has particularly chosen this cause because “The widow does not have any man and they are mothers of orphans too,” he explained, adding that there are numerous organizations catering to the remaining categories of females in the Arab World. He was driven to help widows after he felt that their numbers are increasing “rapidly and dangerously” after the wars in his homeland Iraq. Seeing the effect of this increasing number in many other fields moved him to find a solution. “I'm trying through my work, my connections, friends and acquaintances around the world to find a solution to this growing problem which is reflected in many other arenas such as street children, hunger, illiteracy, etc,” Shamma told Daily News Egypt. He pointed out that in a number of years Iraq will have a great number of illiterates in a country that was known for its sound education system, mothers and children. “1,350,000 Flowers Initiative aims to touch upon the lives of families not just the widows,” said Shamma. The initiative will reach out to widows in places of conflict all over the Arab World and will spread to other third world countries, such as Afghanistan.
