IMOW - Wahad Areese, Please! (A Husband, Please!)

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STATISTICS:


•	Globally, the average age of women at first marriage in 1970 was 21.4. By 2000 it had risen to 25.5.

•	Many countries in Western Europe share an annual rate of marriage of roughly 5 for every 1,000 people.

Wahad Areese, Please! (A Husband, Please!)
Zena el-Khalil

Lebanon

GALLERY

CONVERSATION

I met Wael, my husband, by chance or by fate, call it what you may! We met one night through a mutual friend whom I had known for a long time. We stayed up all night talking, on a balcony under the stars, on a deep and dark Beirut night. I had to fly to New York City after that and I didn't see him again. We did not stay in touch; I did not even think about him. In my mind, it was one of those rare and beautiful moments that one holds dear to their hearts without necessarily acting upon them. A year later, I bumped into him again in Beirut. Eighteen days later, we were married! Throughout this whole period, I had been conducting a performance piece called, "A Husband, Please." This piece consisted of me walking around Beirut in a pink wedding dress "looking for a husband." I did not find Wael while I was wearing my dress. He had no idea I was even conducting such a performance. I was never looking to get married and no one ever thought I would actually ever get married! The performance was an investigation into local traditions and stereotypes... I had no intentions to actually look for a husband. And I never expected in a million years to actually find a real soul mate. I guess it was just meant to be, and when you know, you know! One does not exchange vows of marriage lightly, and for my part, I do not believe in divorce because I believe that if you give room for doubt, doubt will take over. Wael is an Environmental Scientist and works for Greenpeace in Lebanon. He is currently a Regional Campaigner covering Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco and is focusing currently on campaigns for the Mediterranean Sea and Peaceful Energy. I guess we are both fighters in our own ways. We are both working for change in our part of the world. We have a mission statement, believe it or not, and it is: "to teach by example". We want to encourage people to stand up for positive change in a non-violent and creative way. Our first act of change since we have been married was the decision to make our home in Ashrafiye, otherwise known as East Beirut. Beirut, during its twenty-five year civil war, was torn in half. The Muslims moved to the western part of the city and the Christians to the east. In between was the infamous Green Line that divided the city. The reason it was called the Green Line was because it was literally green; covered in weeds and bushes that grew in this "no man's land." It was the most dangerous part of the city housing snipers, booby traps, and land mines. It ensured that no one crossed over to the other side; or at least that one would die trying. Today, the war has ended, and the Green Line is covered with grey glass and cement modern buildings. But people still live in their respective homes. Ashrafiye is still a Christian area. We are not Christians. Moving to Ashrafiye, we hope, will encourage others of our generation to begin reintegrating and hopefully erase the bitter line that once divided the city.

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Nahda Balaa (United States)
Fantastic,I hope you will continue your energy to be an example to us and the younger generation too. God bless you.My beloved Lebanon we will never give up loving you and one day we will be back to plant trees on your mountains instead of the land mines.

Erika Lòpez Guillèn (Mexico)
Hola tu historia es realmente facinante, a veces es bueno creer en el destino, ya que nos tiene preparado sorpresas, en hora buena espero que todo es bien y muhcas felicidades desde Mexico

Alice Willsion (United States)
Couragous with a twist of humor. Great!

Natasha (Jordan)
Your story and the way you are trying to make positive changes in the mindsets of the people around you is wonderful. More power to you !!

Rana Lotfy (Egypt)
I love the story & the pink dress!! What I really like is you saying "teaching by example" and thats true. Thumbs up to you & keep it up.

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