Every day against violence: Unite

Although the call is to celebrate sixteen days of social activism against gender violence, the intension of Cuban artists who have decided to join this initiative goes much further beyond.

Singer-songwriter Jan Cruz, who gave the opening concert of this day in Cuba, told his reasons to Cubasi:

It’s necessary, we should unite all these artists, many people follow the criterion we could have on certain topic and then it seems to me it is important to be part of this, because we are living at a time, when there’s violence in all sites we look at, if you watch the news bulletin you see wars everywhere, people mistreating themselves right in the streets, it is not only physical violence, but psychological one as well, so I think that if I can achieve with my music that people be more peaceful and perhaps reconsider I would feel just great…”

Carolina Fernandez studies performance and blindly believes in art’s ability to communicate and share values, that’s why she joins it: “I support this struggle against violence, especially gender violence, I think that from art we have a lot to say about this topic. I also think people receive messages very well through art: a song, a play, I think it’s easier for people to understand what we want to convey through these creative forms”.

Of course, for them the commitment includes life and work, thus explains the author of “Aviones de Papel” (Paper Planes): “Since I started in the previous campaign, I attended several workshops in which I learned many things and now I work on my songs, my videos from another point of view and try to handle my image that way, always avoiding violence, being careful when treating women…”

Danilo de la Rosa Serrano, coordinator of the “UNITE to End Violence Against Women” campaign, explained that “this year Havana will dedicate its sixteen days of activism to two historical figures, two figures who have extolled women’s participation and empowerment such as our beloved Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and Vilma Espin”.

Precisely, the leader of the Cuban Revolution will be honored with a concert due to take place next Wednesday, December 6 at ALBA Cultural House in El Vedado, Havana, which will feature the participation of singer-songwriters Raul Torres, Mauricio Figueiral, Adrian Berazain, among other Cuban artists.

Almost thirty years adding days against violence…..

According to Danilo, this initiative arose in 1991 “at the proposal of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and since 2008 it is supported by the United Nations through the “UNITE” campaign launched by the then Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, to put an end to female violence, campaign that, of course, has reached a great rise in Cuba since 2010 under the message “I say No” (Yo digo No). The campaign is held every year between November 25, as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and December 10, as Human Rights Day”.

From Cuba, government and society also unite to multiply the message these sixteen days for non-violence against women and girls:

“There are three campaigns in Cuba: “You are More”, a national campaign, boosted by the Oscar Arnulfo Romero Center, which is an ecumenical NGO and the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC). There’s also the “Unite Cuba” campaign under the message I say No to Violence against Women, as well as, of course, this new campaign here in Havana, that arose a year ago under the initiative of the “UNITE” Community Sociocultural Project, jointly with the Federation of Cuban Women and other organizations and bodies….”

Translated by Jorge Mesa Benjamin / CubaSi Translation Staff