One million stars project comes to Dundalk IT

Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) has welcomed the Amber Women’s Refuge One Million Stars LOVE installation to campus. 

This installation forms part of the RiVeR Project’s celebration of 10 years of education on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) within the Institute.

Brought to DkIT by the RiVeR Project and RESPECT at DkIT, The One Million Stars Ireland project is an award-winning, inclusive community arts initiative that connects communities across the country in solidarity against DSGBV.

Each eight-pointed star represents light, hope and unity, while also reflecting the project’s eight principles of healthy love within relationships. Recently, during DkIT’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, students and staff came together to weave stars in solidarity with survivors of domestic abuse and all forms of violence.

The One Million Stars initiative united students, staff and community partners on campus, with each star serving as a symbol of unity, compassion and a shared commitment to ending violence. The Stars created by DkIT students and staff during this event will now become part of the Installation as it spends time in the Institute.

This Irish project forms part of the global One Billion Stars movement, founded in Australia in 2012 by artist Maryann Talia Pau following the rape and murder of Irish woman Jill Meagher, originally from Drogheda, County Louth, who was living in Melbourne at the time. The initiative was brought to Ireland in 2019 by art therapist Siobhán McQuillan in partnership with Amber Women’s Refuge, the domestic abuse service supporting women and children in Kilkenny and Carlow.

Today, star-weaving communities exist all across Ireland. Together with community groups, businesses and individual volunteers, more than 512,000 stars have already been woven across the country in support of ending domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

 Speaking about the project, Kathleen Nallen, RiVeR Project Lead, said:

“We are thrilled to host Amber Refuge’s One Million Stars LOVE installation on campus, especially as we celebrate 10 years of DkIT’s commitment to education on domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence. It is truly inspiring to welcome such a creative symbol of compassion and purpose, as our community stands together in solidarity with victims-survivors around the world.”

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To mark ten years of DSGBV education in DkIT, the DkIT RiVeR Project third Annual Community of Practice Conference, will take place on Friday 23rd January on campus. The fully booked event will bring together over 200 people from a diverse range of organisations across Ireland, with the goal of strengthening education and support provision while further developing an All-Island community of practice for professionals working in the area of DSGBV.  It includes leading voices, advocates and graduates to reflect on ten years of progress in addressing DSGBV through accredited education and collaboration in DkIT.