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press releases
Liz Claiborne and Marie Claire Magazine Unite to Launch the "No More Tour"
National Bus Tour, College Events and Film Festival Put Spotlight
NEW YORK, NY - (September 30, 2003) - Liz Claiborne Inc. and Marie Claire are going on the road with their shared vision of ending violence against women. In October, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the apparel company and women's magazine will launch the "No More Tour", a national bus tour and film festival with a simple objective: to educate the public and stimulate a dialogue about violence against women in our society.
The "No More Tour" will kick off in New York City on October 1, 2003, and begin a coast-to-coast, awareness-raising journey. In four cities, Liz Claiborne and Marie Claire will sponsor an event at a local university with speakers, entertainment, and a film festival showcasing winning films from their "Stop the Violence" short film contest. The student film contest was created to encourage an exchange of ideas on the issue of violence against women, and demonstrate the influence that art can have on societal problems. Cities and schools in the "No More Tour" itinerary include:
"Collaboration is crucial to making a difference on social issues, and a powerful partnership like ours with Marie Claire communicates the urgent need to end violence against women to an even broader audience," says Jane Randel, vice president of corporate communications at Liz Claiborne and director of the company's 12-year anti-abuse campaign. "We hope that our united voices will inspire the people we reach—both men and women—to work together to create a society intolerant of abuse."
Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Lesley Jane Seymour comments, "This bus tour is a dream come true for me, because of the real difference we can make. Liz Claiborne is a perfect partner, because they have long been on the forefront of addressing violence against women." She goes on to say, "We not only have a similar commitment, but a powerful medium for our voice."
On the Road: Delivering the Message
In each of the four cities, the "No More Tour" bus will make several local community stops, distributing fact sheets on violence against women, specially designed Liz Claiborne bandannas symbolizing the mission of the tour, and invitations to attend the campus event.
The events will include a screening of the winning films, a performance by local or national musicians, and a discussion of the films led by Rosalind Wiseman, a dynamic expert on empowering youth to end violence, and author of the best-selling book, "Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence."
"Education and communication are vital in preventing violence in relationships and in society," says Wiseman, author of the aforementioned book and co-founder of the Empower Program, a non-profit organization that empowers youth to stop the culture of violence. "By bringing together film, music, and community to spark a dialogue on violence against women, the 'No More Tour' offers the opportunity to share opinions, see a new perspective, and openly discuss ways we can make a difference on the issue."
Polaroid, a company at the forefront of educating law enforcement and healthcare professionals on domestic violence photo documentation, will donate Polaroid ONE instant cameras and film to help document the faces and places of the "No More Tour". At each college event, the cameras will be used to take photos of attendees' hands in the shape of hearts to symbolize their pledge to end violence against women.
In select tour cities, Polaroid has also invited industry experts to host free seminars for law enforcement officials, victim's advocates and district attorneys/prosecutors on topics including criminal investigation-scene documentation, evidence analysis, and the preparation of courtroom presentations.
On the strength of the tour's objective, Seymour adds, "By the time the tour reaches Los Angeles, we anticipate the 'No More…' message will have impacted and inspired communities across the country."
About Liz Claiborne's Women's Work Program
Since 1991, Liz Claiborne Inc. has been addressing the issue of domestic violence through a comprehensive education and awareness campaign. Efforts have included billboards, television and radio announcements, posters, brochures, campus workshops, and partnerships with local retailers and community groups. Each year, the program strives to reach different audiences with focused anti-abuse messages. Initiatives have been aimed at parents, teens, women, men, college students and corporate America. To learn more about Liz Claiborne's campaign to create a society intolerant of abuse, visit www.lizclaiborne.com/loveisnotabuse.
About Marie Claire
Hearst Magazines is a unit of The Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com), and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 18 U.S. titles and 131 international editions. Hearst's magazines are read by more U.S. adult women than any other monthly magazine publisher. The company also publishes 18 magazines in the United Kingdom through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited.
About Polaroid
Polaroid Corporation is the worldwide leader in instant photography. The company supplies instant photographic cameras and films, digital imaging hardware, software and media, identification systems, and sunglasses to markets worldwide. Additional information about Polaroid is available on the company's web site at www.polaroid.com. To learn more about Polaroid's work on domestic violence photo documentation, visit www.polaroid.com/dv.
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