V-Day Sarajevo 2003

V-Day Founder/Artistic Director and Playwright of "The Vagina Monologues" Eve Ensler and Executive Director Jerri Lynn Fields travel to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina to attend and participate in V-Day Sarajevo 2003 at the National Theater of Sarajevo on Wednesday, March 19th. V-Day Sarajevo 2003 will feature a performance of "The Vagina Monologues" led by Vesna Masic and featuring actors from Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, Montenegro, Albania, Roma Women Of Macedonia, Russia, Czech Republic and Bulgaria performing the monologues in their native languages, demonstrating that women understand each other across languages and borders.

At 11AM, Ensler, the actresses, and women from all over will hold a Press Conference in front of the National Theatre to speak out about the War on Iraq. Ensler has traveled to Sarajevo from Aghanistan and Pakistan and will bring messages from Afghan and Pakistani women. Immediately following the press conference, there will be a V-Day public action - VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE- to commemorate women victims of war. Activists, politicians and actors will stage a public action in the town square and walk to Suada´s bridge on river Miljacka- the place where the first victim of Bosnian war, a young woman student, was killed. The women will wear red scarves, the symbol of V-day, and will drop red paper birds into the river.

The events in Sarajevo are supported by V-Day, Mama Cash, Kvinna till Kvinna, and the Bosnian Ministry of Culture. V-Day 2003 events are also taking place in Zagreb (March 18) and Mostar (March 20). Ensler is scheduled to attend both.

About V-Day: Inspired by Playwright Eve Ensler's play "The Vagina Monologues," V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day stages large-scale benefits and promotes innovative gatherings and programs (The Afghan Women's Summit, The Stop Rape Contest, Indian Country Project, and more) to change social attitudes towards violence against women. In 2003, more than 1000 V-Day benefit events - produced by local volunteer activists - are scheduled around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls and raising funds for local groups within their communities. In its first year of incorporation (2001), V-Day was named one of Worth Magazine's "100 Best Charities." In its first five years, the V-Day movement has raised over $14 million, with over $7 million raised in 2002 alone. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.