As V-Day benefit performances of "The Vagina Monologues" reach more people, as the V-energy spreads, 2003 must be the year when we envision a new world, where violence has ended and V-World is finally born.
In 2002, V-Day happened in 800 venues around the world. Celebrations were held in an Anglican Church in Nova Scotia, a Masai village in Kenya, a Lakota reservation in South Dakota, a stadium in Manila, a synagogue in Great Britain.
There were sold out performances at Caesar's Palace in South Africa, The National Theater in Guatemala, The Royal Albert Hall in London, the Folies Bergeres in Paris, and the Apollo Theater in Harlem. At 515 schools from Harvard University in the United States to the HELP Institute in Selangor, Malaysia, from the University of the Philippines in Manila to the London School of Economics, thousands of college students reclaimed their power and worked to protect and honor vaginas. Through our 2002 College Campaign alone, over 5 million people were exposed to V-Day and our mission to stop worldwide violence against women and girls. Through College and Worldwide Campaign efforts and other V-Day initiatives and actions, Roma women in Macedonia vowed to reverse ancient and heinous marriage practices that abuse women, girls were saved from female genital mutilation and allowed to be educated in Kenya, Harlem was declared Vagina Friendly by the State Senator, San Francisco was pronounced a Rape Free Zone by the City Council. Red balloons, red rose petals, red banners, red gowns, red boas filled the stages and halls.
A worldwide vagina revolution was born!
We know already that in 2003, V-Day will spread to thousands more venues and cultures around the world. As V-Day benefit performances of "The Vagina Monologues" reach more people, as the V-energy spreads, 2003 must be the year when we envision a new world, where violence has ended and V-World is finally born.
Here's what V-World will look like:
When the violence stops, women and girls will be
Allowed to be born in China, India And Korea
Swimming in Iran
Safe in their beds at home in the United States, Europe and Asia
Eating ice cream in Afghanistan
Keeping their clitorises in Africa and Asia
Wearing blue jeans in Italy
Voting in Kuwait
Walking in the park at night in the United States
Openly flirting in Jordan
Safe at parties on college campuses
Playing with toys and not being sold as them in Asia, the United States, Europe and Eastern Europe
Driving cars in Saudi Arabia
Wearing trousers in Swaziland
Safely walking home from work in Juarez, Mexico
Enjoying sex
Celebrating their desires
Loving their bodies
Running the world
We urge you to expand this list and put your power behind the vision.
-- Eve Ensler, Founder & Artistic Director, V-Day/Playwright
Tell us your V-World Vision
by clicking here, or read visions posted by others, below.
