Archive for the "Press Releases" Category
March 31, 2003
Paris, France
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing as a woman, as a citizen of the world, as an American who has just visited 16 countries, including Afghanistan, Jordan and Pakistan, working with V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.
I am writing because I believe your war on Iraq reveals your profound lack of understanding of the world.
I am writing because I believe your war on Iraq reveals your profound lack of understanding of the world.
I believe your war indicates a desire to dominate, rather transform, heal, improve, or build relationships.
I do not think you understand that the United States is one country and one culture and not the only country and culture. That the spirit of domination threatens the world’s diversity and difference—the very forces that are most magical and essential to the human experience.
I do not think that you have sat with the panicked Afghan women in Kabul who believe the war will shift attention away from their country and thus bring an end to their short-lived security. I do not think you have seen the desperate face of the woman in a Ramallah refugee camp, a widow who just lost her two sons. I do not think you have been privy to the generosity of the Muslim women in the ghettos of Cairo, in the kitchens of Bosnia, in the high offices of Jordan. I do not think you have allowed these people to enter you.
I think you are in the process of polluting all that is great about America, destroying the dream, erasing the years of struggle for democracy, human rights, self-determination, tolerance and peace.
Here is a response to some of your terribly dangerous misconceptions, based on what I have seen in my travels:
1. The Muslim world is not populated by terrorists. Most people long for peace, long for justice, long for cooperation.
2. Muslims do not hate Americans. They despise the current American government as they feel it has no respect for their values, culture, religion, or ways of being. They are suspicious of a government that bombs places like Afghanistan with the promise of reconstruction and then abandons the job before the majority of people have heat, water or electricity. Terrorists are born in the cracks of broken promises.
3. The people of the Muslim world want to love Americans, as the experiment of democracy in the United States has been a great inspiration to them.
4. The loss of American lives is not worse then the loss of Iraqi lives or Israeli lives or Palestinian lives or Bosnian lives or Afghani lives. Three thousand deaths–whether it be in the World Trade Center or the streets of Baghdad or in Mazur Sharif—will always be equal to the destruction of three thousand dreams, stories, and families.
5. You cannot help people through force or violence. You help people by serving them, by asking questions, through humility, by being engaged in a process of discovery, admitting that you do not have answers and seeking answers together. You help people by providing safety and resources so they can do their best thinking. You help people by trusting they have the capacity to help themselves.
Mr. President, there is a new paradigm. I have seen it manifest itself everywhere, from Manhattan to Manila, Sarajevo to Johannesburg. Women and men who have suffered enormous violence are not buying AK-47s or machetes or weapons of mass destruction. They are not plotting retaliation or revenge. I have seen how in the Rift Valley of Africa the women who were mutilated are now opening safe houses to protect young girls from Female Genital Mutilation. In Houston, Denver, New York, Los Angeles, and Kauai, women are telling their stories of rape and domestic battery, risking shame and embarrassment so other women will be free. In Juarez, Mexico, women activists are risking assassination as they speak out against the murder and disappearances of hundreds of poor women. In the refugee camps of Peshawar, Afghan women who lost every right under the Taliban are bringing up girls and boys to be equal. In the community centers of Mostar, women who were raped during the Bosnian war are working with soldiers to heal their trauma. In Islamabad, women are risking Fatwa to save other women from acid burnings and honor killings. In the streets of Paris, women are risking everything to hide women from their pimps and save their daughters from sex slavery. These are the new warriors–those who transform the violence into healing. Those who are creative and imaginative and careful in their response.
Women and men all over the world know that the time of violence is over. Your war will not divide or distract us or undo this new paradigm. Yes, the story of violence is in our bodies. But so is the new determination and strength. We grieve the centuries of rape, bombings, brutality, and cruelty. We refuse to act in kind. Instead we hold and transform this violence, and we do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again to anyone, anywhere.
We urge you to stop the bombing, to stop the dominating.
End the old paradigm. Join us here on the other side.
Sincerely,
Eve Ensler
Activist/Playwright/Founder, V-Day
V-Day Sarajevo to feature actors from Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Romania, Montenegro, Albania, Roma Women of Macedonia, and Russia performing “The Vagina Monologues” in their native languages:
Activist/Playwright Eve Ensler in Sarajevo, March 18-19
Press Conference to speak out about the War on Iraq.Wednesday, March 19 at 11:00AMIn front of the National Theatre”Voices Against Violence” Vigil to follow
New York – March 18, 2003
V-Day Founder/Artistic Director and Playwright of “The Vagina Monologues” Eve Ensler and Executive Director Jerri Lynn Fields travel to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina to attend and participate in V-Day Sarajevo 2003 at the National Theater of Sarajevo on Wednesday, March 19th. V-Day Sarajevo 2003 will feature a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” led by Vesna Masic and featuring actors from Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, Montenegro, Albania, Roma Women Of Macedonia, Russia, Czech Republic and Bulgaria performing the monologues in their native languages, demonstrating that women understand each other across languages and borders.
At 11AM, Ensler, the actresses, and women from all over will hold a Press Conference in front of the National Theatre to speak out about the War on Iraq. Ensler has traveled to Sarajevo from Aghanistan and Pakistan and will bring messages from Afghan and Pakistani women. Immediately following the press conference, there will be a V-Day public action – VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE- to commemorate women victims of war. Activists, politicians and actors will stage a public action in the town square and walk to Suada´s bridge on river Miljacka- the place where the first victim of Bosnian war, a young woman student, was killed. The women will wear red scarves, the symbol of V-day, and will drop red paper birds into the river.
