Searching for Laila's Identity (Kolena Laila Initiative)

In September 2008, I was honoured to receive an invitation to contribute to a woman's empowerment initiative called Kolena Laila - We Are All Laila. It was the first time I had heard of this campaign.

I got in touch with Lasto Adri* Blue, known as Eman, who is one of the leading organisers of the initiative. She explained to me that 2008 was Kolena Laila's third year and that Laila is the heroine of a novel entitled The Open Door (El Bab El Maftouh) by writer Latifa El Zayyat. Laila was chosen as a symbol for each and every Egyptian woman who is trying to mould her independent personality in an oppressive society.

Read more about Kolena Laila