Lot 62
Sign from the Third World Conference on Women, Signed by Israeli Delegates – Nairobi, 1985
Sign from the Third World Conference on Women, inscribed and hand-signed by prominent Israeli delegates. [July 1985].
The sign reads "Israel". It is inscribed and signed (in Hebrew) by five high-ranking Israeli delegated to the third World Conference on Women: Nitza Shapiro-Libai, jurist and former prime minister adviser on women's affairs; Tamar [Eshel], Maarach MP from 1977 to 1984; Judy Varnai-Dranger, Israeli diplomat; Yael Vered, Israeli diplomat; and Naomi Chazan, political science scholar, human rights activist and Meretz MP.
The Third World Conference on Women convened in Nairobi, Kenia in order to review and appraise the achievements of the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985). Representatives of 157 countries attended the conference, including 25 Israeli delegates. The conference's goal was mainly to appraise the progress made in the implementation of groundbreaking resolutions made in the previous two conferences on women (held in 1975 and 1980).
Local and international press criticized the Israeli delegation for politicizing the event and focusing on Israel's public image rather than on actual feminist issues (see "Mivtza Nairobi", HaOlam HaZe, 31.7.1985).
The handwritten inscriptions (including "I am glad we are past that, and hope we never face any worse"; "Well done. An achievement for women, for Israel and for the Jewish people") reflect the diplomatic scandal that nearly put an untimely end to the conference as it was drawing to a close: the final document, which the delegates all had to sign, included a clause referring to women's important role in opposing imperialism, colonialism, apartheid and Zionism. Due to Israeli pressure, backed by the US and Canada, the term "Zionism" was dropped and replaced by a general reference to ending racism and racial discrimination, a change considered by Israel an important diplomatic success.
Framed: 30.5X12.5 cm. Good condition. Unexamined out of frame.