The events in Sarajevo are supported by V-Day, Mama Cash, Kvinna till Kvinna, and the Bosnian Ministry of Culture. V-Day 2003 events are also taking place in Zagreb (March 18) and Mostar (March 20). Ensler is scheduled to attend both.
About V-Day: Inspired by Playwright Eve Ensler’s play “The Vagina Monologues,” V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day stages large-scale benefits and promotes innovative gatherings and programs (The Afghan Women’s Summit, The Stop Rape Contest, Indian Country Project, and more) to change social attitudes towards violence against women. In 2003, more than 1000 V-Day benefit events – produced by local volunteer activists – are scheduled around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls and raising funds for local groups within their communities. In its first year of incorporation (2001), V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities.” In its first five years, the V-Day movement has raised over $14 million, with over $7 million raised in 2002 alone. The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
Print Psas Shot By Renowned Photographer Joyce Tenneson; TV PSAs Produced For V-Day By Lifetime Television; Print, TV PSAs feature celebrities, activists, & everyday women
Contact: Susan Celia Swan (212) 445-3288 press (at) vday.org
February 21, 2002 – New York, NY
V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, announced today its first ever Public Service Advertising (PSA) campaign developed with photographer Joyce Tenneson and Lifetime Television. The print and TV PSAs feature celebrities, activists and everyday women. The creative for the year-long campaign reflects V-Day’s 2003 Vision: From V-Day to V-World, written by Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler, which asks women and men worldwide to envision a world without violence and to join V-Day in working to create it. The campaign is intended to spark discussion on this theme. The taglines are often somewhat provocative, or an actual play on words. In each PSA, the featured subject states, “When violence against women and girls ends, I will…”, closing with a personal tagline and information about V-Day.
In the print campaign, Actress/Model/Activist Isabella Rossellini states “When violence against women and girls ends, I will…be beautiful at any age.” Recording artist Eve states, “When violence against women and girls ends, I will…walk without fear.” Activist and Founder of Casa Amiga in Juarez, Mexico Esther Chavez Cano states, “When violence against women and girls ends, I will…light a candle for the living.” To view the complete print PSA campaign, go to http://www.vday.org/psa.
In the TV campaign: Actor/Activist Julianna Margulies states, “When violence against women and girls ends, I will sleep with the windows open.” Actor/Talk Show Host/Activist Cynthia Garrett states, “When violence against women and girls ends, I will shout Hallelujah.” Actor/Activist Calista Flockhart states, “When violence against women and girls ends, I will…be boldy flirtatious without fear.”
The series of print PSAs were shot pro bono by renowned photographer Joyce Tenneson, in NYC and Rome and feature celebrities including Rosario Dawson, Isabella Rossellini, Jane Fonda, Eve, Denyce Graves, Shiva Rose, Salma Hayek as well as V-Day activists from countries including the U.S., Kenya, Mexico, and Afghanistan. The print campaign launched in Hearst magazines’ including O, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, Bazaar, and Redbook, and is expected to run all year in publications including Time, Inc.’s magazines, Working Mother, ELLE Quebec, Velvet Park, URB, among many others.
The companion TV campaign will feature celebrities like Julia Stiles, Julianna Margulies, Calista Flockhart, and everyday women speaking about what their world would look like if there was no violence. The spots launched exclusively on Lifetime TV beginning February 16 and will expand to other cable and broadcast networks throughout the year.
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The V-Day 2003 print V-Day 2003 PSAs feature Rossana Abueva, Banker/Executive Producer, New Voice Company/Activist & Monique Wilson, Actress/Artistic Director, New Voice Company/Activist; Manila, Philippines; Winifridah Anyango, Founder, Dolphin Anti-Rape and AIDS Control Outreach; Eldoret, Kenya; Carole Black, President and CEO, Lifetime Entertainment Services/ Activist; New York, NY; Suzanne Blue Star Boy, Director, V-Day Indian Country Project; Ihanktonwan (Yankton Dakota) & Agnes Pareyio, Founder of the V-Day Safe House for Girls; Narok, Kenya; Esther Chavez Cano, Founder, Casa Amiga; Juarez, Mexico; Kim Crenshaw, Professor Columbia University and UCLA/Activist; NYC/LA; Rosario Dawson, Actress/Activist; NYC/LA; Jane Fonda, Actress/Activist, Atlanta, GA, with son Troy Garity, Actor/Activist, Los Angeles, CA; Eve Ensler, Playwright/V-Day Founder/Activist; New York, NY & Salma Hayek, Actress/Director/Producer/Activist; City, State; Eve, Recording Artist/Actress/Fashion Designer/Activist; Philadelphia, PA; Free, Recording Artist/VJ/Activist; Boston, MA; Denyce Graves, Opera Singer/Radio Talk Show Host/Business Woman/Activist; New York, NY; Madhur Jaffrey, Actress/Author/Activist; New York, NY with daughter Sakina Jaffrey, Actress/Activist; Nyack, NY; Cecile Lipworth, Director, Worldwide Campaign for V-Day, with Daughter Tia; Santa Fe, NM; Pat Mitchell, President and CEO of PBS/Activist; Washington, DC; Shiva Rose, Actress/Activist; Los Angeles, CA; Isabella Rossellini, Actress/Model/Activist; New York, NY; Gloria Steinem, Activist/Author; New York, NY; and Zoya, RAWA (Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan).
