07 December 2015 - The Philippine Embassy in Ankara held a back-to-back launching of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) and celebrated the 152nd Birth Anniversary of Andres Bonifacio on November 22 at the Chancery. More than 100 members of the Filipino community in Ankara, including Embassy personnel and their dependents, attended the event.
In her opening remarks, the Embassy’s Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Person Ericka Anna Abad emphasized that all the participants in the event are stakeholders in the issue of VAW, thus, everyone, in their own way, can contribute to the fight against VAW. She then noted that the launch of the End VAW Campaign and the celebration of the birthday of Andres Bonifacio highlight two very important struggles: the struggle for Philippine independence and the struggle to free the world from VAW. The fact that Bonifacio himself had a very loving relationship with Gregoria de Jesus, his wife, and also fought for freedom of kababaihang Pilipino was also emphasized.
The program included the showing of video clips that 1) explained what VAW is; 2) discussed how stakeholders can contribute in eliminating VAW; and 3) encouraged men to join the campaign against VAW. In support of the Philippine Commission on Women's (PCW) ORANGE YOUR ICON for 18 Days Campaign, the participants, who wore orange-colored clothes, had their group photo in front of the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal at the Embassy Chancery garden. Dr. Rizal, was chosen as the End VAW icon because of the latter's progressive views and attitude towards women.
The Embassy also encouraged all of the participants to take their photos with the End VAW logo as backdrop, and to use these photos as either their profile photos or cover photos on Facebook and other social media for the duration of the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW. The Embassy also distributed utility bags printed with the slogan "End VAW Now" both in English and Turkish. Information brochures on VAW, and important emergency numbers to remember (i.e. anti-human trafficking and anti-domestic violence hotlines) were distributed to all the attendees.
As part of the program, the award-winning "Bonifacio, Ang Unang Pangulo," a 2014 Filipino film on Andres Bonifacio's life and leadership of the fight for Philippine independence was shown. The film was well-received and contributed to greater awareness of Philippine history among the audience members. Trivia quizzes were conducted on End-VAW and on Bonifacio’s life, with give-away prizes consisting of t-shirts and bags on the End-VAW theme. The Filipino community members in Ankara expressed their appreciation and stated that they were deeply inspired by the movie. "Inilarawan sa pelikula ang kagitingan ni Gat Andres Bonifacio sa pakikidigma at kanyang pagmamahal sa kapwa at sa bansa," said Ms. Cecilia Eguia. On the End VAW, the viewers stated: "Bilang maybahay, ina at kapatid, kailangan tayong mahalin at respetuhin ng ating mga kabiyak pati na ng ating mga kaanak," says Mrs. Mary Ann Basa. "Bilang OFW, tayo ang pinakamahina at madaling lapitan ng mga karahasan, pagsasamantala at pang-aabuso, kaya dapat lang na malaman natin ang ating mga karapatan upang maging maayos ang ating mga kalagayan," said Mrs. Cristeta Bernardo.
In his closing remarks, Philippine Consul General Robert O. Ferrer, Jr. encouraged male participants to join the Men Opposed to VAW Everywhere (MOVE), an organization of men who committed themselves to be actively involved in the elimination of VAW which PCW helped organize in 2006, and to register as a Turkey chapter of MOVE. END