On the 4th of April public reading of the play "Seven” took place at the main stage of the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater in Minsk. The reading was done within UNFPA campaign in Belarus against gender-based violence. Belarusian celebrities had been invited to read the play.
The performance was organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Belaru together with the partners: Embassy of Sweden in Belarus, Swedish Institute (Stockholm), "Hedda Produktion AB" company.
The play "Seven" is seven monologues of women from different cultures who have overcome serious obstacles on the way to justice, freedom, and equality.
The play "Seven" was written by Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Anna Deavere Smith and Susan Yankowitz.
The performance was intended to draw public attention to the problem of domestic violence and to initiate public discussion on this issue.
According to the research conducted by UNFPA in 2014 one in three women has been exposed to domestic violence in Belarus. In 86.2% of cases violence is performed by men. 77 % of men and women in Belarus have faced one or another form of domestic violence at least once in their life. Only 29.2% of women report cases of domestic violence, which is largely derived from the high level of public tolerance to domestic violence.
Belarus became one of the 30 countries, where the play has been shown. The reading was done in Russian and Belarusian languages. Theater producer Ivan Pinigin directed the performance.
Project “Seven on Tour” involved over 100 organizations, government agencies at the local, national and regional level. More than 25,000 people have seen the play "Seven", 150 performances have been directed, over 600 women and men have read the roles of seven courageous women around the world. Among them: Vladimir Pozner, Meryl Streep, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, as well as high-ranking generals of NATO, Swedish parliamentarians, Members of the European Parliament from 7 countries, and other important persons.
The celebrity ensemble in Belarus included businessman, founder of TUT.BY portal Yuriy Zisser; multiple world champion, world champion among professionals, Belarus' Honoured Master of Sport in thai box, Belarus champion in muay thai box 2016, singer of the punk band Brutto Vital Hurkou; TV host Anna bond ; UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador in Belarus, TV host Svetlana Borovskaya; singer, leader of "Shuma" music project Rusia (Maryna Shukiurava); Belarusian freestyler, Olympic champion of the Winter Games 2014 in Sochi, the owner of big and small crystal globes Anton Kushnir; Ambassador of Sweden to Belarus Martin Oberg.
The redaing was attended by the producer of the play "Seven" Swedish actress, writer, and consultant Hedda Krausz Sjögren.
The public reading was opened by Mr. Caspar Peek the UNFPA Representative in Ukraine, UNFPA Country Director for Belarus.
Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater also hosted UNFPA in Belarus photo exhibition composed of 13 photos 1200x1000 with famous athletes, musicians, TV hosts, politicians and diplomats giving quotes against gender-based violence.