The V-Day 2003 TV PSAs will feature Eve Ensler, Cynthia Garrett, Mira Furlan, Calista Flockhart, Kathleen Chalfant, Jane Fonda, Julia Stiles, Juliana Margulies, Cloris Leachman, Angela Guice, Amy Hill, Allison Prouty, Jerri Lynn Fields, Carol Kaplan, Lisa Tharps, Holland Taylor, Kathy Najimy, and Helena Cepeda Jeager.
Inspired by Playwright Eve Ensler’s play “The Vagina Monologues,” V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day stages large-scale benefits and promotes innovative gatherings and programs (The Afghan Women’s Summit, The Stop Rape Contest, Indian Country Project, and more) to change social attitudes towards violence against women. In 2003, more than 1000 V-Day benefit events – produced by local volunteer activists – are scheduled around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls and raising funds for local groups within their communities. In its first year of incorporation (2001), V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities.” In its first five years, the V-Day movement has raised over $14 million, with over $7 million raised in 2002 alone. The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. http://www.vday.org
Among the most respected photographers of our time, Tenneson’s work has been shown in over 150 exhibitions worldwide, and is part of numerous private and museum collections. Her photographs have appeared on countless covers for magazines such as: Time, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Premiere, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine. She is also a much sought-after portrait photographer with clients in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Ms. Tenneson is the author of seven books, her latest, entitled Wise Women, was published by Bulfinch/Little, Brown in April, 2002. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award, for best applied photography. In addition, she has been named “Photographer of the Year” by the international organization, Women in Photography. http://www.tenneson.com
These PSAs are part of Lifetime’s annual “Stop Violence Against Women” campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual assault and to offer important information and resources on how women and men can help make a difference in their own lives, families and communities. The initiative includes extensive on-air programming, online content and outreach around the country, such as the second annual “Stop Violence Week in Washington,” March 3-7.
LIFETIME is the #1 cable television network in primetime and the leader in women’s television. LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Launched in 1984, LIFETIME serves over 86 million households nationwide, available on more than 11,000 cable systems and alternative delivery systems. In 1998 LIFETIME launched a 24-hour sister service, the Lifetime Movie Network, now in nearly 36 million homes, and a second sister service, Lifetime Real Women, launched in August 2001. On the web, Lifetime Online (www.lifetimetv.com) features informational resources and interactive entertainment. All four services, LIFETIME Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Online, are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company. http://www.lifetimetv.com
New York, NY – February 7, 2003
V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, announced today its two showcase benefits of the season. On February 13 in NYC and February 24 in LA, actresses including Claire Danes, Marisa Tomei, Rosario Dawson, and Shiva Rose will join “The Vagina Monologues” playwright and V-Day Founder Eve Ensler, as V-Day expands from theatrical performances into film at its two major fundraisers this year – V-Day NYC and V-Day LA 2003. For the first time, these V-Day events will feature a private benefit screening of selected scenes from an upcoming documentary about V-Day, entitled “Until The Violence Stops.” Both events will include performances of select new monologues, written by Ensler, performed by Danes and Tomei in NYC and by Dawson and Rose in Los Angeles. V-DAY LA 2003 is presented by The Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women (LACAAW) and V-Day.
“Until The Violence Stops” represents a new avenue for V-Day to raise awareness and funds. (V-Day’s journey into film has auspicious beginnings as the documentary about Ensler’s writing group at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, “What I Want My Words To Do To You,” received the “Freedom Of Expression” award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival). This work in progress documentary feature will ultimately take the viewer to nine countries capturing authentic vagina monologues via interviews with local survivors of sexual trafficking, battery, rape, incest and female genital mutilation and, along the way, revealing how each culture is fighting to protect their women and children and how the V-Day movement is building safe houses and schools, raising new funds for existing programs and saving lives worldwide. (Details on its theatrical/broadcast release are forthcoming.)
The V-Day NYC and V-Day LA benefit events are part of the global movement to end violence against women and girls’ 2003 benefit season, which features over 1000 V-Day benefit productions of “The Vagina Monologues” around the world. Locations range far and wide, including V-Day San Diego (U.S.); V-Day Peshawar (Pakistan), V-Day Brigham Young University (U.S.), and V-Day Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), all raising funds and awareness for local anti-violence groups. Now in its fifth year, V-Day has raised $14 million in funding for thousands of grassroots groups around the world.
On February 13, V-DAY NYC 2003 features Eve Ensler, Claire Danes, and Marisa Tomei, with special guests Rosie Perez, Isabella Rossellini, Elisabeth Rohm, and more. Seating for the screening will begins at 6:15 P.M. at The Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 West 34th Street Between 8th And 9th Avenues, NYC. Screening and performances start at 7 PM and will be followed by dinner and dancing. Tickets begin at $500, and can be purchased via phone at (212) 921-9070, online at www.vday.org/events, and via email at vday@jfm2productions.com.
