From Women to the World : Letters for a New Century

**An __Independent__ Book of the Month****Featured in __Vogue Arabia__ Featured by __Vanity Fair__** Acclaimed writer Elif Shafak writes a letter to Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand after the Christchurch attack. Actress Yasmine AlMassri pens a poem about war for her mother. Activist and TV presenter June Sarpong addresses designer Diane Von Furstenberg.These are a few of the moving and insightful letters that make up From Women to the World, a book by journalist, author and executive Elizabeth Filippouli, which brings together letters from a global group of accomplished women - politicians, royalty, actors, writers, activists and more – every one addressed to a woman who means something to each of them. The results are extraordinary, heartfelt letters to historical figures, mentors, family members or inspiring ordinary people. Each is based on these women's personal histories and experiences, drawing attention to social issues such as homelessness, war, LGBT activism, mental health care or the plight of international refugees. From Women to the World is more than a simple collection of letters - it is a book that shows a new model of leadership based on emotional intelligence and demonstrates how we have the wisdom to inspire, motivate and reinvent our world. Cover page 1 Praise for From Women to the World 2 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Letter to the Reader 10 Introduction BY ELIZABETH FILIPPOULI 12 Let’s Talk: A “Global Conversation” 12 The Letters 14 List of Letters 15 To the woman that changed me, Diane von Furstenberg From June Sarpong OBE (UK) 19 To my Aunt, Ramona Fiani From Roula Azar Douglas (Lebanon/Canada) 23 To Zohra Moosa, Executive Director, Mama Cash From Hellen Lunkuse T. Waiswa, (Uganda) 29 To my Sister in Humanity, Angelina Jolie From Basma Alawee (Iraq/USA) 33 To my Daughter, Lara Karmel From Annabel Karmel MBE (UK) 41 To Margaret Garner, the Woman who Murdered her Daughter From Muna AbuSulayman (Saudi Arabia) 47 To My Mother, as a Metaphor for All Women in my Family From Yasmine Al Massri (France/Lebanon) 53 To Athena, as the Younger Anousheh From Anousheh Ansari (Iran/USA) 57 To my Daughter, Ashtar Muallem From Iman Aoun (Palestine) 61 To my Mother, Audrey Smith From Emma Bache (UK) 67 To One of the World’s Greatest Cellists Jacqueline du Pré From Silvia Chiesa (Italy) 71 To my Daughter, Sophia Babai From Shelmina Abji (USA/Tanzania) 77 To my Younger Self, Hope From HH Sayyida Basma Al Said (Oman) 81 To All Women Athletes of the Special Olympics From Mary Davis (USA/Ireland) 85 To Senator Haifa Hajjar Najjar From Deema Bibi (Jordan) 89 To my Daughter Sofia From Paola Diana (Italy) 95 To my Grandmothers, Her Majesty Queen Zein Al-Sharaf Talal of Jordan and Begum Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah From HRH Sumaya bint El Hassan (Jordan) 99 To The Homeless Woman From Grazia Giuliani (Italy/UK) 105 To Murdered Politician, Anna Lindh From Miriam González Durántez (Spain/UK) 111 To Jacinda Ardern, PM of New Zealand From Elif Shafak (Turkey/UK) 117 To my Sister, Mantalena From Eva Kaili MEP (Greece) 121 To a Forest of Women, among them Annie Lennox and Carole Cadwalladr From Livia Firth (Italy/UK) 125 To my Unborn Granddaughter From Attiya Mahmood (Pakistan) 129 To Shyama Perera From Dame Martina Milburn DCVO, CBE (UK) 135 To All Young Women From Christina Nielsen (Denmark) 139 To My Sisters Around The World From Femi Oke (UK/Nigeria) 143 To My Mother, Rhoda Spielman Tzemach From Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (USA) 147 To the Anonymous Woman From Mariane Pearl (France) 151 To my Wife, Hanan Kattan From Shamim Sarif (UK/Canada) 157 To Geraldine (inspired by Molly Yard and Gloria Steinem) From Geraldine Sharpe-Newton (UK/USA) 163 To My Nieces From Dr Rebecca S. Hage Thomley (USA) 169 To My Mother, Rezzan From Nurdeniz Tunçer (Turkey) 175 To Ada Lovelace From Dame Stephanie (Steve) Shirley (UK) 181 To All Women, Daughters of the World From Elizabeth Filippouli (UK/Greece) 187 Afterword 190 Let’s Act: Recalibrating our Systems 190 Let’s Prioritise Empathy over Testosterone 191 Let’s Listen: Voices from the Younger Generation of Women 194 Let’s Inspire: The Letters 198 Let’s Reflect: Some Thought Triggers 199 Index 202 Elizabeth Filippouli – Bio 210 Acknowledgements 212 Letter to the Reader -- Foreword -- Introduction -- June Sarpong to Diane Von Furstenberg -- Roula Douglas to her aunt Ramona -- Hellen Lunkuse to Zohra Moosa -- Basma Alawee to Angelina Jolie -- Annabel Karmel MBE to her daughter, Lara -- Shelmina Abji to her daughter, Sophia -- Muna AbuSulayman to Margaret Garner -- Yasmin AlMassri to her mother -- Anousheh Ansari to her younger self -- Iman Aoun to her daughter, Ashtar -- Emma Bache to her mother -- Silvia Chiesa to Jacqueline du Pre -- Basma Al-Said to her younger self -- Mary Davis to all female athletes of the Special Olympics -- Deema Bibi to Senator Haifa Hajjar Najjar -- Paola Diana to her daughter, Sofia -- HRH Sumaya bint El Hassan to her Grandmothers Her Majesty Queen Zein Al-Sharaf Talal of Jordan and Begum Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah -- Grazia Giuliani to a homeless woman -- Miriam Gonzalez-Durantez to Anna Lindh -- Elif Shafak to Jacinda Ardern -- Eva Kaili to her sister, Mantalena -- Livia Firth to the women who shaped her -- Attiya Mahmood to her unborn