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A rede LIEN é um projecto de formação e de intercâmbio de jovens diplomadas europeias, em que o «eu» desta narrativa funciona como «assessora», «função» que inclui também trabalho de formação. A Equipa Internacional de Presidência do GRAAL está a elaborar uma publicação em inglês para dar a conhecer o GRAAL no novo milénio. Fui convidada a escrever uma apresentação do trabalho realizado no projecto Lien. Resolvi «to retrieve» aqui este texto, prestes a ser publicado, com um triplo objectivo: • dar a conhecer a rede Lien, com as mesmas palavras com que foi feito recentemente
para a publicação internacional sobre o GRAAL;
• «ventilar» algo da tensão entre o «instituído e o instituinte»
initiative of the Grail. Lien is an European network of young professional women, a link between young women willing to share their ideas and experiences in order to reinforce the cultural and spiritual dimensions of the European exchanges. Lien is an always variable constellation of young women willing to reflect on their contribution for more quality of life in all the sectors of society in which they are situated. Lien started in 1989 through the contacts of Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo and Kerstin Jacobsson with a few young women from different countries who realised how much they had in common and how much they could accomplish if they would join their hands. Other women joined and the web started and reached women in 25 European countries through written communication, small face to face meetings and summer programs.
Strong elements in Lien ways of working are:
• the programs are shaped by the participants together with the responsible (older) Grail women, so that each person may emerge as subject of action, reflection and meaning in the light of the conviction that being a subject is not so much a question of identity as well as work of the person on its own self;
• the organisation is flexible and based on the contributions and expertise of the participants;
• the constellation of the groups is never the same, there are always new people coming in (some going out);
• the exchange of experiences out of different fields of professional and social involvement's are an essential part of the programs
• through the sharing of meaning, an opening is created to come in touch with spiritual values. For each participant there is the possibility of becoming also a subject of faith.
In relation to the Grail as a formal organisation and looking back over the last ten years, I would like to call Lien a «movement» in the «margins» of the Grail. I consider it as an initiative without clear-cut frontiers between Grail and «not-Grail», in-group and
out-group, between (older) Grail participants and Other (young) Women. For some Grail
women this will be a positive statement, while others may not feel at ease with the fuzzy definition. It has been affirmed often that diversity is a key-value in the Grail. I follow in this small article the thread of such a key value. With the example of Lien I underline the importance and the crucial meaning of the marginal position of new efforts and endeavours in relation to the centres of power and decision making in organisations and institutions.
Like in each marginal position, Lien's strength and fundamental meaning for the Grail consists in its inherent capacity of «challenging» the institutional dimension of the organisation, not out of any outdated revolutionary move but by its very existence. This is a point frequently raised in all segments of the women's movements world-wide. It is common sense knowledge when I emphasise that new (young) people bring new ideas and new ways of being and working together. Meanwhile the appearance of the new and
different may be the reason why it was (is?) sometimes difficult to make some participants
of the Grail more linked with its institutional expression understand Lien. Several times I was confronted with the question "What is Lien and what has it to do with the Grail?" I rarely felt «understood» after explanation. The «problem» may be that Lien is more than
a project of the Grail like it was initially defined by us, while trying to convey its inner
connection with the Grail.
In reality Lien has become more than a project. Projects are and must be limited in space and time. They are planned, agreed upon, they start, develop and flourish, they are evaluated, criticised and they must be finished and presented in reports. Projects are the initiatives of groups or teams. They are shaped by the people who take the initiative. If we go a step further in the sequence of a project we may find ourselves with «something out there» which is more than the «outcome» of «our» project and we may be faced (hopefully, I think, after 24 years of involvement with Grail projects!) with something which is in the threshold of our own identity. If so, should we not change the way we look at our
initiatives? We take them, but don't they make us? Is the understanding of the relation
group of initiative takers or project organisers - initiative or project too many times not
similar to the traditional understanding of the relation teacher - pupil, thus subject -
object, the relation between those who know and those who don't, between insiders and outsiders, relation so deeply and brilliantly questioned and thought through by Paulo
Freire, one of the great philosophical fathers who shaped our thinking in the last decades of the 20th century? Should we not apply his ideas also on the relation we establish with our initiatives and stop to see them as products we can simply shape and decide upon?
