Every year, the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) on 5 May is a day when midwives across the globe celebrate what they do. Since it was first launched by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) in 1992, 5 May has been the internationally recognised day for spotlighting the work of midwives. Midwives around the world work hard every day to ensure mothers and their families receive the quality care that they deserve.
During the week leading up to and including 5 May 2019, the ICM urges all countries to commemorate this date and to promote the work of midwives with women and their families. In this way, public awareness is raised and promote a positive and empowering image of childbirth and motherhood.
This year the Department of Midwifery at The Faculty of Health Sciences University of Malta will be celebrating this day by an art exhibition at the main Mater Dei Hospital Foyer of 22 paintings by the Canadian artist Amanda Greavette.
Amanda is a figurative oil painter and is well-known for ‘The Birth Project’, a series of paintings depicting the work and dedication of midwives with women, birth and motherhood.
Amanda Greavette develops the paintings based on births that she’s attended or experienced, as well as from photo submissions. Because of this ‘community involvement’, the series becomes a collective experience, creatively and expressively telling women’s stories as they’re experienced every day.
While Amanda paints birth because she loves it, she feels there is a social need for images of birth and motherhood. She hopes 'The Birth Project' can inspire confidence and possibility in women, as well as portray their experiences in a real and tangible way. The paintings fill a visual void in birth culture. They are part of a dialogue and movement that creates change for childbearing women, raises public awareness of issues surrounding birth and promotes a positive and empowering image of childbirth and motherhood.
The theme of the exhibition is ‘Midwives embracing women in childbirth, leading the way to quality care’.
The opening ceremony of the Art Exhibition will take place at Mater Dei Hospital Main Foyer on Tuesday 30 April at 14:00 in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Mr Chris Fearne and Parliamentary secretary Dr Deo Debattista. The exhibition will be open until Sunday 5 May.
