Women’s Demonstration on Mont-Blanc Bridge

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Women’s Demonstration on Mont-Blanc Bridge to Launch Global Campaign Women Lead to Peace Calling for Peace in Syria; Film Night to Follow

January 20, 2013

• Contact: Jodie Evans, CODEPINK Co-founder, 310-621-5635, Jodie@codepink.org
• Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK Co-founder, 310-621-5635, Medea@codepink.org

What: Demonstration to launch global campaign Women Lead to Peace

Where: Mont-Blanc Bridge, Geneva, Switzerland

When: 17:00 (Central European Time Zone)

What: Women Lead to Peace Film Festival (free to the public)

Where: Maison des Associations - Ghandi Room, 15 rue des Savoises 1205 Geneva

When: Monday, January 20, 18:30 - 22:30

Geneva, Switzerland –– A global coalition of women's groups will hold a demonstration to mark the launch of the global campaign initiative Women Lead to Peace. Pioneering an international women’s movement to support the women of Syria, the group calls for a ceasefire in Syria, more humanitarian aid delivery to the victims of the conflict, and the active participation of Syrian women in the peace talks scheduled to start on January 22, 2014.

The coalition will mobilize a physical presence on the Mont-Blanc Bridge in Geneva to kick off a week of actions and a peace summit, and they will carry large banners with message of peace. After the demonstration, activists will gather for a Women Lead to Peace Film Festival. As women from around the world gather to say “peacemakers need to be at the peace table” they also gather to share stories of humanity and experience.

Film Schedule:

18:30: "Beyond Right and Wrong" By Lekha Singh http://beyondrightandwrong.com/

20:00: "Suffering Grasses" by Iara Lee http://films.culturesofresistance.org/suffering-grasses

Film director (Iara Lee) will be available for discussion after the film

21:00: "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" by Gini Reticker http://praythedevilbacktohell.com/

“After three years of fighting and over 100,000 deaths, it’s time for women to say 'Enough!' It is men driving the violence and destruction. It's time for a ceasefire and there can be no peace without women at the table,” said Jodie Evans, co-Founder of CODEPINK, who is a key organizer of the campaign.

On January 21, a Summit will be held with testimonies from Syrian women and humanitarian aid workers, testimonies from women from countries that made the transition from war to peace (such as Liberia, Ireland, Bosnia, Rwanda) and testimonies from Arab women who have been leaders in non-violent struggles in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia. TheWomen Lead to Peace Summit will end by modeling what the first day of the negotiations could and should look like.  On January 22, the beginning of the official peace talks, participants will bring creative, beautiful and exciting actions to public attention in Montreux. Press is welcome to each one of these events and activists will be available for interviews.

The Women Lead to Peace Campaign is led by CODEPINK, Women International League for Peace and Freedom, Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation, Karama, MADRE and Nobel Women’s Initiative. It has been endorsed by a growing group of organizations and individuals, including Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi, The Square Director Jehane Noujaim, V-Day Founder Eve Ensler, Author Alice Walker, Actress Geena Davis, Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire, Bianca Jagger, European Union former Vice President Luisa Morgantini, Global Fund for Women, Women for Women International, Institute for Policy Studies’ Phyllis Bennis, Embrey Foundation President Lauren Embrey, Journalist Chris Hedges and Center for Constitutional Rights’ President emeritus Michael Ratner.

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