Photo by Lynsey Addario

Congo/Women Portraits of War: The Democratic Republic of Congo
Thursday, March 5

Rayburn House Office Building
Rayburn Foyer, Washington, DC

12-5pm: Exhibition on view
Media Preview: 3:30pm - 5pm

5-7pm: Reception & Program
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
To RSVP call (202) 326-8700

Co-Hosts: Representative Carolyn Maloney
Representative Betty McCollum
Representative Donald Payne
Representative Jan Schakowsky

Speakers:

John Prendergast,Co-chair of the Enough Project, an Africa policy expert, activist, and author who has participated in numerous peace processes in Africa

Stephen Lewis, Co-Director, AIDS-Free World ,and Former U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa

Dr. Roger Luhiriri, Physician, Panzi Hospital, DRC

Sylvie Maunga MbangaHuman Rights Lawyer, and Former Program Coordinator, Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation,

DRC Rep. Jan Schakowsky(Invited speaker) U.S. Representative, 9th District, Illinois

Congo/Women Portraits of War: The Democratic Republic of Congo is an international photography exhibition and educational campaign that raises awareness of the widespread sexual violence facing women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The exhibition features powerful life-size photographs by Lynsey Addario, Marcus Bleasdale, Ron Haviv, and James Nachtwey that convey the strength and courage of Congolese women. Accompanying essays contextualize the impact of the crisis from a range of perspectives. An advocacy partnership with the Enough Project's Raise Hope for Congo campaign provides tools to demand action and involvement from the global citizenry. Over the next two years, the project will tour selected venues throughout North America, Europe and Africa, visiting universities and community centers to build awareness among as wide an audience as possible.

Throughout the tour at each exhibition venue, local advocacy organizations working on gender-based violence will be engaged as collaborators to contextualize this issue locally as well as internationally. Produced by: Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media, Columbia College Chicago, and Art Works Projects.

Major Funding by: Humanity United and UNFPA