This Valentine’s Day will be a day like no other.
On the 14th of February 2013, the world will see a global uprising of love and hope on a scale that has never before taken place on this planet. An event that’s goal is to shake the consciousness of humanity so intensely that, if it existed, it would measure off the charts on the World Awareness Scale, while rocking the Richter to its core.
It’s called One Billion Rising and it’s a global call to action to end the plague of violence against women and girls.
A recent UN statistic bears repeating: “One in three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime”. That’s one billion women. It simply cannot continue.
And so tomorrow millions of women, and the men who love them, will rise up and dance together. From Bacavu in the DRC to the San Francisco Bay, from London to Londolozi groups will form and use the movements of their bodies as instruments of protest. At Londolozi we will be ready to add our voice and dance moves to this exceptional and ground shaking protest.
For a long time we have watched the peace surrounding the matriarchal herds of elephant and been aware of the power of the ancient feminine. We have seen the matriarch guide her herd with clarity and we have seen her fierce courage in the face of danger. The elephants have been our inspiration and our teachers. We have been into the villages and seen that the structures for positive change are being built around matriarchs. Women are the spine of Africa, but they are also Africa’s heart………and Africa’s heart is huge.
When we rise tomorrow, along with thousands of people around the world, it is with the knowledge and belief that the time of the matriarchs has arrived. It is the firm, compassionate and brave energy of the sacred feminine that will lead us into the new consciousness and a better world. Women and girls around the world must be set free of the chains of violence so that they can guide us into a new future.
So tomorrow we dance! We sweat into the earth. We shake the tectonic plates with the force of our conviction and we hold a safe space for each other. Men and women together, moving to make a world we can be proud of and where our sacred matriachs can lead us home.
Tomorrow find someone you love, or even have a solo dance in your kitchen. But, whatever you do, be a part of One Billion Rising. What could be a more important act of love!
Written by: Boyd Varty
Filmed & Produced by: Rich Laburn
This is unbelievable…. Well Done Team and incredibly well written!!
SO proud! well done all!!
Congratulations Team Londolozi. This is amazing! We behind you all the way!
Anderson Expeditions 🙂
Wow amazing!
we will rise under our Digital Tree – love all at Good Work Foundation
Dancing with you in love and solidarity from the Central Coast of California! Thank you Boyd Varty, Rich Laburn, and Team Londolozi!!
awesome…collective energy…we’ll be right alongside everyone
Truly inspirational guys….you always come out top!
LOVE THIS!!!!! 🙂 Now I am going to share it with my Facebook friends so they can DANCE TOO!!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you ALL!!
Fantastic! I feel overwhelmed and I inspired! I will share with everyone! Thank you for an incredible story and video!
Happy Valentines Day to one and all – may your days be full of love and always rock to the rhythm of life.
(Nice to see some of the men dancing at the back!!!)
Beautifully written, Boyd! I will dance tomorrow, and will hold space in my heart for the matriarchs, current and future, who will save the world.
AMAZING!!!!!
We are doing this too in our Body and Soul Fitness group tomorrow morning! Awesome to be part of this huge prayer for change.
I write for all the female mammals–thank you. We will survive!
And so we dance
Here’s to our fabulous Eve Ensler & dear friend and client Pat Mitchell!
Two women that rock the world and creators of One Billion Women Rising!
Wait a minute…in all these responses, where are the men’s voices? This isn’t exclusive people…rise up, enjoy, DANCE. Yes, you are invited!!! 🙂
And INCLUDED!!!!
Great video.Who was the singer ,she was sensational.
Hi Scott,
The song was Written and produced by Tena Clark. All the artists are from the cast of V-Girl activists and New York-based singers: Liz Byrne, Shelea Frazier, Ashley Juedy, Dana Kluczyk, Jenny Mollett, Jenna Brooke Scannelli, Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa, Naomi Walley, and Caitlin Witty.
Thanks,
Kate Neill
Dancing the hula in Hawai’i.
Can you all join me in an AMEN! Rising up! Thanks Boyd and all at Londo!
What an inspirational message! You rock Londolozi Team!
Congratulations! Awesome! We need more of this from all corners of the world. So nice to see the staff at my favorite camp in So. Africa taking on a monumental issue in such a wonderful way. Thank you.
This is beautifully written Boyd, Well done. I shall definitely dance today in celebration of all the Matriarchs of today and the future. Well done to the Londolozi team.
……rising in Grahamstown…
So moving and beautifully written.
Mata Hari is quoted as saying: “dance is a poem of which each movement is a word” …. Today a billion speak together. How fantastic!
