V-Day Europe Celebrates Women at the European Social Forum

Vagina Warriors Workshop Ideas To End Violence Against Women and Give a Special Performance of "The Vagina Monologues" to an International Audience

Tamsin Larby, Karin Heisecke and Mariana Katzarova, of V-Day Europe, brought V-Day's mission of ending violence against women and girls to a diverse group of international activists at the European Social Forum 2004. The forum took place in London, England, from October 15-17. Discussion themes included war and peace, democracy and fundamental rights, social justice and solidarity, corporate globalization and global justice, racism, discrimination and the far right, and environmental crisis and a sustainable planet.

The "Violence Against Women: Prevention and Resistance" workshop took place on October 16 at the London Metropolitan University campus. Larby (V-Day U.K), Heiseke (V-Day Western Europe), and Katzaova (V-Day Balkans) were all featured speakers at the event and represented an allied V-Day Europe front in presenting and discussing diverse initiatives in Europe for the prevention of violence against women. The workshop drew a large crowd of twenty people. In addition to the V-Day team, Professor Liz Kelly from the university's Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit also spoke at the workshop.

Later that night, V-Day Europe presented a very special performance of "The Vagina Monologues" to celebrate women attendees at the forum and to honor all people who fight to end violence against women. The performance took place at the London Welsh Association. A crowd of 200 activists and other conference attendees filled the room to capacity and enjoyed the show.

Both the "Violence Against Women: Prevention and Resistance" workshop and "The Vagina Monologues" performance had great success. Europe is even more fully engaged in V-Day's movement to end violence.