On March 8, a handful of women gathered on the Flint Street bridge in downtown Asheville: Members of GetEQUAL and the local NOW chapter, they were joining in a worldwide action, Women on the Bridge. “The idea … came from the country directors of Women for Women’s programmes in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” organizers explained. It’s the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, and as the signs said, “Stronger Women Build Bridges of Peace.”
photos by Jerry Nelson
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:
Women and men from the community along with GetEQUAL and the local chapter of NOW and other organizations will be standing on the Flint Street bridge near the civic center downtown on March 8th from 4-6pm for International Women’s Day’s worldwide action, Women on the Bridge. More information can be found here:
http://www.womenforwomen.org/bridge/
From the website:
The idea for Join Me on the Bridge came from the Country Directors of Women for Women’s programmes in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – two countries which have seen some of the most devastating impacts of war in recent years and where atrocities such as rape, torture and violence against women are commonplace. Women from different communities decided to come together on a bridge which borders their two countries, in the heart of the conflict; to stand up for peace and an end to violence against women.
We will be marking the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day on 8th March 2011, by organising an even bigger movement of women to join together on a bridge. Women, children and men, whether it’s 2, 200, 2000, or more, will be joining together on bridges across the world, holding up banners, making a public statement that ‘Stronger Women Build Bridges of Peace’ and supporting women in war-torn areas. They will be calling for women to have a greater say at the peace negotiating tables and for countries to honour the UN goals they have signed up to, to bring an end to violence against women in areas of conflict.
The message is “Stronger Women Build Bridges of Peace.”
4 thoughts on “Join Me on the Bridge”
Wasn’t some guy arrested for ‘disrupting traffic’ or some such thing for holding a sign on that bridge two years ago?
Wow! A couple of years ago no one around here ever heard of “International Womens Day”. now we have almost 2 hands-full of aware people coming public. I hope, in a few years, we’ll be thousands of women celebrating!
Ups, no, don’t get a wrong impression: It wasn’t invented in Ruanda and Congo … but never mind. Where ever “International Womens Day” may go, as long as it is about womens role (and fate) on this globe, it’s serving it’s purpose.
[i]now we have almost 2 hands-full of aware people coming public. [/i]
They say more than a handful is a waste, but I disagree.
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2007/activist_arrested_after_displaying_impeach_bush_cheney_sign_on_overpass
Double standard!!!