The Women in your Eyes event is an annual project that YES alumni in Israel (Arab Communities) started two years ago. Now in its third year, this project aims to promote young artists and gender equality through an art competition. Young painters and photographers are invited to submit two pieces of their work, and in doing so, to share their view of women with the local community. It is also a platform for these budding artists to exhibit their work and express themselves.

This year, eleven artists entered the competition, and a total of twenty paintings and two photographs were considered. On March 21, as a celebration of Mother's Day, alumni displayed all of the submitted pieces and hosted an art opening at a theater called “Al Medan” in Haifa.

YES alumna Mona Shimi, (YES 2005-2006, hosted by Nacel Open Door in New Hampshire) the founder of the project, opened the event by giving a history of the project and the YES Alumni Association. After that, Hala Salem, (YES 2012-2013, hosted by ASSE in Philadelphia, PA) a representative of the current alumni council, gave the audience more information about the YES program. As the event continued, Sheikha Hlewa, a Palestinian poet, read her poetry about women, and YES alumna Lamar Elias (YES 2014-2015, hosted by FLAG in Paris, TX) and a young musician named Ahmad Faour played piano.

Before the official judging took place, the contestants each had the opportunity to discuss their artwork, and then the judges declared the winners for first, second, and third place. The evening was not only an interesting way to address women’s issues, it was also a fun way to spread information about the YES program to the local community.