So emotional just watching this……… One Billion Rising….. Let’s all do it today
Going to forward this e-mail to everybody in my contact list!!! We will all dance with you!!! Big thanks and big hugs to all of you at Londolozi!!
BRILLIANT…….! Very inspirational, well done Londoze!
Terrific!.. We’re dancing in Los Angeles.
A really wonderful video.
So commendable – your work, beyond wildlife conservation, is noticed & appreciated.
Just amazing… song and dance!!! Will spread the word…
Awesome, will dance all day !!
Feeling so inspired by the Londolozi team this morning. This is beautiful. Thank you x
Amazing to see 1 Billion Rising danced in the middle of the African Bushveld and especially the footage of the matriach elephants. Inspirational ! Love the written text too.
Excellent work Boyd and Rich. To all of the participants from Londolozi well done with the creation of this powerfull message. May your effort bear fruit to the power of “Billion”.
Long may the dance continue…
Well done and congratulations! Together we can dance -and rise up!
Well done Londolozi, SO proud!!
So beautifully written Boyd, will be with you in Spirit and be Dancing with you in support
Love T
XX
An uplifting respite from editing a report on gender-based violence. Thank you and keep dancing!
Bravo!! Beautiful. Dancing in London!
We love what you do! What is happening in this country is beyond appalling. Rising and dancing on the Cape West Coast.
Wow, Londolozi never fails to impress…………you all rock and Boyd you are a superstar. What you guys do always brings a tear to my eye. Londolozi is my special place and space and I love you all.x x
Incredible and when you are all so busy. Awesome!
Beautiful, beautiful! Yes, we can all be one, it’s time to come together now x
Well done Londolozi
Beautiful, I have watch your video several times with friends and family, and I can’t get enough. Thank you very much.
celebrate! dance! move ! in a new direction the time is now!!!
We continue to be inspired …….this is great thank you
love the video love the song committed to the campaign
yes
Love it!!!
What a surprise! A fantastic presentation to start my day1 Thank you for the message and the sharing.
Congratulations to all of you.
The music and dance routine is exhilirating!!!
Wonderful! Many thanks for your contribution to a better world.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ah, I always enjoy getting another communication from Londolozi. Only problem is, that it makes
me wish I was there again at this very moment. Lovely to see everyone having such a good time for a good cause!
Michael Howard
London
I have lovely memories of my stays in Londolozi and I was pleased with all the good work that was being done to save the animals in this preserve. This is another lovely mission. I’m impressed! Thank you and Happy Valentine’s Day.
We will forever remember the most wonderful weekend we had at Londolozi, where nothing was too much trouble, and we fully support this fantastic idea, for Valentine’s Day.
Thanks!!! I loved it!!! Still missing the people and the animals from Londolozi!!! Had to miss my big love today due to a business trip… But this movie made my day!!!! :-)))
What a fantastic message to the world. Thank you for the inspiration.
Violence against women should surely be stopped.
Love this! it should be an annual event worldwide on Valentines Day!
I did my dancing!
Thank you
We are with you and will dance!
Beautiful and inspirational- I am going to send this to everyone I know! Thank you Londolozi for being part of this.
What a brilliant, powerful, and heartfelt message! I’ve worked with 3female elephants for 3 yrs., at a Zoo! I have also stayed @ the magnificent Londolozi Lodge. Who would have thought, on Valentines Day, I would watch this incredible video! To pass a message on asking the world, people, to wake up to the consciousness , love and giving, from the females everywhere, and to stop the abuse ! Here’s to One Billion Rising….what a movement!
Beautiful!
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin…”
You are amazing. Lets keep dancing…..
FABULOUS! I love it! Thanks for sharing. Thanks for the compassion and the energy to go with that.
Thanks – that is really inspiring and made me really homesick……….
respect your mother and someone els,s daughter and you will be blessed a billion times
I had to dance!!!! I was so moved by the energy and the love for women and girls. Yes Yes Yes!!! We must strike, rise and dance for all women for we are God’s most loving creation Thank you my African Sistahs!!!
On Valentine’s Day, I danced with many of my Nia dance buddies at the One Billion Rising event in front of San Francisco City Hall. I danced for my daughter. I danced for all the daughters of the world. I danced for the Londolozi elephant matriarchs and their young. Reading your post and watching the video, I felt the spirit of the elephants inspiring and supporting my dance. Thanks, Boyd!
One family and one community at a time. We will make these changes at a global level one new behavior and new idea at a time. As a global community we are what we believe, but what we believe can change!
Empower women and there will be less violence in the world.
Mankind needs to start thinking about change. !!