CHENNAI: For most people,
sleep is a way to relax. But, on December 16, women in several cities across India will head to the nearest public park to 'sleep' as a form of protest.
December 16, 2017, marks five years since the
gang-rape of Nirbhaya. According to a press release by Bengaluru-based Blank Noise, a community/public art project that seeks to confront street harassment, the 'Meet to Sleep' event will be held to mark the day.
The idea behind the initiative is to convey the message that women have the right to be safe, even when they are defenceless. So citizens will take a nap in their nearest public park, or assemble to sleep in large groups. "You can sleep alone. Or together," according to Blank Noise's website. It says sleep is protest.
Through this action, women assert the right to live free from fear, warnings and blame. 'Meet to Sleep' is for the right to live defenceless, even trusting and to create a new reality, through collective action because collective action is powerful in building new collective memory.
Blank Noise consists of a community of action heroes and more than 100 of them will participate in the protest in cities like Bengaluru, Baroda, Kohima, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Jaipur, Pune and Panjim. It will also be held in San Francisco in the US.
Blank Noise has partnered with Sangat and Kamla Bhasin, and organisations such as Jagori, Breakthrough, Hidden Pockets, and Global Concerns India. Students from colleges, including National Law University, Jodhpur; Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology, Bengaluru and National Law School, Bengaluru, will participate in the event.
'Meet to Sleep' will be held between noon and 4pm on December 16.