Lien is more than a project of the Grail because:
1. Lien is not to be meant to have a clear flow in space and time of beginning-middle-end like projects do;
2. Lien participants are as much subjects of the initiative as the Grail women involved;
3. Lien, the initiative of the Grail makes the Grail, constitutes the Grail like all other initiatives do, because the Grail is in its essence a composition of ever-new and diverse efforts shared by women in different life situations. The definition of the Grail as
international movement of women is formally significant, particularly in juridical
terms. But it is part of a more substantive definition decided in the period 1965/67, inscribed in the Guide-Lines drawn at that period and which remain part of our cultural patrimony.
Initiatives like Lien are so important for the Grail to be, that Lien «is going international» by organising the Grail World Congress in July 2001 in Portugal. The theme of the Grail World Congress is Professional Life and Societal Change. With this Congress Lien proposes a new initiative to be realised with/in the Grail: to establish a link among diversified circles of young professional women in different parts of the world. The common conviction of Grail - Lien women is that women together, across national boundaries, can help to bring about more quality of life for all and greater happiness for themselves. Wasn't this one of the very first challenges the Grail awoke decades ago among the young women of «my» country (The Netherlands). Even this Congress can be a sign that there are no clear-cut frontiers between Lien and the Grail. Lien is one of the manifold endeavours, initiatives and efforts that constitute the Grail. May we keep our imagination alert and our availability open so that our lives may surf through the different initiatives to enrich the Grail and thus fulfil our task in the world!
Da publicação Lien, uma folha de ligação entre as participantes, da qual saíram 23 números entre Dezembro 1989 e Maio 1997, seleccionei alguns excertos que mostram diferentes aspectos da reflexão realizada em diversos contextos de encontro e formação no âmbito da rede.
"Je ne suis pas trop claire. J'ai beaucoup de choses en moi, mais je ne peux exprimer que des morceaux. Je ne sais pas ce que nous devons faire."
(Sandra Migliore, Italy. In: Lien 5, Mars 1991).
"Croire que nous avons une place à occuper, un rôle à remplir individuellement, mais aussi être intégrés à un tissu d'autres êtres humains dont les chemins divergent?" ( Béatrice Schaad, Genève. In: Lien 8, Janvier 1992).
"La communication directe avec les autres, l'essence même de Lien, semble être un moyen valable et efficace qu'on ne doit pas sous-estimer pour surmonter l'ignorance." (Jannet Middleton, Belfast, Irlande du Nord. In: Lien 13. Mars 1993).
UC/UR 1.1
2.2
personalities. It was interesting to talk about the countries, the ways of living and thinking and the specific problems of each country.
But what I enjoyed even more was the spirit of idealism that could be felt during the whole week. The attitude to allow and accept hopes, dreams and fears and to take them as normal and serious as rational thoughts. If you look at the world and what rationalism made out of it, the importance of spiritualism, idealism and emotions become more evident. I believe that we as women can contribute to this, not only by trying to resolve «feminist» problems but also by trying to resolve problems in a feminist way. When I am talking about confusion it's because I feel that something happened inside of me but I still don't know how this «something» will express itself
in the future." (Marie-Louise Põrtner, Mainz. In: Lien 10, September 1992). 4.6
4.4
4.5
"During this week we felt like in a family. We could be sincere, open, confident in a 5.7 way we could hardly imagine from such a mixture of nations." (Denisa Mateescu,
Romania. In Lien 15, August 1993).
"Every person for me was a discovery, every land they presented a discovery.
Conversations about women, generations were new lands for me too. They make me 6.8 think about myself as a woman." (Jurgita Cerkaite, Lithuania. In Lien 15).
