As a local affiliate of the Massachusetts White Ribbon Day Campaign, Mayor Richard Kos will be hosting a Flag Raising on Wednesday March 1st at 9:00am outside of City Hall.

The tenth annual White Ribbon Day is a statewide campaign sponsored by Jan Doe Inc. Throughout the month, men across the state will show their support by encouraging other in their organizations, families and workplaces to wear a white ribbon, place a poster up at their workplaces, spread the word about the campaign and its aims, organize local events to speak out against violence towards women and all gender-based violence, and challenge attitudes and behaviors which condone or tolerate violence. The campaign takes its cue from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that speaks to hoe violence against women is a human rights violation and how these abuses around the world are obstacles to efforts for peace and gender equality in all societies.

"This campaign is both about preventing individual acts of violence and fostering a broader framework that promotes healthy relationships and promotes positive masculinity," said WRD Co-Chair J. Keith Motley, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

With support from this year's Presenting Sponsor Bank of America, Jane Doe Inc. is distributing 100 WRD flags to participating municipalities and schools.

"We must reimagine manhood if we are to be successful in our commitment to rooting out violence," said WRD Co-Chair Sheriff Peter Koutoujian of Middlesex County. "By standing up and taking the pledge, we are saying to the world that a man's strength is shown through his character and moral judgment, and never through the use of force and violence."

"By participating in the Raise a Flag to Raise Awareness initiative, the men and boys of Chicopee will show they do not tolerate or condone men's violence towards anyone," stated Mayor Kos.

Chicopee welcomes all to attend the ceremony and for those men in attendance to take the pledge against women's violence.

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