窪蹋厙惇勛圖

窪蹋厙惇勛圖

100 days blog: #BringBackOurGirls vigils held around the world

窪蹋厙惇勛圖

Today is the 100th day since the Nigerian schoolgirls from Chibok were kidnapped by Boko Haram. Vigils are taking place around the world today and tomorrow and we will be covering the events as they happen in words, pictures and social media, updating this blog regularly.

Supporters will light candles and stand in solidarity in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. The Bring Back Our Girls group will play a leading role, with events organised in the Nigerian capital Abuja. Marches will be held across the country and prayers will be said in churches and mosques.

As well as Nigeria, events are being held on July 23 and 24 in other countries including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Togo, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Portugal.泭

You can also:

Sign a new online petition by A World at School using the form on this page which will call for the safe return of the girls and which will be presented to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. You can also leave a message of support along with the petition and these will be passed to Chibok community leaders and families of the girls.

Read we have received already. Be inspired by some . Get more updates on A World at Schools and pages.

UN SPECIAL ENVOYS MESSAGE

Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, talks to Yahoos Katie Couric about why the vigils are vital. He says:泭We must show, in the international community, 100 days after theyve been taken into captivity, we will not forget We will keep the torch for these girls alive and lit so that the whole world knows that we must do everything in our power to rescue them. .

BAN KI-MOON: IM WITH YOU

The UN Secretary-General released a statement last night. It read: I stand in solidarity with all those taking part in vigils today to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten the girls who were so cruelly abducted from their school 100 days ago in Chibok, Nigeria.泭I repeat my call for their immediate release and for an end to discrimination, intimidation and violence against girls whose only wish is to gain an education.

FAMILIES MEET PRESIDENT

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Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met families of the missing girls, members of the Chibok community and some of the girls who escaped from Boko Haram. Hadiza Usman of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign said: The community appreciated the visit and the president reassured them of the ongoing rescue operation. We are having a 100 days sit -out on July 23 at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

SIGNS OF SUPPORT

A sitout was held at Odogbolu in Nigerias Ogun state. Damola Morenikeji, an A World at School Global Youth Ambassador, said: Our thoughts, voices and prayers were focused on the abducted girls, with calls to Bring Back Our Girls and make our schools safer.

BRIDGE RALLY IN VANCOUVER

The Canadian city hosted a #BringBackOurGirls vigil at Burrard Bridge.

PAKISTAN LIGHTS CANDLES

In Pakistan, a 100 Days candlelight vigil was held outside the Lahore Press Club. The (GODH), 泭(ITA), Beydaari (a youth-led initiative) and Child Right Movement all took part and a letter of support was sent to the ambassador for Nigeria in Islamabad.

Another candlelight vigil was held in the DG Khan district of Punjab.泭Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagah was also involved in this event, along with civil society organisations. ITA district manager Rafiq Ahmad said the Nigerian girls were being denied their education as were 11% of girls in Pakistan.

THE VOICES OF AMERICA

A vigil was held at Holmby Park in Los Angeles. Children, teenagers and adults took turns to demand #BringBackOurGirls by reading out their names. You can listen to some of them here.

WALK FREE AROUND THE WORLD

, the organisation that works to end slavery, encouraged people organising vigils to change their Facebook and Twitter profile page pictures and use the hashtags #100Days and #BringBackOurGirls. It also asked for photos to be submitted to here are a couple of them.

The one below is from Maged in Yemen.

This one is from Marina in New Zealand.

100 days vigil Chibok girls New Zealand

And this one is from Saeed in India.

STEPPING UP FOR CHIBOK GIRLS

A 100 days vigil was held on the steps of Hackney Town Hall in London. The picture below appears on the Instagram and Twitter accounts of , who is a UNICEF UK Chidrens Championl.

LAGOS HEARS THE MESSAGE

Ola Bisoye Dosonmu, a journalist and producer with Nigerias Arise News, of a vigil in Lagos. She wrote: All we are saying is #BringBackOurGirls 100 days and still counting.

