White Ribbon 2025

 

PCANZ White Ribbon Sunday - any Sunday 23 November to 14 December 2025: Sacred Spaces, Sacred Lives

For the PCANZ White Ribbon 2025 the Rev Hana Popea, PCANZ White Ribbon Ambassador has chosen the theme, Sacred Spaces, Sacred Lives.

Every year on 25 November, communities worldwide pause to remember victims of violence and commit to creating safer homes and communities. This year, we invite our national Church to observe White Ribbon Sunday on any Sunday between 23 November and 14 December.

The 2025 PCANZ White Ribbon campaign calls on our churches throughout Aotearoa New Zealand to transform silence into meaningful action against all forms of violence. See the Ambassador's message here for actions you can take and ways to involve your church and community.

Launched at General Assembly 2025 and culminating in White Ribbon Day (25 November) and the 16 Days of Activism until Human Rights Day (10 December), this campaign empowers PCANZ parishes to become agents of change within their communities.

This year’s theme Sacred Spaces, Sacred Lives: From Silence to Action connects the faith mission of PCANZ with the White Ribbon campaign by:

  • Sacred Spaces: Acknowledging that all environments - churches, homes, schools, communities, and natural settings are meant to be sanctuaries of safety and respect
  • Sacred Lives: Affirming the inherent dignity and worth of every person as created in God's image
  • From Silence to Action: Challenging the Church and its members to move beyond passive witnessing to active intervention and prevention

This campaign calls us to recognise that wherever violence exists, something sacred is being violated. It invites presbyteries, parishes, congregations, schools, cultural groups, and church organisations to change their commitment from private conviction to public witness, creating a movement that honours both the spiritual foundations of our faith and the practical requirements of justice in the communities.

What is White Ribbon

White Ribbon is an international movement that began in 1991 in Canada and has spread to over 60 countries. At its core, White Ribbon represents men and boys working to end violence against women, with the white ribbon symbolising a personal pledge to never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women and girls.

The White Ribbon campaign offers the PCANZ a powerful framework to fulfil our calling as agents of reconciliation and restoration in a broken world. By participating in this movement, we demonstrate that creating safe spaces for everyone is not merely a social initiative but a sacred obligation central to our witness as a body of Christ.

Our Broader Commitment

While White Ribbon specifically represents men's opposition to violence against women, our PCANZ campaign extends this commitment to address all forms of violence and abuse across the motu. We recognise that creating safe environments in our churches, schools, homes, and communities requires a comprehensive approach to violence prevention and a response that protects all people – women, men, children, elders, those of diverse gender identities, and even the animals in our care and the environment. Everyone deserves to live free from fear and abuse in all the spaces they inhabit.

2025 Resources

Resources for parishes to use on White Ribbon Day 25 November, and throughout November and the coming year, can be downloaded below. They include a message from Rev Hana Popea, a 2025 PCANZ White Ribbon video created for our recent General Assembly, an information sheet, and an updated printed poster. Download them below:

  For our General Assembly in October 2025, PCANZ White Ribbon supplied all Assembly Commissioners with a PCANZ White Ribbon branded Fair Trade unbleached organic cotton eco tote bag which contained a PCANZ White Ribbon information sheet and poster (the resources linked above) to take back to churches. 

Video

Watch below a short (two minute) 2025 PCANZ White Ribbon video, or download it here 

Poster

  Download here the updated PCANZ White Ribbon 2025 poster here. Glossy A4 posters will be sent to every PCANZ church (for church noticeboards etc) in time for White Ribbon Day 25 November 2025.

Info sheet

      Download here a PCANZ White Ribbon 2025 information sheet here. Printed copies will be sent to every PCANZ church (for church noticeboards etc) in time for White Ribbon Day 25 November 2025.

Past Years’ Resources: A wealth of materials from previous campaigns

These resources allow you to tailor activities to your local context/need, and are all available on the PCANZ website White Ribbon page here (see menu on left for different year resources). These diverse resources offer flexibility in promoting White Ribbon Day and preventing abuse and violence in our communities. We encourage you to explore both current and past materials to create a campaign that resonates with your specific congregation and community

Book our PCANZ White Ribbon Ambassador to Speak at your Church

Rev Hana Popea is available to speak with your group or congregation about White Ribbon. Please don't hesitate to contact Hana to arrange a visit or if you need any additional information. Together, let's work towards creating safer, more respectful environments in our homes, workplaces, churches, and communities.  Email Rev Hana Popea, PCANZ White Ribbon Ambassador at: hanapd.pcanzwrnza@gmail.com