MEDIA ADVISORY - ‘Peace Begins with Her’: A mosaic of portraits celebrates women and peace
Add your own voice to the global push for women's participation by having your portrait taken in the Inside Out Photobooth and added to the ‘Peace Begins with Her’ installation honoring the vital role of women in achieving peace! The work of public art is part of the global participatory project Inside Out, created by renowned artist JR, to empower communities to stand up for what they believe in by displaying large-scale black and white portraits.
The art activation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring women peacebuilders, representatives of civil society, and academia with opening remarks by State Secretary for Security Policy Dr. Markus Mäder.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Government of Switzerland will host an event co-organized by the State of Geneva, UN Women, the University of Geneva, the UN Office at Geneva, the UN Department of Peace Operations, the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and the Elsie Initiative Fund to celebrate the remarkable role of women building and protecting peace around the world.
What? Inside Out activation
Who? State Secretary for Security Policy Dr. Markus Mäder, UN officials, women peacebuilders and Swiss peacekeepers
When? 8 March 2024 11:15-17:45 (panel discussion at 18:15)
Where? University of Geneva, Uni Mail entrance, 40 Bd du Pont-d’Arve, Geneva
Interview and photo opportunities:
Media will be able to meet and interview some of the formidable women featured in the exhibit from 13:00-14:00 at the University of Geneva’s Uni Mail entrance, including Meltem Burak, a young peace activist from Cyprus, Captain Vanessa von Viràg, a Swiss peacekeeper deployed with the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), Luisa Franco, a Colombian programme officer with the SwissPeace institute and Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, Deputy Director, Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division, UN Women.
State Secretary for Security Policy, Dr. Markus Mäder, will be on site from 18:00 before opening a panel discussion at 18:15 in auditorium MR380.
Context
It has been 23 years since the adoption of the groundbreaking UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security, which for the first time recognized the importance of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace efforts. Despite progress, women’s rights around the world are still under threat, their voices often silenced.
“Women are very important to peace in Cyprus, [but our] peace negotiation tables are full of cis, middle-aged, white men. Women help foster a conversation on peacebuilding which makes a potential peace agreement inclusive.” - Meltem Burak
From Afghanistan to Colombia, Cyprus to South Sudan, the display of powerful images of UN peacekeepers, local peace activists and peacebuilders is an occasion for all of us to recognize and promote the important role of women in building and protecting peace.
The panel discussion will focus on the role of women in peace, with State Secretary for Security Policy Dr. Markus Mäder; Vice president of the State Council of Geneva Nathalie Fontanet; Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the UN Information Service; Yves Flückiger, Rector of the University of Geneva; Ambassador Nathalie Chuard, Director of the Geneva Center for Security Governance; Meltem Burak, Lecturer on EU Policy, producer and host of the Sesta podcast on culture; Gloria Gaggioli, Director of the Geneva Academy and associate professor at the law faculty, Unige; Captain Vanessa von Viràg, Military Observer with United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) (Switzerland); Luisa Franco, SwissPeace, Senior Programme Officer Dealing with the Past; Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, Deputy Director, Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division, UN Women.
Note to the editors: ‘Peace Begins with Her’ is underpinned by the principles outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) and subsequent nine resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). The resolutions recognize the importance of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in conflict resolution and the need for increased women’s participation at peacemaking and decision-making at all levels in peace processes. For Switzerland, advancing the WPS Agenda, is a priority on the national and international level. This year, the fifth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security will be elaborated, in collaboration with civil society and different federal departments. WPS is a key element of Switzerland’s priority promotion of sustainable peace in the UN Security Council.
About the Inside Out Project: Founded by award-winning French artist JR in 2011, Inside Out is an art project that helps communities around the world stand up for what they believe in and spark global change locally. Over the past decade, over 500,000 people spanning 152 countries and territories have participated in the Inside Out Project.
Media contacts:
UN Women Geneva - Vera Rios: vera.rios@unwomen.org
United Nations New York - Camilla Stamp: camilla.stamp@un.org and Sophie Boudre: boudre@un.org
Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office at Geneva - Frédéric Ballenegger frederic.ballenegger@eda.admin.ch
Download the ‘Peace Begins with Her’ digital assets here