CGDS attended the premiere of “Begin Now,” a short film produced by the Rasan Organization. The film, shown at the Red Museum on July 4, 2019, expressed the harm of misogynistic labels, and also showed the hope of discarding the labels. Ms. Tanya Kemal Darwesh, Director of Rasan, introduced the film; Mr. Sarkawt Omar Ahmad, from the Directorate of Combating Violence Against Women, also spoke. A discussion followed the film, led by Ms. Tanya. Mr. Shwan Atoof, film maker and actor (who recently directed the film “Sculpture of the Heart”), proposed suggestions to NGOs working to produce films to raise awareness in the Kurdistan area. He is happy with the ongoing work. “We need to work closely with politicians and religious leaders to make change,” said Mr. Shwan. He went on to say that becoming an artist means having a hand in shaping society and shedding light on subjects that are not commonly discussed, and recommended pursuing funding to educate young minds on desired values. Ms. Nwbar Ahmed, the director of a private dance school in Sulaimani, then spoke about the importance of gender equity for girls and women in order to empower them to never give up. She gave examples of her own career, such as how the community does not accept ballet as a legitimate educational form; nevertheless, she never gave up. Members of the audience also participated in the discussion.