Nigerian TV channel TV360 ran a lengthy report on the Lagos vigil, which you can watch in the video player below.

OUR YOUTH AMBASSADORS IN NY

Some of A World at Schools took part in a vigil in New York City.

And this tweet of thanks for those who protested in New York

ABUJA REMEMBERS IN RED

Nigerian Federal Minister of Education Obiageli Ezekwesili attends a rally in the Nigerian capital Abuja on the 100th day since the girls were taken.

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INDIAN CHILDREN ON MARCH

Children from a long-term rehabiliation centre for rescued child labourers near Jaipur, India held a candlelight vigil. Bal Ashram is run by , a partner of in India. The children marched from the centre to a nearby village, where they joined locals and Taiwanese volunteers from the Eden Foundation.

Global March Against Child Labour also submitted an appeal to the Nigerian High Commission in New Delhi.

CELEBRITIES LEND THEIR SUPPORT

TV talent show judge Sharon Osbourne has tweeted a link to this very blog. Sharon has appeared on Americas Got Talent and both the US and UK version of The X Factor.

American business magnate Russell Simmons founder of the hip-hop music label Def Jam and fashion clothing lines also tweeted his support.

The泭Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media also asked its Twitter followers to sign A World at Schools petition and send messages of support.

Actor and writer Rainn Wilson, who starred in the US version of TV comedy The Office and founded the non-profit organisation , also urged his Twitter followers to hold a vigil or send a message of support.

ARTWORK TRIBUTE

Artist has created this installation titled Chibok100 with help from volunteers from the Rosebud Centre for Girls. Its on show today in Loughton, Essex, England.

TAKE A BOW, BRADFORD泭

The Bradford Women for Peace Network in West Yorkshire, England, held a vigil today. Its poster proclaimed: Wear red. Bring a book. A pencil. Artwork. Poems. Songs for a peaceful vigil. Raise your books for EDUCATION FOR ALL!

NEWSMAKERS JOIN IN TOO

Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the UKs Labour Party, has tweeted this message today.

CNN presenter Isha Sesay is also a member of the . She tweeted today about the 100 days.

And CNN tweeted this fantastic artwork.

BBOG S MESSAGE TO THE GIRLS

The , which has 227,000 likes, has this message today for the abducted girls:

YOU CAN HOLD A MINI VIGIL

Its great to be part of a crowd who are gathering to make their voices heard. But you can always hold your own vigil in your home, car, anywhere!

Karen Wespeiser of the National Foundation For Educational Research tweeted this picture:

KAREN WESPEISER vigil for Chibok girls

And this sign was spotted on a car in London.

This office worker spotted a small vigil taking place on the streets of the Brazlian capital Brasilia.

吏R TAKE TO THE SPORTS FIELD

A #BringBackOur Girls 100 Days football match was held yesterday in the Nigerian capital Abuja. Dream Girls Women beat Airtel Girls FC 1-0 but the result didnt matter as organiser Aderonke Ogunleye said: It has been 100 days of wailing and crying in the household of these girls. We are begging the insurgents to please let our girls go back home to their parents. Partners in the event were Nigerian Red Cross, UN Women and Airtel.

吏R HOLD A VIGIL AT SCHOOL

Girls at Gumley House Convent School in Isleworth, England. today: @GumleyHouse girls in solidarity #100Days on. We say #BringBackOur Girls.

WHAT NON-PROFITS ARE SAYING

Our friends at are marking the 100 days on its website and social media channels. Plan Global Advocacy Manager Emily Laurie has written a blog which reflects on the 100 days of campaigning since the girls were taken. .

, a campaign of the , tweeted:

, which seeks to end the oppression of girls and women, tweeted this:

AND AN OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT EXPERT

For all its moral depravity Boko Haram understands the power of education. There is a reason the group attacks school children, assassinates teachers and destroys schools. These words come from a thought-provoking blog written by Kevin Watkins, director of the , and . Last year Kevin wrote a report, commissioned by A World at School, on the plight of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.

INVITATIONS BY TWITTER