To request media credentials for this event, please call Susan Swan/Wendy Shanker (212) 445-3288, press@vday.org
V-Day Asks Women and Men Worldwide to Envision and Create A World Without Violence Against Women and Girls
Anti-Violence Movement Continues To Expand With Over 1000 V-Day Benefits including V-Day Islamabad and V-Day Peshawar (Pakistan), V-Day Brigham Young University (U.S.), V-Day Hong Kong (China), V-Day Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), V-Day Bombay (India), and many more…
New York, NY – January 29, 2003
V-Day announced today its vision and plans for 2003. The vision statement, drafted by V-Day Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler and entitled “From V-Day to V-World,” calls upon women and men worldwide to envision a world without violence against women and girls and to join V-Day in working to create it. This message runs throughout all elements of this year’s campaign, including over one thousand V-Day benefit events around the world; the first ever PSA campaign in print and on TV; a spotlight on Native American and Canadian First Nations women; an initiative to end gender-based violence in Africa, Asia and the Middle East; and corporate sponsorship.
2003 marks V-Day’s fifth birthday. Since the first V-Day benefit performance of Ensler’s award-winning play “The Vagina Monologues” took place in NYC on February 14, 1998, V-Day has grown into a worldwide social and activist movement, raising funds for thousands of local groups and opening safe houses in Africa and schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In five short years, the movement has raised over $14 million dollars for these local and international groups working to end violence against women and girls in their communities.
In 2003, over one thousand V-Day benefit events will take place worldwide, raising funds and awareness to end violence – an issue that affects one in three women around the world (UNFPA, 2000). As part of the V-Day Worldwide and College campaigns, V-Day benefits feature a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” and are scheduled between January 31 and March 9, 2003. For the first time, these V-Day benefits will include two new community-written monologues, one by women and one by men, envisioning a world without violence, V-World. On February 3, a special V-Day event will take place on the Taos Pueblo in Taos, NM honoring this year’s V-Day Spotlight on Native American and Canadian First Nations Women.
In 2002, over 800 V-Day benefits were held in over 35 countries. This year the V-Day movement welcomes the addition of hundreds of cities and colleges participating for the first time, including: V-Day Peshawar and V-Day Islamabad in Pakistan, V-Day Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as V-Day Trinidad and Tobago and V-Day Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City, UT. To locate the event(s) nearest you or by country, visit http://www.vday.org/events.
V-Day’s Ensler, along with Executive Director Jerri Lynn Fields, will travel to over 21 V-Day locations to meet organizers, activists, beneficiaries, and journalists. To date, their itinerary includes: V-Day Peshawar and V-Day Islamabad, Pakistan; V-Day Kabul, Afghanistan; V-Day Bombay, India; V-Day Paris, France; V-Day Zagreb, Croatia; V-Day Vukovar and V-Day Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; V-Day Taos and Santa Fe, NM; V-Day NYC, V-Day Mexico City, Mexico; V-Day Juarez, Mexico; V-Day Sydney, Australia; V-Day Kauai, Hawaii; V-Day Los Angeles, CA; and V-Day Florence, Italy. At a stop in Melbourne, Australia, Ensler will perform “The Vagina Monologues” with local performers and politicians – a special event benefiting V-Day and Australia’s Emily’s List at the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions Women’s Congress.
New avenues for the V-Day message
With its 2003 V-World inspired campaign, V-Day will raise awareness via new avenues in the media and new alliances in the fashion and beauty industries. Beginning in January, a unique PSA (Public Service Advertising) campaign will unfold in print magazines and, in February, in a companion series of TV spots. Today, January 29, a new, multi-featured website (www.vday.org) launches online.
- February 18 at 7:00PM ET/PT, Lifetime Television will air an “Intimate Portrait” on Founder Ensler.
- The March issue of Marie Claire will feature an exclusive essay by Ensler, set against a series of commissioned photographs by an award-winning group of Magnum photojournalists.
- Paula Dorf’s “V-Day” lipstick and Julie Haus’ “Fashion For Peace: V-Day” clutch both hit stores nationally in January.
- January 21-February 4, BARNEYS NEW YORK’s flagship NYC store will dedicate its window display to V-Day, courtesy of Creative Director Simon Doonan.
- January 21 – February 14, Eileen Fisher’s 24 U.S. stores will feature V-Day/V-World themed windows.
Expanding programs at home
V-Day strives to bring attention to grassroots and often invisible groups of women. For 2003 V-Day expands its “Afghanistan Is Everywhere” campaign to “Afghanistan Is Everywhere: Spotlight on Native American and First Nations women.” This campaign-wide Spotlight will place the issue in front of thousands. As part of the Spotlight, each local V-Day organizer is encouraged to donate up to 10% of their proceeds towards Native American and First Nations women.
A new international initiative to end violence – Africa, Asia and the Middle East
The V-Day team, led by Hibaaq Osman, Special Representative to Africa, Asia and the Middle East, is currently working in partnership with diverse women’s networks in Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Pakistan, India, Kenya and Afghanistan. The goal is to strengthen and support their common agenda of ending violence against women and girls, and bring an end to bride burnings, female genital mutilation (FGM), honor killings, sexual assault, rape and many other forms of gender-based violence. The team collaborates only with those organizations that have a commitment to working across ethnic, religious, and class lines.
For International Women’s Day (March 8), V-Day is planning a return fact-finding visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The delegation will include Ensler, Fields, Osman, and members of international women’s groups, funders, and celebrities who will continue dialogue, advance education, and build a plan for action.
Corporate support
V-Day applauds the generosity and commitment of its corporate sponsors. V-Day 2003 sponsors are: Dramatists Play Service, Inc., Eileen Fisher, Eziba, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Hearst Magazines, Julie Haus Handbags, Lifetime Television, Liz Claiborne, Luna Bar, Marie Claire, Organon (Makers of NuvaRing), Paula Dorf, Peacekeeper, Tampax, Time Inc., and Vosges Haut Chocolat.
