'Equal love': Odisha's sand artist creates artwork to mark International Women's Day

On the occasion of International Women's day, internationally acclaimed sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo marked the day with a stunning creation at Golden beach in Puri, Odisha. According to a local media report, the sand art is 15 feet wide and to create the art piece approximately 15 tonnes of sand was used. The art also displays a message that read, 'Let's share equal love and respect'. 

Sahoo sculpted the pictures of women from different communities and religion in his sand art. While speaking to the media outlet, Sahoo said that he wanted to convey support to the concept of gender equality with his art piece. He further added that women, being the major part of the population, should also have equal rights, get equal opportunities and deserve equal respect and love in the society and thorough the sand art.

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'Change can happen through collective activism'

The International Women's Day is observed every year on March 8 in a bid to celebrate the women's movement and struggle for equality. This year the day is celebrated in the wake of the 25th anniversary of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which is termed by the UN Women as the 'most visionary agenda for women's right and empowerment everywhere'. According to the UN Women, the theme for this year is 'I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights'. 

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The International Women's Day further endorses the need and necessity to knowledge every woman in every aspect of life, be it in the household or in the public domain. UN Women, with their Generation Equality campaign, is also bringing together people of every gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion and country to drive actions that will create the gender-equal world. The organisation also aims to mobilize to end gender-based violence.

A statement on the official website of UN Women read, “From the Liberian women’s sex strike paving the way for peace to the Icelandic “Women’s Day Off” demanding economic equality to the global impact of the #MeToo movement, history has taught us that change can happen through collective activism”.

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