JEDDAH, 22 February 2005 — With individual freedom or civic responsibility, is true democracy achievable? A panel that included three women discussed this question at the Jeddah Economic Forum yesterday.

The panel included Ferial Al-Masry, a Saudi-born American and a Democrat, Nadia H. Bakhurji, an international architect and president of Riwaq of the Kingdom Co. Ltd., and Dr. Nouha Al-Hakim, HEC School of Management, University of Paris.

Turning toward the women’s section, Ferial said they should realize that change and progress were inevitable. “You either wait for the future to happen and be under its mercy, or you take charge and accelerate the wheel of change and control the process and don’t become victimized by the unknown,” she said.

“You’re capable of achieving more and the Saudi society needs your contribution to be part of the modern world,” she added.

She told the men delegates that discrimination against women is discrimination against the society itself, because it fears its ability to perceive itself as a whole.

She termed her visit to the Kingdom after she had left it many years ago as a dream come true. “My life has been a journey of hope, faith and possibilities. It took me to three continents and returned me back here to my starting point. “Talking about my journey here with you makes me feel blessed,” she said, adding that when she would return home to the United States, she would tell her story again, this time including her journey to the Kingdom.

“In both places, I hope to tell a universal story of how humanity can overcome its barriers of time and space through hope, understanding and acceptance,” said Ferial. She was born in Makkah, “the place that exposed me to the universal truth of human longing for freedom.” After spending her childhood in the holy city, she spoke about her journey to Egypt when at the age of 10 her mother sent her there with two younger sisters for education. “I left home with the most wonderful gift any little female could attain. I had acquired a unique perception of the world armed with spiritual strength, and the power to conquer the new world. I had the ability to take care of my two sisters, and was inquisitive about my new life, not scared but eager to learn. With pride and without fear, that was how I started my life in the Diaspora that began with Egypt.”

While still in Egypt, she decided to educate herself about Islam. She learned about the Prophet’s life and history and discovered the history of women in Islam.

She then spoke about her journey to England and America. Her political activity started with the Gulf War, which she protested. “It intensified during the preparations for America’s war on Iraq, which I also opposed,” said Ferial who later joined the Democratic Party. “One evening a call from a member of the democratic Party changed my life. The caller, a Jewish friend, asked me to run for the State Assembly, the legislative body for the state of California.

“First, I’m an American and a Democrat and proud to be one. A lot of us feel disenfranchised and hopeless. I promise you that I’m going to fight hard, and we’ll give my opponent a fight she will never forget.

“Second, I’m also an Arab and Muslim and proud of my heritage and will fight against the Patriot Act because our community is targeted unfairly. I believe that if any community loses its civil rights, we all lose.”

“Third, I’m a Saudi-born woman and want to win this race for so many women in Saudi Arabia to tell them that they have what it takes to achieve anything they want. And I also believe that if we want to support democracy in the Middle East, it’s by empowering the people through understanding and support, and not by force.”

Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright participating in a panel discussion at the forum on Sunday traced the history of globalization and said Arab traders were the first to introduce it. “Global trends and the need to embrace education development and economic and political reform” was the subject of the discussion. “Globalization could only succeed if richer nations come to the aid of their poor counterparts.”

Terrorism was an international phenomenon and should be defeated, she said, adding that it was difficult to designate who was a terrorist and who was not. “It’s for the international community to find a way to rid the world of terrorism.”

She welcomed the municipal elections in the Kingdom and termed it as a move in the right direction.