As V-Day 2003 unfolds, updated information, images and reports from the events and campaigns will be available at http://www.vday.org on an ongoing basis.
About V-Day
V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day is a palpable energy, a fierce catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual slavery. V-Day provides funding to create and nurture innovative programs to stop the violence.
Through V-Day campaigns, local volunteers and college students produce annual benefit performances of “The Vagina Monologues” to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence groups within their own communities.
V-Day itself stages large-scale benefits and promotes innovative gatherings and programs (The Afghan Women’s Summit, The Stop Rape Contest, Indian Country Project, and more) to change social attitudes towards violence against women. In 2002, more than 800 V-Day benefit events were presented by local volunteer activists around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls.
The V-Day movement is growing at a rapid pace throughout the world. V-Day, a non-profit corporation, distributes funds to grassroots, national, and international organizations and programs that work to stop violence against women and girls. In its first year of incorporation (2001), V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities.” In its first five years, the V-Day movement has raised over $14 million, with over $7 million raised in 2002 alone.
The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
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V-Day 2003 Events:
The V-Day Worldwide Campaign: V-Day benefit productions of “The Vagina Monologues” are confirmed to date in over 370 cities nationally and abroad to raise awareness and money for local groups in their communities that work to stop violence against women and girls. 40 countries are participating this year including Ghana, Botswana, Spain, Netherlands, Pakistan, Jamaica and Trinidad and
Tobago. For the first time, V-Day Nairobi will take place, presenting the premiere performance of “The Vagina Monologues” in Kenya. Organizers present the theatrical production from start to finish including casting, location scouting, ticket sales, publicity, and more. For the up to date listing of cities, http://www.vday.org/world.
The V-Day College Campaign: Much like the Worldwide Campaign, the College Campaign will bring V-Day benefit productions of “The Vagina Monologues” to more than 660 colleges and universities around the world in an effort to raise awareness and money for local anti-violence groups and empower the leaders and activists of the future. The number of international college V-Day’s has increased dramatically this year in both the number of participating schools outside of the US and also in the variety of places that are represented. Of the 662 schools, 105 (about one sixth) are outside of the US and 61 (about one tenth) are outside of North America in places including England, Mexico, the Philippines, Malaysia, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Australia, Kenya, China, Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain. For the listing of participating schools to date, go to http://www.vday.org/college.
Spotlights and Programs:
Afghanistan Is Everywhere: Spotlight on Native American and Canadian First Nations Women, The Indian Country Project:
V-Day’s decision to focus on Indian Country this year emerged from a realization of a problem that is statistically and anecdotally well-documented. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, the average annual rate of rape and sexual assault among American Indian women is 3.5 times higher than all other races. This rate continues to rise while Indian women and girls remain invisible as an at-risk population. Indian women often feel unable to address the violence because of complicated jurisdictional problems and lack of resources. Consequently, the high rate of abuse continues, unabated. Native American activist Suzanne Blue Star Boy has joined V-Day to lead the Indian Country Project, a campaign to end violence against women on all American Indian and Canadian First Nations Peoples lands. Her work will help generate awareness and fundraising in and for Native communities across the US and Canada. In its first year, 23 V-Day’s representing over 50 tribes are taking place as part of the Indian Country Project on reservations and reserves in South Dakota, Arizona, New Mexico, British Columbia, Toronto, Minnesota, Ontario, and Alaska. Tribes such as the Lakota, Algonquin, Cree, Squamish, Lil’wat Nation, Tlingit, Haida, Yup’ik, Inuit, 8 Northern Pueblos, Ojibwe, Chippewa, Mdewakanton, Chumash, Quenchan, Dakota, Athabaskin, Stl’atl’imx, Tsimpsian, and Lower Sioux are just a few of the tribes participating in and benefiting from this year’s V-Day events. These V-Day events will gather Native Women to collectively envision and claim a future without violence against women and girls in their communities.
Africa, Asia And the Middle East: As part of the 2003 V-World vision, V-Day has launched a new initiative to end violence against women and girls in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Key coalition-building efforts have already begun via recent listening visits in Afghanistan, Brussels, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. In each country, meetings were held with a diverse group of politicians, grassroots leaders, artists, doctors, intellectuals and teenagers amidst a variety of locations and activities. The team will convene a diverse, strategic core group of women and women’s organizations within each country in the regions.
Poetry Contest: A V-World poetry contest inviting women and men worldwide to create poetry inspired by the question, “What will the world look like when the violence ends?” was held. Submissions were accepted as of January 2003 and the winning entries will be announced on or around Valentine’s Day (Exact date TBA).
PSA (Public Service Advertising) Campaign
This is a year-long, multi-media campaign. The series of print PSA’s were shot pro bono by renowned photographer Joyce Tenneson and feature celebrities including Salma Hayek, Rosario Dawson, Jane Fonda, Eve, Denyce Graves, Isabella Rossellini, Shiva Rose as well as V-Day activists from diverse countries including Kenya, Mexico, Afghanistan. PSA’s are scheduled to run in Hearst magazines – including Marie Claire, O, Redbook, Bazaar and Good Housekeeping – as well as in various Time, Inc. magazines; ELLE Quebec; Velvet Park; URB; and many others. A companion TV campaign featuring celebrities including Julia Stiles, Julianna Margulies, Calista Flockhart, and everyday women speaking to the camera about what their world would look like if there was no violence, will launch in mid-February on Lifetime Television and will expand to other cable and broadcast networks throughout the year.
