Dancing our protest against violence towards women and girls
| On February 14, 2013 people around the globe will rise up and dance their protest against violence towards women and girls as part of the international ONE BILLION RISING campaign. We are inviting you to join the global campaign by rising with us at Melbourne’s Federation Square.
Spearheaded by Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and founder of V-Day, One Billion Rising has created a platform for women and men around the world to be seen and heard as they protest the reality that 1 in 3 women will suffer violence and exploitation in their lifetime (http://onebillionrising.org). One Billion Rising Melbourne event page: Toni Childs, three-time Grammy nominated recording artist, Emmy Winner, and long time advocate of women’s empowerment says: “I am excited about coming together as a Nation to honor the women of Australia! It is time to heal and evolve and affirm that we as a Nation can create a violence free society! I believe in us, and I believe in the power and the deep wisdom that lives inside each one of us. I believe in the power to heal what has been broken in us, and to stop the ancestral cycles of abuse that we live with. We’re at the point of change… The cycle stops with each and every one of us!†“Coming out and standing up is a declaration and a resonance that ripples through us, our personal relationships, our society and the world! Valentines Day 2013 is about making the plausible possible… !!†Dr Lauren Woodman also organises the Seven Sisters Festival, a women-only space for healing and celebration. “One Billion Rising is such a beautiful, empowering concept, we felt inspired by it’s vision and wish to support this global celebratory protest. We would love to shake the ground with Melbourne’s support of this issue by shaking, stomping & dancing ‘No’ to violence against women.” Another of the organisers is Philip Werner, who instigated the recent peace march in honour of Jill Meagher which surprised the nation with it’s 30,000 strong turnout. “There is a big sense in the community that we need to get active and it needs to be in a positive, hopeful and peaceful way. Lynch mobs calling for capital punishment are not going to solve this problem. Non-violence is the only real antidote to violence. This protest is active, non-violent and positive.†The event is to be held at Federation Square for maximum visibility, thereby challenging the invisibility of this issue. Federation Square charge $20,000 to provide the necessary infrastructure and services for the event. Community and corporate sponsors are being sought to meet these costs. On top of this, a crowdfunding campaign has been set up to reach out to the many thousands who believe in this cause. Through the crowdfunding page everyone can offer their support, be it with a dollar or a thousand dollars. Crowdfunding campaign page: (Short code: http://goo.gl/1R19S) ### One Billion Rising Melbourne organisers: Contact: [email protected] |