Mumbai Marathon 2018 – Dream Run with Vaastav Foundation

Vaastav Foundation will participate in the Dream Run (6km walk) category of the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2018. Each year, the event is scheduled for the 3rd Sunday of January. This year that falls on i.e. 21st January 2018.

Event Details:
Date: 21st Jan 2018, Sunday
Start Time & Location: 6:30 am from CSMT.
Finish Time & Location: around 11 am.

The Cause: Raising The Banner For Men’s Rights.

History: Vaastav Foundation has been participating in Mumbai Marathon for many years in a row.

In 2016, activists from Vaastav Foundation had walked dressed in ATMs and ‘criminals’ depicting how men are either treated as a source of money (or valuable assets) or treated as criminals (blamed wrongly or accused falsely in criminal matters or simply branded unsuccessful, usually mocked down, often disrespected) if they aren’t able to live up to others’ expectations. This concern was well received by the media – both national and international.

In 2017, the participation of Vaastav Foundation in Mumbai Marathon was grander with participation in larger numbers and with much bigger prop of a snake which we referred to it as a ‘snake of misandry’ that gobbles up innocent men. The larger than life size snake had text of misused gender-discriminative criminal laws (namely anti-dowry laws, molestation, rape, section 377 of IPC and maintenance & alimony laws) on one side and the text of most concerning social & criminal issues faced by boys & men (viz. child-labour, boy’s education, male suicides, domestic violence on men, male rape and patriarchal burdens of being default protectors & providers) on the other side.
While displaying banners with text “Patriarchy Enslaves Men” and shouting slogans that meant “Would you marry? Would you go to prison?”, the activists equated marriage with entrapment. Their participation was widely covered by regional & national print & electronic media.

Theme for this year:
This year too, Vaastav Foundation will seek a creative, innovative and an artistic approach to highlight the social issues at the international forum.

Participation:
Vaastav Foundation will appreciate if you participate & cheer-up as an audience at the event. This is free. Please assemble at Flora Fountain latest by 8am.
You can also volunteer to participate in developments leading to Vaastav Foundation’s successful participation. It can be in the form of creating or help creating prop(s) to be used by Vaastav Foundation.
Artists can also voluntarily choose to create and donate any other art-form of their own.
All such volunteers can message Vaastav Foundation’ describing the way you are willing to contribute.

Media willing to cover Vaastav Foundation’s participation at the marathon are also requested to reach out to us.

Thank You.