The Newark Kindergarten Parents Group, Sliema local council, Victim Support Malta and Barilla will join activists worldwide on Thursday at 10am at St Anne’s Square in Sliema for One Billion Rising, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

One Billion Rising began as a call for action based on the staggering statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at seven billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.

“When we started V-Day 14 years ago, we had the outrageous idea we could end violence against women,” said Tony Award-winning playwright, performer and activist Eve Ensler, who is also the author of The Vagina Monologues.

“Now, we are both stunned and thrilled to see that this global action is truly escalating and gaining force, with union workers, parliament members, celebrities and women of all backgrounds coming forward to join the campaign. When we come together on February 14 to demand an end to violence against women and girls, it will be a truly global voice that will rise up.”

To sign up and learn more, visit www.onebillionrising.org or www.vday.org.