Webster Leiden Uses Art to Take Part in the 11th Annual One Billion Rising Campaign

Webster Leiden students pose with their artwork after the One Billion Rising Paint & Sip event.

Webster University Leiden recently participated in the 11th annual One Billion Rising campaign. The campaign is a global event founded by Eve Ensler to end rape and sexual violence against women. Webster Leiden has taken part in the campaign each year since its inception in 2013. 
 
One Billion Rising refers to the United Nations assertion that 1 in 3 women worldwide (roughly one billion of the world’s seven-billion-person population) will be sexually assaulted or beaten during their lifetime. The campaign brings together activists from across the globe every February to raise awareness and inspire progress in what it defines as “the biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history.” 

Over the past 10 years, Webster Leiden students joined with campaign participants across the world by dancing in their local city streets to promote awareness. This year was a little different – instead, the Leiden Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a One Billion Rising Paint and Sip event. A 15-minute video was shown about violence toward women and nonbinary persons. Then, participants created paintings inspired by the campaign. The finished paintings were hung around campus during the week, causing students and faculty to continue asking questions or talking about the event – spreading awareness further. 

“In the past, the SGA did not organize events associated with the One Billion Rising campaign, but this year we were asked to do it and with great pleasure, we accepted,” said Femke MacNair, SGA president at Webster Leiden. “We decided to try out a Paint & Sip instead of a flash mob this year. Without an art room, students don’t have many opportunities within the campus to express themselves with art. Paint & Sips have become quite popular across the world and we thought One Billion Rising would mesh well with painting. Not only were we right, but more students came than expected!” 

Event attendees sit in a classroom at Webster Leiden and paint during the event.

Kelly Du Plessis, an event attendee, shared her feelings after participating in the Paint & Sip.  

“I never realized how valuable it is to hold a safe space for us all to come together and think and talk and just be. It was a gratifying, unifying experience that nurtured a sense of community.” 

Participants enjoyed the chance to raise awareness through painting.

Victoire Lucas, who helped organize the event, explained her takeaways from leading the One Billion Rising Paint & Sip. 

“We have not hosted many events where the reason behind it something is as powerful as fighting against violence towards women and nonbinary folk. Seeing the beautiful paintings–with some people chatting and others working in the zone–as a way to spread awareness and make non-participants ask questions and be curious, was both inspiring and a great way for our community to learn more about this important subject. It proves that Webster Leiden students have a desire to partake in more justice-oriented events in the future!”

A participant allows the first layer of paint on a canvas to dry while a palette of paint sits nearby.