TWO public demonstrations are being held at Hastings this week.
On Wednesday – White Ribbon Day – a march will be held as part of the national campaign to stop violence by men against women.
The organisation White Ribbon Australia works to “change attitudes and behaviours that lead to and perpetuate men’s violence against women by engaging and enabling boys and men to lead social change”.
As well as marches and meetings like those at Hastings tomorrow, the campaign raises awareness with youth, schools, work places and across the broader community.
The “Western Port takes a stand” White Ribbon Day march will leave the car park near the Post Office in Victoria St at 11am. It will be followed by a meeting and free barbecue at Hastings Hall. In High St.
On Sunday, a rally to persuade the federal government to increase its renewable energy target to 100 per cent will be held on Hastings foreshore.
Organisers want participants to bring beach towels so that a message visible from the air – 100% RET – can be displayed on the foreshore.
The demonstration is being held under the banner of Avaaz, an international organisation devoted to enabling people to influence “pressing global, regional and national issues, from corruption and poverty to conflict and climate change”.
Launched in 2007, Avaaz says it has a “simple democratic mission: organise citizens of all nations to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want”.
“Our model of internet organising allows thousands of individual efforts, however small, to be rapidly combined into a powerful collective force,” the organisation’s website says.
It states that its name Avaaz, means “voice” in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages.
Participants in the climate action “gathering” should meet on the foreshore at the end of High St, Hastings, at 10am.
For details call Rupert Steiner, 0429 832 252.
First published in the Western Port News – 24 November 2015