The young women whom I met here for the first time are like my friends from my childhood. After a few hours together, I felt that we had the same origin. (...) We
were not women from different countries, we were women from the same world." 7.9 (Petya Stratieva, Bulgaria. In Lien 15, August 1993).
"The most important thing that I found out was that there are still extraordinary R _
persons in the world. Persons whom we can trust, who are eager to help the others and to be helped, who are open to a worlds unity." (Teresa Paula Nunes, Portugal. In
Lien 15, August 1993).
"It is in a way challenging to spend a week with a group of women and to reveal very personal thoughts and opinions. (...) You also discover from other people completely
different points of view and you learn to accept them and talk about them without 9.11 disrespecting the other person." (Sabine Berger, Vienna, Austria. In Lien 19,
October 1993).
"The Utile part in me which longs for solidarity, social involvement and spirituality
opened up a little. I hope I keep in contact with it and cherisch it in the future." 10.12 (Kitty van der Berg, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In Lien 19, October 1993).
"It is probably and hopefully the aim of all women organisations and activities to learn and teach the female world to leave the fear and the complex of inferiority and
step brave into the better and more peaceful (in all possible forms) future." 11.13 (Andelka Rudic, Biograd, Croatia. In: Lien 14, June 1993).
conscious members of society. They want to be noticed (...) to decide for themselves." (Malgorzata Baluch, Katowice, Poland. In Lien 19, October 1993).
"Et les femmes (...) veulent-elles être à des postes de prise de décision? (...) Beaucoup de facteurs complexes influencent le fait que les femmes s'assoient moins souvent dans le fauteul d'un 'preneur de décision' que les hommes, et nous devens les considérer tous sérieusement." (Anja Arts et Pascalle van der Wolf, Nimègue, Pays Bas. In: Lien 17, Mars 1993).
"(..) we have been telling our own stories, and discussing the stories of women throughout the world. We discussed violence against women, human rights and women rights, mechanisms for promoting women." (Niamh Moore, Kells, Rep. of Ireland. In Lien 19, October 1993).
"To me, such an occasion of self-analysis seems beneficial in that it reveals how a person's attitude and knowledge can change throughout life and in that it shows that we all share many similar experiences." (Jannet Middleton, Belfast, Northern Ireland. In Lien 19, October 1993).
"(...) à chaque fois, chacune est impliquée, apporte une nouvelle vision ou fait découvrir aux autres des choses insoupçonnées. Ou j'entends formuler par quelqu'un d'autre des idées latentes pour lesquelles je ne trouvais pas de mots." (Hilda Damman, Belgique. In: Lien 13. Mars 93).
"Pour que notre message puisse apporter quelque chose de valable, il faut que se message soit concret. Une personne avec un nom qui se dévoile, ça touche et change l'intérieur, l'âme, le plus profond de ceux qui l'entendent. Ça change en direction de l'amour, de la joie, de 1 espérance, de la solidarité. Je crois que lá se montre le fondement des changements sur le plan politique. Sans ces changements de base, les changements politiques ne valent rien, ne portent pas de fruits (parce-que sans racines)!" (Katelijn Radic-Torrekens, Rijeka, Croatie. In: Lien 13. Mars 1993). "I now look at Europe in different way, not as a conglomeration of various countries but rather of ideas and experiences."
(Kathryn Crofton Ireland. In: Lien 15, August 1993).
"Earlier I was thinking 'nothing good or very little comes from the East' (...) Now (...) my way of thinking has changed. Now I think that nothing is as bad as not meeting people from other countries. (...) thanks to Lien and thanks to Graal, women can meet and talk to each other about very important things." (Anna Czerwauka, Lublin, Poland. In: Lien 12, Febr. 1993).