granddaughter -- Dame Martina Milburn to Shyama Perara -- Christina Nielsen to all young women -- Femi Oke to her sisters around the world -- Mariane Pearl to the anonymous woman -- Shamim Sarif to her wife Hanan Kattan -- Geraldine Sharpe-Newton to her younger self -- Dr Rebecca S. Hage Thomley to her nieces -- Nurdeniz Tuncer to her mother, Rezzan -- Gayle Tzemach-Lemmon to her mother, Rhoda Spielman Tzemach -- Dame Stephanie (Steve) Shirley to Ada Lovelace -- Elizabeth Filippouli to all women -- Afterword -- Thought Triggers An Independent Book of the Month Featured in Vogue Arabia Featured by Vanity Fair Acclaimed writer Elif Shafak writes a letter to Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand after the Christchurch attack. Actress Yasmine AlMassri pens a poem about war for her mother. Activist and TV presenter June Sarpong addresses designer Diane Von Furstenberg. These are a few of the moving and insightful letters that make up From Women to the World, a book by journalist, author and executive Elizabeth Filippouli, which brings together letters from a global group of accomplished women - politicians, royalty, actors, writers, activists and more – every one addressed to a woman who means something to each of them. The results are extraordinary, heartfelt letters to historical figures, mentors, family members or inspiring ordinary people. Each is based on these women's personal histories and experiences, drawing attention to social issues such as homelessness, war, LGBT activism, mental health care or the plight of international refugees. From Women to the World is more than a simple collection of letters - it is a book that shows a new model of leadership based on emotional intelligence and demonstrates how we have the wisdom to inspire, motivate and reinvent our world. "Acclaimed writer Elif Shafak writes a letter to Jacinda Arden, Prime Minister of New Zealand after the Christchurch attack. Actress Yasmine AlMassri pens a poem about war for her mother. Activist and TV presenter June Sarpong addresses designer Diane Von Furstenberg. These are a few of the moving and insightful letters that make up From Women to the World, a book by journalist, author and executive Elizabeth Filippouli, which brings together letters from a global group of accomplished women - politicians, royalty, actors, writers, activists and more ? every one addressed to a woman who means something to each of them. The results are extraordinary, heartfelt letters to historical figures, mentors, family members or inspiring ordinary people. Each is based on these women's personal histories and experiences, drawing attention to social issues such as homelessness, war, LGBT activism, mental health care or the plight of international refugees. From Women to the World is more than a simple collection of letters - it is a book that shows a new model of leadership based on emotional intelligence and demonstrates how we have the wisdom to inspire, motivate and reinvent our world."-- Provided by publisher "Acclaimed writer Elif Shafak writes a letter to Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand after the Christchurch attack. Actress Yasmine AlMassri pens a poem about war for her mother. Activist and TV presenter June Sarpong addresses designer Diane Von Furstenberg. These are a few of the moving and insightful letters that make up From Women to the World, a book by journalist, author and executive Elizabeth Filippouli, which brings together letters from a global group of accomplished women - politicians, royalty, actors, writers, activists and more every one addressed to a woman who means something to each of them. The results are extraordinary, heartfelt letters to historical figures, mentors, family members or inspiring ordinary people. Each is based on these women's personal histories and experiences, drawing attention to social issues such as homelessness, war, LGBT activism, mental health care or the plight of international refugees. From Women to the World is more than a simple collection of letters - it is a book that shows a new model of leadership based on emotional intelligence and demonstrates how we have the wisdom to inspire, motivate and reinvent our world"--Publisher's description Acclaimed writer Elif Shafak writes a letter to Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand after the Christchurch attack. Actress Yasmine Al Massri pens a poem about war for her mother. Activist and TV presenter June Sarpong addresses designer Diane Von Furstenberg. These are a few of the moving and insightful letters that make up From Women to the World, a book by journalist, author and executive Elizabeth Filippouli, which brings together letters from a global group of accomplished women – politicians, royalty, actors, writers, activists and more – every one addressed to a woman who means something to each of them. The results are extraordinary, heartfelt letters to historical figures, mentors, family members or inspiring ordinary people. Each is based on these women’s personal histories and experiences, drawing attention to social issues such as homelessness, war, LGBT activism, mental health care or the plight of international refugees. From Women to the World is more than a simple collection of letters – it is a book that shows a new model of leadership based on emotional intelligence and demonstrates how we have the wisdom to inspire, motivate and reinvent our world.