Invite to annual One Billion and Rising event
The University is once again inviting members of the community to take part in an annual anti-violence campaign that brings people to dance, sing and stand together to demand an end to violence against women and girls.
This year the global One Billion Rising for Justice (VDay) campaign will be held on Sunday 14 February. It invites people from all over the world to gather safely in places where they are entitled to justice such as court houses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings and places of worship. The Preston gathering, organised by the UCLan Creative Communities Group (CCGUK), will take place in UCLan’s Atrium Building in the Students’ Union (SU) 11am – 1pm.
"The Preston event will bring as many people as possible to UCLan’s Atrium to dance and stand together in solidarity on the same day as people from more than 200 other countries around the world."
In Preston alone over 4,000 women and girls aged between 16 and 59 have suffered from domestic violence in the past year.* The UCLan One Billion Rising campaign began on Valentine’s Day in 2012 as a response to the staggering statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. The annual event has grown bigger each year as people come together to express their outrage, dance and rise up in defiance of the injustices women suffer every day. Last year One Billion Rising was the biggest mass action in human history.
This year, CCGUK UCLan is planning an even bigger event by teaming up with other CCG members in Nigeria, South Africa and London who are organising and filming a series of dance events in local businesses, universities, schools and colleges. North West MEP Julie Ward and Malaysian TV Personality Lakshmi Appadorai Baker will also take part in the event to share their support. Lakshmi, who is also a former Miss India, producer scriptwriter, host and singer, has a personal experience of abuse that she openly shares with other women in a show of solidarity.
Russell Hogarth, co-founder and chair of the UCLan CCGUK, has helped to organise the gathering. He said: “Helen Butler, founder of the website Feminine and Fabulous which supports women who are feeling unfulfilled and depressed, kindly brought this event to the attention of the Creative Communities Group in 2012."
"We want to deliver a powerful and positive message that the Preston community will not tolerate violence towards women and girls."
Russell continued: “The Preston event will bring as many people as possible to UCLan’s Atrium to dance and stand together in solidarity on the same day as people from more than 200 other countries around the world. We want to deliver a powerful and positive message that the Preston community will not tolerate violence towards women and girls.
“We are looking forward to joining forces live on the web with Creative Communities Group colleagues in Nigeria, South Africa and London who will be dancing alongside us. We will also have dance instructor and World Salsa dance champion Phil Kaila and Salsa Northwest helping us with the routine accompanied by live music.”
Anyone wishing to take part can turn up on the day or contact Russell by emailing him or calling 01772 894707. Discover more about the One Billion Rising movement by visiting the website or follow the #Rise4Revolution on Twitter.