The first ever world symposium on Men and boys started this evening in Rio de Janeiro. Lots of dignitaries; with representation from UNAIDS, UNIFEM, White Ribbon, ProMUNdo, WHO, MenEngage and the UN Secretary general Moon.
It struck me as we were listening to these people and from looking around at all the representatives of NGO's that we were missing so many of those men and women who started working with men 30 years ago - particularly in North America. So many burned out or were "starved out" by the lack of funding or just gave up when it seemed like no one cared about their work and the men we worked with. I wonder what the founders of RAVEN, DAP, EMERGE, and people like Anne Ganley, Dale Trimble, David Currie, Jan Robson and Richard Stordeur would think about this gathering? I am here and I see that Steve Botkin and Rob Okun are here...
There is a wonderful photo display here of fathers with children of all ages. A similar photo gallery of the pioneers in male violence work would have been a nice touch.
