| Description: | This exhibition "SMALL Actions BIG Movements" accompanies the 26th War Resisters International (WRI) International conference. It is co-hosted by Ceasefire Campaign of South Africa. The first such conference took place in Hoddesdon, England, 1925.
In these textiles the courageous, collective and creative responses of communities worldwide to the erosion and abuse of their human rights is a central theme. Here, women recount on cloth stories of disappearances, forced execution, torture, resistance, denouncement, displacement, forced exile, indigenous land struggles and the gradual transition to democracy. We are also brought face to face with the futility and the multi-layered destructive impact of modern warfare, far beyond the immediate conflict period and zone.
Overall, the multi-faceted, nonviolent resistance of communities threaded through this exhibition, in the face of violent persecution, is testimony to the powerful impact of individuals and small groups working together to effect change towards a society where warfare, whatever its nature and human rights abuse, is not tolerated.
Web links:
War Resisters International
PowerPoint presentation (in documents section below 'powerpoint - South Africa') showing glimpses into Small Actions Big Movements conference opening, exhibition, exhibition launch and arpilleras workshops.
Dedicated to the memory of Duduzile Hlabangane (known as 'Dudu'), from Zimbabwe.
Photos taken during the conference by Ying Betty Liang and Jan Van Criekinge.
PowerPoint compiled by Eva Gonzalez. |
