Today, November 28, 2018, together with the 10th grade from the Bilingv High School “Miguel de Cervantes” in Bucharest, we organized an event aimed at raising awareness about the phenomenon of domestic violence. The event took place during the 16 days of activism and represented the staging of Mirabal sisters’ life, killed on November 25th, 1960 at the command of the dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo against whom the three sisters militated. They remained known in the Dominican Republic as “the butterflies” for the whole courage with which they led the resistance movement and gave their lives for democracy and freedom.

Their courage, their refusal to close their eyes to the abuses in their country or to give up, and their firm efforts to organize against Trujillo were all integrated into the events that eventually led to Trujillo’s fall. The Mirabal sisters, now generally known as “Mariposas,” have come to be recognized as heroines in the Dominican Republic.

The country shows its appreciation and respect for them and also through the fact that every Dominican city has a commemorative statue, a school or a main street that bears their name. In addition, women have become symbols of women and human rights worldwide.

Every year, November 25th, the anniversary of the killing of the Mirabal sisters, is recognized as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and is also the beginning of the 16 days of activism against gender violence culminating in the Human Rights Day on December 10th.

We thank Bilgins High School “Miguel de Cervantes” for the entire collaboration, the a X-a B class through Ana, Iassim, Catalina, Maria, Cristian, Clarice, Ramona, Ana-Maria, Teodora, Elena, Irina, Sandra, Nicoleta and Darius the 11th grade, which had a rough role playing the dictator Trujillo. We thank everyone for your involvement in learning your roles in a story about courage and change! You were wonderful!

We would like to thank Camelia Rădulescu for the hosting us and being so opened to organizing such events. Surely we will continue to work together.

Last but not least, we thank our volunteers: Adelina, Mihaela, Miruna and Augustin without whom this event would not have been possible.