One Billion Rising 2023

One Billion Rising 2023

February 14, 2023

The theme of One Billion Rising 2023 was RISE FOR FREEDOM, Freedom from Patriarchy and from all its progeny…. capitalism, impunity, poverty, oppression, division, exploitation, shame, control, individualism, greed, violence…and in this Rising…we create a NEW CULTURE.

Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre is the pioneer of One Billion Rising mass awareness in the city of joy. It has been standing in solidarity against the exploitation of women across the world from 2015 for 9 consecutive years. This year KMWSC has expanded the initiative through this platform for LGBTQ+ individuals to gain full acceptance and equality within the conservative Indian society with social inclusion. However, young people who identify themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex or Questioning (LGBTIQ+) are among the most marginalised and excluded members of our society till date. We never talk about their rights, dignity and as an individual person for coexistence in mainstream society. They are particularly vulnerable to stigma, violence and discrimination, due to their real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.

We salute Eve Ensler who founded this movement seeing the oppression and exploitation of women to raise their voices against injustice, rape and sexual violence against girls and women worldwide.

KMWSC focused on standing for the rights and equality of the LGBTQ+ community. KMWSC is thankful for the opportunity to welcome Miss Melinda Pavek , Consul General of American Consulate, as our Chief Guest; Archbishop Thomas D’Souza as our Guest of Honour, our keynote Speaker, Sujay Prasad Chatterjee, the famous queer artiste, a TV and film personality. Eminent speakers Bappaditya Mukherjee and Anuprabha Das Mazumder, Sr. Sabrina Edwards-, The Province Leader, South Asia province and Sr. Joshephine, the Superior of Entally Community for making the OBR movement 2023 a grand success.

We thank Sr. Monica for her stunning speech on gender inclusion and declaring the One Billion Rising movement 2023 open. The program was inaugurated by all our guests by releasing rainbow colour balloons to symbolize LGBTQ+ community with the pride movement. We are thankful to Sr Clara Kasper, the Principal of LER teachers and students from Loreto Elliot School who had put up the Flash Mob on the theme song of OBR which was worth watching, gaving an amazing start to the program. We are thankful to Mrs Jessica Surana, the Principal, the teachers and students from Loreto Convent Entally who had put the skit on Gender Enclosure. The children from the “Red-light Project” and students from “Sukanto Nagar Vidyaniketan” (Government School) presented wonderful performances on “Gender Inclusion” and generated awareness on third gender which literally gave goose bumps to the audience. Youth coming forward towards such a sensitive issue and raising a toast on LGBTQ+ community was worth witnessing.

Thank you, Ms. Melinda Pavek, The Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General, Kolkata (India) for your availability and for being in the OBR 2023 movement to encourage us with this kind of event.

We are also very thankful to Aahiri Naskar who is a trans-woman & an Indian Classical Vocalist for making the audience spell bound with a Thungri “Sawariya Chit Chor “and Manish Shaw, a renowned youngest artistic personality with Creative and contemporary Dance along with Anuprava Das Mazumdar who is also a transwoman.

Mr Bappaditya Mukherjee, the Founding Secretary of the 15-year-old organisation named Prantakatha along with his wife Anuprabha, who is a transgender and had made pioneering role in making Transgender ID card operational in case of changing PAN and Voter cards for Tran’s citizens across India, shared their life experience and their vision in the coming days.

KMWSC has always been supported by our loyal performer singers Mr. Christopher Lobo. Mr Shayne Hyrapiet and of course, Kamran Khurshid & Faizan Khurshid who raised their voice for justice and equality for all. More importantly, we at KMWSC cannot visualise our One Billion Rising without these famed singers. Thank you for being with us.

With all your support and collaboration KMWSC feels that we have just taken the first step to voice for the rights of this community and stand in solidarity with this community to rise for their freedom.

Let us not stop the fight here. The humble beginning of this initiative of KMWSC will not end but KMWSC will strive for the best to create awareness in our society for their acceptance, respect, dignity and for their individuality for what they are.