A ‘One Million Stars’ Donegal exhibition has been launched to highlight the issue of domestic abuse.
The Donegal Volunteer Centre is behind the venture at the Regional Cultural Centre in Letterkenny which features installations of over ten thousand stars woven by volunteers.
Each star represents a message of hope, solidarity and resilience against violence. Through the collective efforts of volunteers, the exhibition aims to raise awareness and spark important conversations about healthy relationships and recognising abuse. The exhibition, which opened yesterday and runs to April 6th, was created in partnership with the Donegal Arts Service and the Regional Cultural Centre (RCC), with funding from Creative Ireland.
“We’re delighted to invite you to visit the One Million Stars Donegal exhibition, showcasing the incredible efforts of our volunteers,” said Roksana Oliinyk, Volunteer Support Officer, Donegal Volunteer Centre.
“The significance of the ‘One Million Stars’ Ireland Project extends far beyond its artistic expression. It catalyses social change, bringing together diverse groups in the pursuit of a common goal: to end violence and promote a culture of compassion and understanding.”
Throughout the project, Donegal Volunteer Centre organised 20 community weaving workshops across the county. These provided a platform for individuals to engage in discussions on healthy relationships and recognising abuse.
The ‘One Million Stars’ project was created in Australia and brought to Ireland by Amber Women’s Refuge from County Kilkenny. This project aims to weave One Million Stars in Ireland by 2032, contributing to the global world’s target of One Billion Stars. Commencing officially on December 10, 2019, the campaign has garnered support from 26 counties in Ireland. In 2023 alone, 45,764 stars were woven nationally, where almost 7,000 stars are from the Donegal Volunteer Centre. The cumulative count in Ireland is nearly 300,000 stars over the past four years.
For more information about the ‘One Million Stars’ Donegal exhibition and the work of Donegal Volunteer Centre, please visit www.donegalvolunteercentre.ie and www. onemillionstarsireland.ie
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