City of Joy

30 Dec

Posted at 12:55h in City of Joy, Newsletter, V-Day

A Blessing, a Center of Rebirth and Love: City of Joy Celebrates 28th Graduation Ceremony Photo: Carlos Schuler On 19 December 2025, the City of Joy celebrated the graduation of its 28th class, bringing the total number of women whose pain has been transformed into power to 2,407. On this day, 85 women reintegrated into their communities — a powerful milestone in our ongoing work to support Congolese women survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. In her address, Christine Schuler Deschryver, co-founder and director of the City of Joy and V-Day Congo, spoke about the war in eastern DRC, underscoring the continued advance of...

22 Dec

Posted at 11:46h in City of Joy, Dear Everything, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day, Voices

Your support over the years has meant the world to us. As 2025 draws to a close, we are filled with gratitude for the survivors, artists, and activists who have made V-Day into a singular, ever-evolving global activist movement to end violence against women, gender-expansive people, and the Earth. In 2025, V-Day continued to boldly shatter norms and create spaces for grassroots dialogue through art and activism: ONE BILLION RISING activists have been mobilizing worldwide our 2026 campaign - RISE FOR OUR BODIES, OUR EARTH, OUR FUTURE - to transform the architectures of violence: economic and political, class and race, cultural and religious...

03 Jul

Posted at 11:24h in City of Joy, V-Day

From Survivor to Leader in a Time of Conflict: 84 Women Graduate from the City of Joy Photo: Carlos Schuler It was with emotion that the City of Joy concluded our 27th training session in women's leadership and emotional healing on 27 June. Since the opening of the City of Joy, a total of 2,322 young women have graduated, transforming their pain into power. This session was especially significant because on 14 February, the city of Bukavu fell to the AFC/M23 rebel group. Tensions had been escalating since early January, and we took every precaution to keep the women safe, including a contingency plan...

22 Apr

Posted at 14:01h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day

On Earth Day and every day we RISE for Climate Justice & Mother Earth. We amplify the connections between the exploitation of women and the exploitation of the earth. The global climate crisis impacts communities around the world. Women and girls suffer the most in terms of long-term loss of livelihood, forced migration, human trafficking and other climate-related conflicts. The destruction of the Earth – the relentless drilling, fracking, mining, deregulation of protections, militarism and extreme violence - has wrought upon the livelihood and traditions of the people, particularly the Indigenous people. This Earth Day, we renew our call for...

30 Dec

Posted at 11:44h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day, Voices

2024 marked the twenty-sixth year of V-Day, a year during which survivors, artists and activists gathered together, channeling art and creativity with a shared vision and mission for a world free from violence. They rose to address the devastating consequences of the ongoing vicious systems of patriarchy, fascism, capitalism and racism in the world today and the destructive battle for power fought over women’s bodies and the Earth. Photo Credits: Australia (Lyn McCarthy), South Africa (OBR South Africa), Hong Kong (@phyang81), Eswatini (Colani Hlatjwako), India (Jagori Grameen), Philippines (Sarah Elago) This year, V-Day and One Billion Rising activists once again shattered traditions,...

23 Dec

Posted at 12:55h in City of Joy, Newsletter, V-Day

Ambassadors of Peace and Advocates for Women, the Displaced & Exploited: 82 Young Women Graduate from City of Joy On 19 December, the City of Joy celebrated the graduation of 82 young women, bringing the total number of COJ graduates to 2240. Political and administrative authorities, civil society activists, the press and the Panzi Foundation were in attendance. The graduates - deeply affected by the ongoing political, security and health crisis sweeping across Eastern Congo, expressed their outrage at the horrors of war ravaging the DRC which disproportionately impact women and children and criticized the silence of the Congolese authorities. They...

18 Dec

Posted at 13:50h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day, Voices

Dearest friends, activists & supporters, Many of you have asked how you can give a gift that has impact this season. As an activist movement to end violence against women, gender expansive people, and the Earth, V-Day’s work is global and grassroots. Led by extraordinary activists in communities around the world, it demonstrates that when art and activism come together, they can transform systems and change culture. We believe that change takes time and that giving is an act of solidarity. Communities know what they need the most and sharing is an act of caring. By investing in grassroots projects, we are...

10 Jul

Posted at 13:35h in City of Joy, Newsletter, V-Day

Photo: Patrick Lwaboshi On 28 June, the 25th class graduated from the City of Joy, a formidable accomplishment amidst increasing conflict in the Eastern Congo. 89 women have turned their pain to power, becoming young leaders who are environmentalists, journalists and storytellers, public speakers, peace activists, and advocates for freedom and gender equality among so many emerging talents. Photos: Carlos Schuler Following is an excerpt from the report by co-founder and director of City of Joy and V-Day Congo, Christine Schuler Deschryver: June 28 marked the completion of training in women's leadership and emotional healing for 89 residents of the City of Joy...

22 Apr

Posted at 15:45h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day

On Earth Day and every day we RISE for Climate Justice & MotherEarth. We amplify the connections between the exploitation of women and the exploitation of the earth. The global climate crisis impacts communities around the world. Women and girls suffer the most in terms of long term loss of livelihood, forced migration, trafficking and other climate related conflicts. Indigenous populations everywhere have suffered gravely – displaced and forced to flee and relocate – making them the world’s first climate refugees. This Earth Day, we renew our call for justice against the aggressive greed and global exploitation of nature and people...

07 Mar

Posted at 18:33h in City of Joy, Newsletter, One Billion Rising, V-Day

One Billion Rising events are taking place and will continue through 22 April, Earth Day with the 2024 theme: RISE for FREEDOM, Be the New World. Rising Freedom Festivals are 1-2 days in length, including theatre, music, poetry, songs, painting, murals, workshops, massage, storytelling, oral histories, testimonies, drumming, planting, talks, connecting with nature, discussions, bodywork, rituals, ceremonies, circles, and more. If we saw ourselves as artists, what would we imagine and design? What world would we see? What new language and expressions for freedom would we find? How do we create and envision deeper, bigger and bolder? We are in a...