Saudi Pianist Wants To Inspire Women To Become Musicians
13
March 2022
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Saudi Pianist Wants To Inspire Women To Become Musicians
•
Saudi Female Baristas Break Taboos And Gain Respect
•
Marking International Women's Day Fes Gate Celebrates Moroccan Female Leaders
•
Four Afghan Women Win Scholarships To Bangkok University
•
San Diego Women Band Together to Help Local Afghan Refugees
•
WSF President Wooldridge Lauds Iranian Women
•
‘O Allah, PM Modi And CM Yogi Should Not Be Afraid Of Anyone In The Fight For
Our Rights,’ Muslim Women Pray In Meerut
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-pianist-musicians-baristas/d/126560
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Saudi
Pianist Wants To Inspire Women To Become Musicians
Rowida Raffa was encouraged by her family to pursue
her dream of becoming a pianist. (Supplied)
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Rahaf
Jambi
March
12, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi pianist Rowida Raffa took to the stage last September at Expo 2020 Dubai
and amazed everyone with her skills, performing on Saudi National Day and
playing different kinds of music. She also had an encouraging message to all
female artists who aspired to be in her position one day.
“Different
media agencies contacted me to represent the National Day at the expo, and I
never imagined one day that I would be here representing my own country abroad.
And, as a Saudi woman, I am very happy that the Kingdom is setting new
regulations for practicing musicians,” Raffa told Arab News.
Raffa
said she was prepared when media agencies approached her as she enjoyed playing
the piano and had been practicing for 20 years.
“My
grandfather was a violinist, and music was always something that connected the
family together. My brother is also a violinist, and I chose to be a pianist
because I found myself in it.”
As
well as the expo, Raffa has also performed with the award-winning international
composer William Ross, whose work has graced feature films, the recording
industry, and TV. His projects include “Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
“In
2018, I was invited to work with William Ross when the foundation stone for
Qiddiya, (an entertainment megaproject to be built in Riyadh), was laid,” she
said. “We did the opening song together and he is such a nice man. I’m glad my
first participation in a national project was this significant.
“I
played the opening of Alicia Keys’ concert in AlUla. The experience was amazing
and working with international artists is a dream.”
She
always played the piano for the passion and love she had for the instrument,
and she strived to practice so that she could play more difficult music.
Raffa
praised the Kingdom’s attention to music and for establishing a specialist
commission, saying opportunities were available and that young talent should
take advantage of these from a young age.
She
believed that music was a universal language and a strong form of communication
that enriched people’s lives, unified nations, and created cultural bridges.
“The
Saudi people maybe led to a worldwide level by the Music Commission and other
organizations and schools that teach you the essentials,” Raffa added.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2041291/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
Female Baristas Break Taboos And Gain Respect
Saudi female baristas in cafés in most larger cities
in the Kingdom (Supplied)
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Mohammed
Al-Kinani
March
12, 2022
JEDDAH:
Saudi female baristas in cafés in most larger cities in the Kingdom say they
have enjoyed widespread support from the people they come into contact with at
work.
Taibah
Ibrahim Al-Ruhaili, a barista in her early twenties, joined Joffrey’s café in
Jeddah 15 months ago after applying for barista jobs in many coffee shops.
The
biggest challenge she faced was work pressure and customer connection. However,
she said she managed to overcome all the obstacles.
Remembering
her first day, Al-Ruhaili said: “The team members who were working with me were
very cooperative and I quickly learned the skills baristas need in their work.
This made me come every day with more eagerness and readiness to learn
something new,” she added.
Al-Ruhaili
said that she learned how to both satisfy her customers with cups of coffee
that hit the spot and shoulder responsibilities and bear work pressure.
“I
learned self-discipline and commitment. I also learned how important work
achievements are. In fact, I have learned many things that I was not aware of
before.”
This
was not accepted in the past, but with time people have become more civilized,
and it has become normal to see women working everywhere. Some of my male
customers proudly introduce their families to me. These families are now my
frequent customers.
Entasar
Hubail, a barista from the Eastern Province, joined Starbucks in 2019 and has
since been promoted from barista to shift supervisor and now to assistant store
manager.
Hubail
said she loves coffee and had volunteered in coffee exhibitions and even bought
a coffee machine for her brother, although she is the one who ended up using
it.
“I
still remember when I bought my first coffee bean bag from Starbucks and made
coffee from it. I enrolled in coffee roasting courses and learned new
techniques,” she said.
She
is also a chocolatier and is into pastry-making. The time came when she had to
decide whether to pursue cooking or join a coffee company. She chose the latter
and ended up in Starbucks.