"Peut-être est-cela l'essentiel - se rencontrer et partager, quelle que soit notre contribuition, et découvrir ensemble ce que nous avons, à travers la reflexion et le partage des unes avec les autres." (Karin Beskow, Sweden In: Lien 17 Jan. 1994). "Although I must say that now I am in the US, I realise more than ever before that there exist multiple identities. Being in US makes me feel European, being in Europe makes me sense Dutch, while in Holland I associate myself with Amsterdam. Yet, I
am always a woman. After ample discussion we came to the conclusion that wherever you are, women come from completely different perspectives, depending on their ethnic and socio-economic background, whether they are from the city or the country side, their professional surrounding and the roots of their families. Getting women from different colour and class participate in the network (global and regional) should become one of our future efforts in order to have more diverse women represented. (Hadewych Hazelzet, Amsterdam, New York. In. Lien 22, April
1996).
"How will I find a language that respects me? A vocabulary which does not deny me and my opinions? A stream, a cloud bursting. How can I connect the moment of the past with my present? The moments which always have an effect in the present are dear to me. I like to hold them in my hand, put them in a box - the moments that shaped me into what I am, I need to look at them sometimes in order to understand what I have become." (Anna-Maria Ahlén, Sweden. In: Lien 14, June 1994).
Categoria Aprender a dizer
J'ai beaucoup de choses en moi, mais je ne peux exprimer que des morceaux
(UC 1;UR 1)
J'entends formuler par quelqu 'un d'autre des idées latentes pour lesquelles je ne trouvais pas de mots (UC 16; UR 19)
Categoria Conhecer o mundo e os outros
La communication directe avec les autres, pour surmonter l'ignorance (UC 3; UR 3) Chacune est impliquée, apporte une nouvelle vision (UC 16; UR 18)
You also discover from other people completely different points of view and you learn to accept them and talk about them without disrespecting the other person (UC 9; UR 11) I now look at Europe in different ways, not as a conglomeration of various countries
but rather of ideas and experiences (UC 18; UR 21)
Now I think that nothing is as bad as not meeting people from other countries
(UC19;UR22)
Categoria Relações interpessoais
We could be sincere, open, confident (UC 5; UR 7)
I found out that there are still extraordinary persons in the world (UC 8; UR 10)
Categoria Valores
The importance of spiritualism, idealism and emotions become more evident (UC 4; UR 4) Solidarity, social involvement and spirituality (UC 10; UR 12)
Ça change en direction de l'amour, de la joie, de l'espérance, de la solidarité (UC 17;
UR20)
Sans ces changements de base, les changements politiques ne valent rien (UC 17; UR 21)
21.26
Categoria Discriminação e opressão das mulheres
Beaucoup de facteurs complexes influencent le fait que les femmes s'assoient moins souvent dans lefauteul d'un preneur de décision ' que les hommes (UC 13 ; UR 15)
We have been telling our own stories, and discussing the stories of women throughout the world. We discussed violence against women (UC 14; UR 16)
Categoria Identidade múltipla
There exist multiple identities (UC 21; UR 24)
Wherever you are, women come from completely different perspectives (UC 21; UR 25)
Categoria Laço Social
Nous avons une place à occuper, un rôle à remplir individuellement, mais aussi être intégrés à un tissu d'autres êtres humains (UC 2; UR 2)
Ifelt that we had the same origin. We were not women from different countries, we were women from the same world (UC 7; UR 9)
Découvrir ensemble ce que nous avons, à travers la reflexion et le partage des unes avec les autres (UC 20; UR 23)
Categoria Emergência do Sujeito (Mulher)
When I am talking about confusion it's because I feel that something happened inside of me but I still don't know how this «something» will express itself in the future
(UC4;UR6)
Such an occasion of self-analysis seems beneficial in that it reveals how a person's attitude and knowledge can change throughout life (UC 15; UR 17)
My way of thinking has changed (UC 19; UR 22) Think about myself as a woman (UC 6; UR 8)
How will I find a language that respects me? A vocabulary which does not deny me and my opinions? (UC 22; UR 26)
Categoria Emergência da Adora social
We discussed human rights and women rights, mechanisms for promoting women
(UC14;UR16)
Educated women want to be conscious members of society (UC 12; UR 14) Trying to resolve problems in a feminist way (UC 4; UR 5)
Learn and teach the female world to leave the fear and the complex of inferiority