This year, the Mirabal March was unlike any previous edition for us. For several years, we have taken part in this essential event against violence towards women. But for the first time, Solidarity With OTHERS had the opportunity to join the organizing team, a responsibility that was both demanding and profoundly meaningful for our association.

In the weeks leading up to the march, we facilitated and coordinated several preparation workshops: creating signs, reflecting on slogans, shaping key messages, and working on the visual and symbolic coherence of our block. These moments brought together the members and volunteers of our association, as well as young supporters, around a strong collective dynamic. They allowed each person to contribute in their own way to conveying a clear message: the fight against violence towards women requires continuous, visible, and determined mobilization.

Being involved this year in the coordination work offered us a deeper understanding of the immense effort required to ensure a safe, inclusive march that stays true to Mirabal’s values. Working alongside other grassroots organizations, attending meetings, contributing to decisions, and supporting the stewarding team gave us an even greater appreciation of the strength of Brussels’ associative fabric and the importance of inter-organizational solidarity.

As we marched, we carried with us not only the voices of women in Belgium, but of women everywhere, from Latin America to the Middle East, from Europe to South Asia. And among them, we did not forget the women of Turkey: those unjustly imprisoned, those facing systematic discrimination, those who remain unprotected in the face of femicides, and those whose rights are violated simply for speaking out. Their struggle is part of our struggle.

And as every year, but with a renewed intensity, we marched. Marched in memory of the victims. Marched for the survivors. Marched for those still fighting. Marched for a future where violence is no longer normalized, and where women’s rights are fully recognized and protected.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our volunteers, young supporters, and members who accompanied us. In the cold, through the fatigue of a long day, or after hours of preparation, you were there, present, committed, and supportive. As always, you did not leave us alone, and it is your presence that makes our work possible.

Solidarity with OTHERS is, above all, a community. A community that mobilizes, supports, refuses indifference, and believes in the power of collective action to create lasting change. Mirabal 2025 is yet another testament to that commitment.