Happy Monday 👋

Did you know that almost one in three women is estimated to be victim of sexual or physical violence during their lifetime?

This violence can have severe life-long impacts on mental health and a woman’s ability to form and sustain relationships…

So, today, I would like to share an event with you that’s working to change the narrative and promote gender equality!

Here are the impactful insights that I have for you today:

• End violence against women 🤍
• The global call to end the use of fossil fuels at COP30 🤝
• How lab-grown oils can reduce deforestation 🧴
• Discussion of the week: talking about climate 💬
• And more… 💚

🤍 Event of the Week: White Ribbon Day

👉 Did you know that tomorrow (November 25) is White Ribbon Day? This is a time to raise awareness about preventing gender-based violence. 

1️⃣ The big picture: The origins of White Ribbon Day began with a movement in 1991 to address the root causes of men’s violence against women and girls: harmful masculine traits, stereotypes, and social norms. It was initially set up by a group of men in Toronto in response to the École Polytechnique massacre of female students by Marc Lépine in 1989. However, it quickly grew to become a worldwide movement raising awareness of the issue every year on November 25. In 2000, the UN finally designated White Ribbon Day as The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

2️⃣ Why is this important: Violence against women and girls is a significant issue around the world. For instance, almost one in three women are estimated to be victims of sexual or physical violence during their lifetime – that’s approximately 840 million women. Environmental issues can also increase the threats against women. For example, Following the Canterbury earthquake, New Zealand police reported a 53% rise in domestic violence. Furthermore, there was an increase in girls sold into early marriage in exchange for livestock across Ethiopia, to help families cope with the impacts of prolonged droughts. This trend of violence against women shows no signs of slowing down in the modern age, with One in 10 women in the European Union reporting having experienced cyber-harassment since the age of 15. 

3️⃣ How can you get involved: You can get involved in White Ribbon Day by spreading information about the issue of gender-based violence on social media, using hashtags such as #WhiteRibbonDay and #DomesticViolence. You can also get involved by wearing a white ribbon to show your support to female victims of violence or participating in local events that raise awareness for the cause such as marches, rallies, and online webinars. You can even consider organizing your own event. 

Below are our favorite charities that are especially relevant for this awareness event:

• 9 Best Charities for Abuse Victims
• 10 Best Charities for Domestic Violence
• 9 Best Charities for Women’s Empowerment

If you are looking for additional inspiration, you can find a wide range of charitable causes to support in our charity support blog.

📢 Three Good News

🤝 83 countries join call to end fossil fuels at COP30:

• Representatives from different countries gathered in Belém for the 30th UN Climate Conference (COP30) to abandon the use of fossil fuels globally. 
• Among the countries present were Germany, Colombia, the United Kingdom, and Kenya. The movement is unprecedented in the history of the UN climate conferences.
• Representatives from 24 countries participated in the coalition’s launch press conference, but the number of nations that have expressed support for the idea has already reached 83.

🧴 Lab-grown oils could replace natural products driving global deforestation:

• Paris-based SMEY is pioneering lab-grown oils as sustainable alternatives, producing cocoa butter, palm oil, and shea oil in just 30 days with AI and yeast fermentation.
• The timing couldn’t be more urgent. Starting in December 2025, the European Union will enforce strict new rules: any company importing products linked to deforestation could face fines of up to 4% of global revenue. 
• The breakthrough offers deforestation-free cosmetics ingredients that help companies comply with EU regulations while reducing carbon emissions and stabilizing fragile global supply chains.

🦈 Long-lost sailback shark rediscovered after more than 50 years:

• One of the rarest sharks in the world has turned up in Papua New Guinea, some 50 years after it was last reported.
• The rare sailback houndshark, which has an unusually large dorsal fin, was first described by scientists in 1973. That was the last record of its existence, until now.
• Jack Sagumai at the World Wildlife Fund-Pacific in Papua New Guinea and his colleagues have recently collected photographs of multiple small individuals caught near the mouth of the Gogol River – sparking hope for the species.

💬 Discussion of the Week: Talking About Climate

Welcome to our new section, where we spark meaningful discussions about everyday topics that can create a real positive impact in our lives!

This week’s discussion topic: How do you talk about climate without doom or denial?

• What language helps friends, colleagues, or family feel engaged?
• Any stories or visuals that have worked especially well?
• What do you avoid so people don’t shut down?

Your communication wisdom can keep hope practical and alive!

For our founding community members, keep the conversation going in our forum here.

Want to join our community when we reopen? Just reply to this email—I’d love to personally add you to our waitlist so you’ll be the first to know all about it 💚

🤝 Three More Important Awareness Events

🍽️ November 27, Thanksgiving:

• Thanksgiving is a National holiday celebrated across the US on the fourth Thursday in November every year. It’s also celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October. 
• The event revolves around families gathering to share a large meal, typically a turkey dinner, and expressing gratitude for the blessings in their lives. 

♥️ November 28, National Family Health History Day:

• Coinciding with Thanksgiving, National Family Health History Day promotes the importance of learning about your family health history to find out about your own risk groups. 
• This is a very important part of your health profile and a very important cause to raise awareness about. 

👭 November 25-December 10, 16 Days of Awareness Against Domestic Violence:

• The 16 Days of Awareness Against Domestic Violence bridge the gap between United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to Human Rights Day, encouraging people to reflect and act on the ongoing issue of domestic violence. 
• With domestic violence as an extremely important, but often not talked about condition, this is an extremely impactful 16 days of awareness. 

Related: You can discover all the 97 most important awareness events (for the month, days, weeks) in our awareness calendar for November 2025!

📜 These Days in History

🧑‍⚖️ November 24, 2001: The Grand National Assembly of Turkey ratified changes to the country’s legal code that made women equal to men before the law and no longer subject to their husbands.

📖 November 24, 1859: The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, written by Charles Darwin, was published. 

🎹 November 24, 1868: American composer Scott Joplin was born in Texarkana, Texas. He is best known for his piano rags including Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainer.

💭 Quote of the Day

“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”

― Charles Darwin; English naturalist

Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society together!

Stay impactful 💚