Melbourne will join the international dance campaign ONE BILLION RISING this Thursday 14 February – dubbed ‘V-Day’ – as part of a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. This year will be the largest day of action in the history of the campaign and will mark its 15 th anniversary.
The campaign has the support of Prime Minister Julia Gillard who last week released her video endorsing the One Billion Rising movement & the Australian events.
ONE BILLION RISING began in 1998 as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION women and girls.
The event has attracted massive global attention with celebrities, women and men from all walks of life joining in to make women visible, to bring the community together through dance and to empower people to develop respectful relationships – free of violence and exploitation.
Melbourne joins this international action and invites ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence.
The Melbourne event has the support and involvement of various organizations and individuals, including Victorian Trades Hall Council, YWCA Australia, Domestic Violence Victoria, South-East Centre Against Sexual Assault, Women’s Legal Service Victoria and Gabriela Australia.
Media are invited to attend, conduct interviews (and dance) at the event:
Event runs 6.00pm – 7.00pm, Thursday 14 February
Federation Square
Cnr Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne
Event continues in a dance across Princes Bridge to Queen Victoria Gardens
MEDIA CONTACT: Tamar Spatz, 0431 811 294 / onebillionrisingmelbourne@gmail.com
