His Excellency the Prime Minister, Dr. Abdallah Yafi, shakes hands with Mrs. Asia Wahbi, president of the Iraqi Women's Union and head of its delegation, with Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura between them
The event of events in the world of the Arab woman last month was the conference of the General Arab Women's Union, held in the UNESCO Palace between June 7 and 13. Its news and its pictures filled the newspapers, and it won the attention of the Arab broadcasting stations, such as the Near East station and Radio Lebanon, which devoted round-the-microphone sessions to it, in which the Arab delegates from Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon exchanged their views on the conference's purpose and its chief aims — namely, the protection of the family, socially, economically, and culturally, and the studies, every one of them weighty, that branch out from this broad subject.
Taking part in delivering the general lectures and in directing the discussion circles were Mrs. Fatima Budayri, delegate of Jordan; Mrs. Wadia Khartabil, president of the Palestinian Union; Mrs. Asia Wahbi, Dr. Lam'an al-Damluji, and Dr. Rose Khadduri, delegates of the Iraqi Union; Mrs. Jihan Mawsili, delegate of the Syrian Union; Mesdames Laure Tabet,
Laure Nasr Moghaizel, and Widad Maqdisi Cortas, delegates of Lebanon; and Mrs. Jamila Atiyya, delegate of the Egyptian Union.
The full and heated discussion circles gave proof of complete preparation, deep study, and comprehensive awareness, and they lifted from the Arab woman the charges of superficiality and indifference with which she had been
branded by the reactionaries, those who doubt her capacities and her worthiness of equality.
Interspersed among the labors of the conference, for the refreshment of spirits, were excursions to the Cedars, Baalbek, Beiteddine, and Zahle; and banquets and official receptions were held in honor of the women's delegations and in celebration of them. The first was the dinner given by His Excellency the Prime Minister at the Hotel School, a marvel of splendor and taste; His Excellency and his wife received the guests with graciousness and warmth.
The Municipality of Beirut gave a sumptuous luncheon at Beirut International Airport, and the delegations admired its precision and order. Likewise His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Alfred Naccache, and his wife invited them to a dinner at the Hotel Saint-Georges, and the League of Women's Organizations also gave a dinner at the Hotel Capitol.
The Commission of Tourism and Summering took the greatest interest in the conference delegations, extending an invitation to visit the Cedars and the Qadisha grotto, which ended with a luncheon at the spring of Mar Sarkis in Ehden.
As for the private parties, they were so many that the delegates could hardly answer them all. The
At the dinner given by His Excellency the Prime Minister at the Hotel School; at his left appear his gracious wife and Miss Ibtihaj Kaddoura, president of the General Arab Women's Union