V-Day's 'TURNING PAIN TO POWER Tour' Concludes!
V-Day's 'Turning Pain To Power Tour' concluded last week with a hugely successful final event at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
The tour featured Dr. Denis Mukwege, winner of the 2008 UN Human Rights Prize and Founder of the ground breaking Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, in conversation with Eve Ensler, reaching thousands of women and men throughout North America and bringing attention to the violence against women in the Congo, and V-Day's joint campaign with UNICEF - STOP RAPING OUR GREATEST RESOURCE: POWER TO THE WOMEN AND GIRLS OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
'Turning Pain To Power Tour' Highlights:
New York
The launch of the 'Turning Pain To Power Tour' at the 92 Street Y in New York City, featuring an introduction by UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman. View Images >
A private reception hosted by Harry Belafonte, Peter Buffett, Eve, Donna Karan, and David Stone at the Urban Zen Center/Stephen Weiss Studio to raise funds for V-Day's work in the Congo.
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Eve and Dr. Mukwege took a long awaited meeting with Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations. At the meeting he committed to visiting Panzi Hospital to see for himself the impact of sexual violence on Congo's women and girls.
A special session was held with UN ambassadors at the International Peace Institute, including the UK Ambassador John Saywers, and other UN officials from Uganda and Rwanda who are key stakeholders in the region surrounding Congo. Eve and Dr. Mukwege lobbied them to use their clout to bring about a political solution to the crisis in Congo so that the sexual violence ends and women are protected by MONUC, the UN's peace keeping forces. They also stressed the importance of women being part of the peacemaking process.
Los Angeles
V-Day's third annual LA Luncheon hosted by Jessica Alba, Eve Ensler, Anne Hathaway, Sherry Lansing, Paula Wagner and V-Day Board members Carole Black, Ilene Chaiken, Rosario Dawson, Linda Pope, and Kerry Washington at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. The event welcomed guests Charlize Theron, Maria Shriver, Maria Bello, Christine Lahti, Camryn Manheim and Dylan McDermott, raising awareness and funds for V-Day's Congo Campaign.
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V-Day February 14 event at the University of Southern California's 6th annual V-Day benefit production of The Vagina Monologues, organized by Maxi Solters, with a special introduction by V-Board member Rosario Dawson. View Images >
San Francisco Bay Area
Event at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre as part of City Arts & Lectures "Art & Politics" series. Eve and Dr. Mukwege spoke to an audience of 1000 followed by an intimate reception at Jardiniere Restaurant, hosted by Traci Des Jardins, Beth Karpfinger, Wynnette LaBrosse, and V-Board members Emily Scott Pottruck and Sheryl Sandberg.
A speaking engagement at Stanford University with a special introduction by professor Anne Firth Murray, Founding Executive of the Global Fund for Women. The event was co-organized by on the ground V-Day activists Fatimah Hassan and Harriet Clark. View Images >
Atlanta
Sold out event at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia with special introduction by V-Board member Pat Mitchell and Laura Seydel. The event, coordinated and produced by long-time V-Day activist Nikki Noto, was preceded by a special reception hosted by V-Day Atlanta, Pat Mitchell, Jo Edwards, Karyn Greer, Ayesha Khanna, Vikki Locke, and Laura Seydel in the Cyprus Room at the Carter Center. The event was made possibly by Full Circle Living. View Images >
Washington, D.C.
Finale event at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The event featured Congolese singer Edith Sodolo and welcomed students and politicians alike, raising awareness about the violence in the DRC and how they can help end it. The evening was introduced by V-Day organizer Sabrina Garba and brought a new audience to the discussion as well as many members of the D.C Congolese community.
While in D.C, Eve and Dr. Mukwege met with key decision makers on Capitol Hill including Senators Feingold, Boxer, and Durbin and Congresswomen Schakowsky and Maloney, among others.
V-Board Members Beth Dozoretz and Pat Mitchell hosted a gathering of prominent D.C figures. A great group welcomed the discussion including Hunter Biden and his wife, BET's Deborah Lee and many more.
Busboys & Poets, an infamous D.C coffeehouse welcomed Eve who spoke about the Congo and performed two monologues to a sold out gathering of over 200 people. V-Thanks to Andy Shalal and Kat Hanson for a vibrant finale to our successful tour.
'Turning Pain To Power Tour' In The Media
The New York Times: The Invisible War 02/21/09
Democracy Now!: Interview with Dr. Denis Mukwege and Eve Ensler 02/09/09
NPR Weekend Edition: Group Fights Rape In Democratic
Republic Of Congo 01/24/09
Associated Press: Rihanna Among Topics At V-Day Anti-Violence Lunch 02/13/09
People: Rosario Dawson on Rihanna and Jennifer Hudson:
We're All Sisters 02/14/09
Inter Press Service News Agency: How Many More Will Be Raped? 02/12/09
Op-Ed News: LA's Vagina Monologues: Eve Ensler and Dr. Denis Mukwege's 'Pain to Power' Tour' 02/15/09
wowow.com: Eve Ensler to Marlo Thomas: 'Rape Is Cheap Warfare' 02/12/09
Huffington Post/Women's Media Center/Alternet: Turning Pain to Power 02/02/09
Women's eNews: V-Day Spotlights Congolese Women Torn by War 02/13/09
San Francisco Examiner: Credo: Famed playwright Eve Ensler 02/15/09
Scotsman: Femicide in the Congo 02/15/09
For more information, highlights, images and media on V-Day's 'Turning Pain To Power Tour' please visit vday.org/tour09/news
Add your voice to the V-Wall for Congo and show your support!
Show your support of the women and girls of the DRC by joining V-Day's V-Wall For Congo. Join women and men from all over the world who have signed up to let the women and girls of the DRC know they are not alone. Sign up now and leave a message of of hope, empowerment, change and victory. Join Us On the Wall Now
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Related links:
Turning Pain to Power by Marianne Schnall
( Extended Interview with Eve Ensler)
Open Letter to President Elect Barack Obama by Women's Rights Leaders, Including V-Day
From Superdome to SUPERLOVE�V-Day at 10 by Marianne Schnall Other V-Day Features at Feminist.com:Action Alert: This Just In from Kenya Action Alert: End Sexual Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo V-Day/Feminist.com Anti-Violence Resource Guide
Other Eve Ensler writings at Feminist.com:
Interview with Eve EnslerExcerpt from Insecure at LastExcerpt from The Good Body The Real Meaning of Security
About V-Day: V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler�s award winning play The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works. In 2008, over 4000 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $60 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, launched the Karama program in the Middle East, reopened shelters, and funded over 10,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic Of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. V-Day was named one of Worth magazine's "100 Best Charities" in 2001 and Marie Claire�s �Top Ten Charities� in 2006. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
http://www.vday.org