Lifetime “Intimate Portrait: Eve Ensler”: On Tuesday, February 18, 7PM (ET/PT), Lifetime profiles the life of V-Day Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler. The profile includes interviews with celebrity V-Day supporters, including Calista Flockhart, Jane Fonda, Glenn Close, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Rosie Perez, Dylan McDermott, Kathy Najimy and Julia Stiles. The “Intimate Portrait: Eve Ensler” and the V-Day PSA’s are scheduled to air as part of Lifetime’s Stop Violence Against Women Campaign.
www.vday.org: In late January, V-Day will be launching a new web site, to better highlight the full range of V-Day activities taking place around the world. The site will feature increased photographs and V-artwork, and more interactive features for visitors.
Marie Claire: For their annual coverage of V-Day, Marie Claire delivers a startlingly realistic look at violence against women around the world via a photo essay, created in collaboration with Magnum photos and featuring the work of Magnum photojournalists Thomas Dworzak, Maya Goded, Susan Meiselas, and Patrick Zachmann, accompanied by an exclusive essay by Ensler about her relationship with violence, and “woman on the street” comments about what V-World will look like.
Barneys New York: Red boa alert! From Tuesday, January 21 through Tuesday, February 4, the store windows will be dedicated to V-Day, as created by Barneys Creative Director Simon Doonan.
Eileen Fisher: As a valentine’s call to action, in the window of every Eileen Fisher retail store, a field of hearts, like flowers, poke up from their stems. It makes you stop on the sidewalk and peer in. Each heart has a word on it, ending the sentence: “When violence against women and girls ends, I will…praise, boogie, sizzle, parade, belong…love.”
Julie Haus “Fashion For Peace: V-Day” Clutch: Houston-based new handbag designer Julie Haus has designed an exclusive clutch-style handbag, the “V-Day Fashion For Peace” clutch to raise funds for V-Day. Inspired by V-Day’s 2003 Vision, Haus developed the “Fashion for Peace Campaign” as a line of handbags designed to raise awareness for the organizations that fight to end violence around the world.
Paula Dorf “V-Day” Lipstick: Paula Dorf helps support V-Day with the creation of “V-Day” Lipstick, a beautiful watermelon pink shade that looks great on everyone. A portion of the proceeds will go to V-Day.
Vosges Haut Chocolat: Vosges Haut Chocolat is donating to V-Day 25% of the proceeds from the sale of their Sophie’s Boite Chapeau, an elegant hatbox filled with exotic truffles, couture cocoas and haut-chocolat.
PeaceKeeper: PeaceKeeper, a line of products for which All Profits, after taxes, are used to support women’s health advocacy and human rights issues, while educating the consumer, is creating a lip gloss for V-Day, which will be soon available in retail stores and online.
CONTACT: Susan Celia Swan (212) 445-3288, press@vday.org
Based out of Washington, DC, Osman is currently working in partnership with diverse women’s networks in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan and Palestine
January 23, 2003
As part of its ongoing mission to end violence against women and girls, V-Day is thrilled to announce the appointment of Hibaaq Osman as V-Day Special Representative to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. As V-Day’s Special Representative, Ms. Osman will spearhead efforts to build broad political and social movements for women’s rights at national, regional, and international levels in those regions.
The Washington, DC-based Osman is already working in partnership with diverse women’s networks in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan and Palestine to strengthen and support their common agenda of ending violence against women and girls – specifically to end bride burnings, female genital mutilation (FGM), honor killings, sexual assault, rape and the many other forms of gender-based violence that plague these regions. The V-Day effort collaborates with organizations that have a commitment to working across ethnic, religious, and class lines.
Speaking about the appointment, V-Day Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler stated, “Hibaaq brings her experience in working with women in conflict areas like Somalia, Sudan, and Afghanistan, her unique flair for getting things done in coalition, and her passion for women to this newly created position as V-Day Special Representative to Africa, Asia, and The Middle East. I cannot think of a more talented or committed candidate: Hibaaq inspires and with her help I know that V-Day will make a real impact in the extremely challenging work of ending violence against women and girls in these politically complex and war-torn regions.”
Born in Somalia and raised in Ethiopia and Sudan, Hibaaq Osman has been involved in women’s rights issues in Africa for over 15 years. Building on her understanding of the existing cultural and political beliefs in various developing countries, she has collaborated with religious leaders, spiritual leaders, politicians, prominent individuals ,scholars, women’s rights activists, governmental organizations, research institutes, feminist institutions, and universities to bring women’s rights issues to the forefront of the domestic and international agendas . Through her work, she has helped to establish women’s rights organizations and form coalitions around women’s issues, most recently SIHA (Strategic Initiatives for the Horn of Africa) to promote women’s rights, peace and human development. Ms. Osman has done extensive research on conflict resolution, FGM (Female Genital Mutilation), and women’s rights in Islam, and was previously a Senior Fellow of the Academy for Political Leadership and Participation at the University of Maryland.
Groundwork for the V-Day Initiative has already begun in Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan and Africa:
V-Day delegates — Including Jane Fonda and Eve Ensler — were hosted by a diverse range of Israeli and Palestinian women’s groups, aide workers, artists, intellectuals, parliament members, and NGOs.
