I am with an ambassador, after tough negotiations, on Women International Day, with forty something delegations on a sensitive issue of children rights to education in a frozen conflict zone on Europe’s outskirts. She is relentless and brave. It comes from her heart.
I am watching “Khaytarma”, a movie forbidden in a country ruled by a regime, which brought concepts inimical to brave hearts to new levels. “Khaytarma”, the first Crimean-Tatar movie, was released in 2013: Each of its scenes and gestures are full of meanings. There is one scene I found most touching. A proud father, welcoming his war hero son and his friends wearing shining medals, makes a speech to honor the women of the village. “Those who do not wore shining medals on their chest, those whose medals are in our hearts. For taking care of war orphans, for hiding our horses in the mountains under death threats, for taking food to partisans, for sewing war torn cloths….” To me his speech says that Bravery is not loud and it does not jump in the eye. It is smoothly authentic, as a Tatar-Crimean dance called “Khaytarma”, as the title of that movie, meaning “return” in translation.

“Teach girls bravery” is the message of one popular TED Talk http://www.ted.com/talks/reshma_saujani_teach_girls_bravery_not_perfection. A mother of a girl, I am still learning it. Our hearts are brave, from their first beat in the safety of the womb. I would teach the same to a son.

…And the medal for that ambassador’s bravery is in the hearts of children she fights for.