Algeria – The open day hosted by the French Cultural Institute in Algiers was not merely a space for displaying products and artworks, but turned into an arena where different women's experiences meet, combining art, crafts, creativity, and cultural projects, in an attempt to give Algerian women greater space to showcase their talent and turn their passion into a project capable of development.

Yesterday, Saturday, 19 September, an event titled "Open Day" was organized, featuring a diverse program that included meetings, workshops, performances, and cultural activities, alongside discovering the creations of a number of craftswomen and creative women.

"Supporting Women's Talents Goes Beyond Displaying Works"

The Algerian Woman Art organization was present among the participants, through a group of women who presented their experiences and products to the audience.

Malak Khelaf, ambassador of Algerian Woman Art, said that the organization's participation came through a group of creative women, with the aim of giving them an opportunity to appear and introduce their works, especially since the diversity of women's experiences allows for highlighting different capabilities in the fields of art, crafts, and creative projects.

The displayed works varied between jewelry, candles, clothing, honey, and other products, revealing the multiplicity of women's talents and their ability to transform individual skills into works carrying a special character and Algerian identity.

For Malak Khelaf, the importance of such meetings is not limited to displaying products before the public, but also lies in creating opportunities for acquaintance, communication, and opening new doors for women with talents and projects. The presence of the craftswoman alongside the artist and the owner of the cultural project within one space allows for the exchange of experiences and the discovery of new possibilities for cooperation, and gives women an opportunity to present themselves and their works outside the usual circles.

Small Mosaic Pieces Turn into a Story

Among the participants, Amal Koussim was present with her experience in the art of mosaic, the field she chose based on her passion for colors and shapes and the possibility this technique gives to create an integrated artwork from small pieces.

She speaks of her relationship with this art as a space that allows her to express herself through mixing colors and composing shapes, where each piece needs precision and patience before it takes its place within the panel. Her experience in mosaic began with learning and practice, before moving to the stage of displaying her works and participating in exhibitions, up to her presence at this appointment at the French Institute in Algiers.

For her, mosaic does not stop at being a craft or an artistic technique, but is a way to transform small details into a larger picture, which makes each work carry its own distinctive imprint.

Turning Storytelling and Games into a World of Imagination

In a different experience, Maya Hamza presented her project (Haji Maji) within the Talents program, a project that combines storytelling, games, and characters. The idea of the project is based on presenting the story through an interactive world that evokes history and games, where characters form an essential part of the experience, among them the character Dalia, which she spoke about as one of the pivotal characters in her project.

She describes the (Haji Maji) project as a women's project par excellence, as women are present in its world, characters, and stories, in an attempt to give the story a different space that combines imagination and interaction.

Through this experience, she seeks to transform the creative idea into a project that can develop, and give children and the audience an opportunity to discover stories in a way that combines enjoyment, learning, and play.