January 10, 2003
From Thursday, December 19 through Saturday, December 21, 2002, V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, traveled to Israel and Palestine to listen intensively to Israeli and Palestinian women as they discussed their urgent need for women’s security, equality, justice and peace. Like previous V-Day visits, including those in Afghanistan, Kenya, Rome, the Philippines, Brussels and Kosovo among other countries, a series of meetings were held with a diverse group of Israeli and Palestinian women politicians, grassroots leaders, artists, doctors, intellectuals and teenagers amidst a variety of locations and activities.
V-Day Delegation
The V-Day delegation was comprised of several prominent U.S. women artists, activists, and philanthropists including V-Day Founder/Playwright Eve Ensler, V-Counsel member/Activist/Actress Jane Fonda, V-Day Special Representative Hibaaq Osman, Actress Kathleen Chalfant, Winds of Change Foundation President Shamaya Gilo, and NOW Vice President Olga Vives.
V-Day’s Special Representative Hibaaq Osman convened the meetings for V-Day. The itinerary for the delegation was developed by local hosts Bat Shalom and its Executive Director Terry Greenblatt, the Jerusalem Center for Women and its Director Amneh Badran, V-Day’s representative in Israel Rivka Hon, and Women Refuse member Daphna Golan-Agnon, in close consultation with V-Day.
A diverse itinerary of meetings, activities, and events
The V-Day delegation met with: Israeli and Palestinian women’s groups including Bat Shalom and the Jerusalem Center For Women; Doctors, nurses and patients at Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem including Israeli survivors of suicide bombings and wounded Israeli soldiers; A visit to a Ramallah rehabilitation center where the delegates met victims of the Israeli incursions as well as a woman who had tragically lost two sons, age 11 and 15, within 40 days of each other; Israeli and Palestinian artists, writers and poets; A ceremony at Hadassah hospital auditorium in Mount Scopus, held in honor of Ensler as an activist against violence; Young Israeli teenagers living in refugee shelters; Female members of Knesset (Israeli Parliament); Heads of NGO’s working in the region; The Board of the Jerusalem Center for Women; Palestinian poets in Ramallah; A visit to a refugee camp and checkpoints in Ramallah; Lunch with prominent Palestinians including doctors, professors, academics, lawyers, the board of the JCW, heads of Palestinian NGO’s, gallery owners, actresses, and dancers; and a special evening at the Peace Tent at Neve Shalom/What a Salam which included music and readings by Israeli and Palestinian women, introduced by Jane Fonda, of dialogues they had written about peace (one piece written by Palestinian architect Suad Amiry, entitled, “My Mother In Law and Sharon”, movingly told of the incursion and the strong effect that the curfew has had on families) as well as a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” by Ensler; among others.
Overall, the visit featured frank discussions, shared dialogue and experiences amongst the women and even some surprises. While at lunch during a tour of Ramallah on Saturday, Ensler, at one of her host’s request, gave an impromptu reading of the play, which has become a unifier of women around the world. (Since 1996, the play has been translated into over 25 languages and performed in over 45 countries and inspired the V-Day movement with its poignant telling of women’s experiences around the world including war-torn Bosnia.)
Initial outcomes
As they were leaving Palestine Sunday morning, the delegates praised the women and men they met with and expressed admiration for their work.
On the visit, V-Day Founder/Artistic Director Eve Ensler stated, “We came to Israel and Palestine to listen. We saw the amazing, critical, but often invisible work of Israeli and Palestinian women who have dedicated years of their lives toward peace. What we heard most everywhere we went – from political leaders, from women in refugee camps, from the wounded, from artists and academics on both sides – was that the occupation is destroying both Israelis and Palestinians and that any efforts to end violence against women and girls in Israel and Palestine will ultimately work toward ending the occupation and seeking a just peace in the Middle East.”
They were also eager to report on the initial outcomes from the meetings:
- As a result of the meetings, V-Day will work to support initiatives towards ending violence against women and girls already taking place on the ground.
- A larger gathering ? convened by V-Day – was envisioned to bring together Israeli and Palestinian women, international decision makers and prominent women from abroad, NGO’s and intellectuals, artists and politicians, workers and young people to make a plan for peace, with a strong political and cultural component.
- The local groups have expressed their interest in supporting the V-Day benefit scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv early March 2003 at the Habima Theater with actresses, singers, politicians and activists as well as the first V-Day events in Ramallah and in East Jerusalem in 2003. An international women’s festival of political theatre in East Jerusalem is also in the works. (V-Day events take place around the world each February and March as benefits performances of “The Vagina Monologues” and often feature local celebrities, politicians and women’s groups to raise awareness about the issues of violence against women and girls and to raise support and funds to end this violence.)
- Upon their return to the U.S., the V-Day delegation will work to amplify the women’s voices in the international community and media (already select interviews are being scheduled with international media) and to bring back specific actions or recommendations to policy makers in the U.S. and grassroots women’s organizations to develop real security for women and girls and to bring about a just peace.
About V-Day
V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day is a palpable energy, a fierce catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop worldwide violence against women and girls including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual slavery. V-Day provides funding to create and nurture innovative programs to stop the violence.
Through V-Day campaigns, local volunteers and college students produce annual benefit performances of “The Vagina Monologues” to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence groups within their own communities. V-Day itself stages large-scale benefits and promotes innovative gatherings and programs (The Afghan Women’s Summit, The Stop Rape Contest, Indian Country Project, and more) to change social attitudes towards violence against women. In 2002, more than 800 V-Day benefit events were presented by local volunteer activists around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls.
