Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany [Elì Diez, Cd EUDNews]. Sunday, September 7, third day of the Adventist International Women's Congress, was the worldwide campaign for "Enditnow - Say NO to Violence against Women". It was an awareness campaign to end violence against women and girls by Seventh-day Adventists and ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), established in over 200 countries. This includes victims of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation).
To raise this project awareness, there were more activities throughout the day - with an informative evening at the Convention Center as a final highlight.
It began with a symbolic group picture: With yellow towels in hand, the Congress participants formed a 40-meter-wide poster with the letters, ENDITNOW. Unfortunately, there was no drone to hold the words in mid-air.
Since the congress center "Schönblick" is located right on the property of the State Garden Show, it drew attention and pointed the Sunday visitors to "Enditnow": with various billboards and balloons for children, with drama production below the observation tower and a charity concert with the Liron Gospel Choir on the Sparkasse Stage. The drama production startled some of the spectators (out of the blue a man comes screaming and running after two women threatening them; immediately a protective wall of women builds around the victim so that the attacker has to give up) but the "actresses" directed the attention of the frightened audience to a large banner which provided information on the issue.
In the early evening the Liron Gospel Choir and Band, held a charity concert for "Enditnow" under the motto "A Tribute to Gospel". The covered square in front of the Sparkasse Stage (able to accommodate up to 1,000 people) was jam-packed, as the inter-denominational choir performed an exciting mix of funky gospel and contemplative gospel pop songs. Posters on right and left of the stage and on the T-shirts of the singers, and band members, all promoted "Enditnow".
The final event of the day at the "Schönblick" Convention Centre were two special women on stage: Doctor Cornelia Strunz and Evelyn Brenda, from Kenya. Dr. Cornelia Strunz, surgery specialist, is the medical coordinator of the Centre for bowel and pelvic floor surgery in the "Desert Flower Center", Waldfriede in Berlin.
With constantprofessional info and images they provided information about medical and psycho-social consequences of female genital mutilation, as well as counseling and treatment options available at the "Desert Flower Center" in Berlin since September 11, 2013. (Waris Dirie, well-known for her book and movie "Desert Flower" also model and founder of the "Desert Flower Foundation", was unfortunately unable to attend for health reasons). Evelyn Brenda, also English interpreter for Dr. Strunz, advertised for this weekend event on various seminars she holds throughout Germany. She also manages three centers in Kenya, caring for victims of female genital mutilation.
