23 March, 2001
WARIS DIRIE SPEAKS OUT
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Waris Dirie speaks out |
TVE was recently very pleased to notice a sharp increase in demand for the film Waris Dirie Speaks Out.
Made by TVE for the UNFPA (United Nations Population fund) and directed by Charlotte Metcalf, Waris Dirie Speaks Out features Somali born supermodel Waris discussing the harrowing subject of her circumcision and demanding that the practice be brought to a complete halt in every country in the world.
Born into a nomadic family in the Somali desert, Waris Dirie survived the traditional form of female genital mutilation (FGM) that kills hundreds of women in Africa every year, including her own younger sister and two cousins. In 1997 Waris accepted the UNFPA's invitation to become Special Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and to take the brave step of speaking out publicly, helping to break the wall of silence that's surrounded the practice for so long.
TVE's Distribution Department has received an unprecedented number of orders for Waris Dirie Speaks Out in the last few months. The orders have been pouring in from all over the world - many different organisations and individuals based in Australia, Cameroon, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the US have all been keen to get their hands on a copy of the film. With still more orders received this week, Waris Dirie Speaks Out and its message about FGM is being heard and seen by more people than ever before.
Available in three different edits of ten, thirty or six minutes long, Waris Dirie Speaks Out is available directly from TVE. For more information or to order copies of the film, please contact the Distribution Department, TVE, 21 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RP, UK. Tel: +44 20 7901 8855, Fax: +44 20 7901 8856, email: tve-dist@tve.org.uk.
LINKS
TVE FILMS ON FGM
tve is a collective name for Television for the Environment and Television Trust for the Environment. Television for the Environment is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales (registered office 21 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RP, company number 1811236)and a registered charity (charity number 326585). Television Trust for the Environment is a registered charity (charity number 326539).