The V-Day movement is growing at a rapid pace throughout the world. V-Day, a non-profit corporation, distributes funds to grassroots, national, and international organizations and programs that work to stop violence against women and girls. In its first year of incorporation, V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine’s “100 Best Charities.” In its first five years, the V-Day movement has raised over $14 million, with $7 million raised in 2002 alone.
About Bat Shalom
Bat Shalom is the Israeli national feminist grassroots organization of Jewish and Palestinian Israeli women working for a genuine peace, a just resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, respect for human rights, and an equal voice for Jewish and Arab women within our society. The women of Bat Shalom envision a peace rooted in the needs, rights, and histories of both the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples, a peace that will preserve the sanctity of life, dignity and freedom in our region. As we acknowledge that respect for and realization of minority and women’s rights reflect and measure a society’s commitment to justice and equality, we also recognize that democracy in Israel will only be achieved with the full implementation of equal rights for all citizens living in Israel. http://www.batshalom.org
About Jerusalem Center for Women
The Jerusalem Center for Women, established in 1994, is a non-governmental women’s center that provides women with venues for training in democracy, human rights, advocacy and life skills in order to advance women’s status and role in the decision-making process, as well as to protect human rights and democratic principles and build a just peace. The Jerusalem Center for Women envisions Palestinian Women empowered and involved in the process of nation and state building as well as in all the aspects of Palestinian civil society development. Our Goals are to empower women in community and political activism, protect and advance Palestinian women’s rights and status, involve women in realizing a regional peace based on justice and establishing local and international networks supporting JCW in achieving its goals. http://www.j-c-w.org
Since 1994, Bat Shalom and the Jerusalem Center for Women partner Israeli and Palestinian women committed to advancing joint peace and anti-occupation work under the umbrella of The Jerusalem Link. We continue to challenge both of our societies by introducing joint positions, strategies and values into the public discourse, and by modeling a partnership rooted in a foundation of political principles, transparency and growing trust.
About Women Refuse
We refuse to raise children for war. We refuse to deny the pain, suffering and injustice in the continuation of the occupation. We call on all mothers who don?t want their children to serve in the territories, all the women who want to end the occupation and want peace with mutual recognition and respect to join us. Email: womenrefuse@hotmail.com
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CONTACT: Susan Celia Swan +1 212 445-3288 press@vday.org
From Thursday, December 19 through Saturday, December 21, V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, will travel to Israel and Palestine to listen intensively to Israeli and Palestinian women as they discuss their urgent need for women’s security, equality, justice and peace. Like previous V-Day visits, including those in Afghanistan, Kenya, Rome, the Philippines, Brussels and Kosovo among other countries, the meetings will be with a diverse group of Israeli and Palestinian women politicians, grassroots leaders, artists, doctors, intellectuals and teenagers amidst a variety of locations and activities.
The V-Day delegation, comprised of several prominent U.S. women artists, activists, and philanthropists – including V-Day Founder/Playwright Eve Ensler, V-Counsel member/Activist/Actress Jane Fonda, and V-Day Special Representative Hibaaq Osman – will attend the gatherings to listen, discuss, learn, explore and support the work, joint peace initiatives and other strategies of Israeli and Palestinian women, teenagers and young girls to promote women’s status.
Following the visit, V-Day will work to amplify the women’s voices in the international community and media and to bring back specific actions or recommendations to policy makers to develop real security for women and girls.
PLEASE NOTE:
NO INTERVIEWS ARE BEING SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE ANY STATEMENTS THAT MAY BE RELEASED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE VISIT, PLEASE EMAIL press (at) vday.org
Media contact: Susan Celia Swan
press (at) vday.org email
+1 212 445-3288 office
Now you can shop at over 300 online stores, and make a donation to V-Day at the same time. How? By shopping with For Society. For Society lets you shop at your favorite
stores, from Amazon.com to 1-800-Flowers, from Chef’s Catalog to Office Depot. Through special arrangements, a portion of every purchase
amount will be donated to V-Day. We hope you’ll do all your online shopping this way. To get started, just click here!
Looking for a special Holiday gift? Eziba has created an exclusive line of handcrafted V-Day products including jewelry, candles, and
t-shirts. Eziba’s products are made by and for women and purchases help raise funds to stop violence against women and girls.
To view Eziba’s V-Day collection, visit Eziba.com.
For chocolate lovers Vosges Haut-Chocolat provides a luxurious indulgence. Every sale of a Sophie’s Boîte à Chapeau — Vosges extraordinary hat box of chocolate delights — will generate a
contribution to V-Day. To get yours, visit Vosges Haut-Chocolat online.
And of course if shopping is too much trouble, donations can be made directly to V-Day on our secure donation page.
We hope that you will remember V-Day during this Holiday Season, and in the coming year ahead.
Join Eve Ensler and V-Day for a Festive Evening of Fun, Shopping and Fundraising at
City Bakery
3 West 18th St., NYC
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 8:00 to 11:00 PM
Fantastic food and wine plus an exciting silent auction and V-Day marketplace. Start stuffing your Holiday stockings here!
Tickets are $100. Space is limited, so order your tickets today!
All but $25 of each ticket payment is tax deductible. To purchase tickets by phone or for more information call 212-645-VDAY or write to judy@vday.org .
See you at City Bakery!