Speaking
about what attracted her to this job, she said that when she applied, she was
surprised to have been accepted for the job, which she thought showed the
company’s focus on promoting gender diversity and attracting local talent.
When
she started, Hubail had mixed feelings of surprise, happiness and fear. “I was
afraid because I was a very shy person and suddenly I was going to have
colleagues and customers to deal with. I, in fact, wanted to take this job
opportunity to overcome my inhibitions and focus on understanding more about
the coffee industry and building a future at this big company.
Like
Al-Ruhaili, Hubail’s biggest challenge was dealing with customers; it was her
first time communicating with strangers. She said that with time and practice
she was able to overcome her fears.
“The
first day I went to work was a truly frightening experience. It was something
like my first day at school. I even wanted my mom and sister to go to work with
me. Thankfully, I was able to get over my fears by pushing myself more and
more,” she said.
Faten
Bahussein, a university graduate of Islamic studies, is also a coffee
aficionado whose mornings begin with a cup at home before she goes to
Chocochino café, where she works.
“I
had an old coffee-making machine, and I practiced making coffee during the
curfew period. This has helped me to become good at it, and that reflected
positively on my current career,” Bahussein said.
After
nearly four years working as a barista, Bahussein said that she has noticed how
people look much happier when they see a Saudi girl working in a restaurant.
“This
was not accepted in the past, but with time people have become more civilized,
and it has become normal to see women working everywhere. Some of my male
customers proudly introduce their families to me. These families are now my
frequent customers,” she said.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2041311/saudi-arabia
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Marking
International Women's Day Fes Gate Celebrates Moroccan Female Leaders
Elmahdi
Echabouch
Mar.
12, 2022
Marking
International Women's Day, the Bouabate Fes Association celebrated on March 11
Moroccan female leaders in recognition of their far-reaching role in driving in
the North African country's vital sectors.
Named
the Fes Gate Trophy, the 12th annual ceremony of the Association of Bouabate
Fes sought to pay tribute to all the Moroccan women whose inspirational
leadership and exemplary devotion to social advancement has made a significant
difference in many sectors.
During
the opening ceremony, the President of the Association Leila Bennis said that
the event aimed to celebrate all the women who have excelled in their
respective fields, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts.
Source:
Morocco World News
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Four
Afghan women win scholarships to Bangkok university
By
Tara Abhasakun
March
12, 2022
Despite
living under the Taliban’s grip, four Afghan women have won scholarships to
study at Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok. The women were chosen based
on their academic records, and determination to promote women’s participation
in Afghan society. The executive director of the Thai Pipe Industry told the
Bangkok Post the women will be role models and mentors to women in their fields
in Afghanistan, and around the world. The executive director said the
scholarships will change lives.
Source:
The Thaiger.
https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/four-afghan-women-win-scholarships-to-bangkok-university
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San
Diego Women Band Together to Help Local Afghan Refugees
by
Mimi Pollack
13-03-2022
The
influx of refugees from Afghanistan has prompted different groups of San Diego
women to band together to help the men, women and children fleeing the Taliban
begin a new life in America.
Those
helping include both individuals like Mary Danaher of Coronado and
organizations like Welcome Home and Helping El Cajon Refugees.
Source:
Times Of Sandiego
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WSF
President Wooldridge Lauds Iranian Women
March,
13, 2022
TEHRAN
(Tasnim) – Zena Wooldridge, the president of the World Squash Federation (WSF),
lauded the Iranian sportswomen.
“The
world is changing and there’s a lot we can do to influence that; and there are
nations who are driving change in and through squash where we may not have
expected,” Wooldridge said.
Source:
Tasnim News
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/03/13/2681156/wsf-president-wooldridge-lauds-iranian-women
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‘O
Allah, PM Modi and CM Yogi should not be afraid of anyone in the fight for our
rights,’ Muslim women pray in Meerut
OpIndia
Staff
12
March, 2022
Muslim
women in Meerut have prayed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath’s long lives. Women have prayed for the Prime Minister, Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath, and their local MLA Dr. Somendra Tomar to have long
lives and to be free of fear.
A
video has come up in which it can be seen that these Muslim Women from Meerut
while performing Namaz were praying for the wellness of their local MLA and
Yogi Adityanath. This comes after Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Somendra Tomar won
the election from the Meerut South seat for the second time in a row.
Source:
Opindia
https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/muslim-women-in-meerut-pray-for-pm-modi-and-cm-yogi-adityanath/
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-pianist-musicians-baristas/d/126560