The Zonta Club of Pori I, Finland, organized a movie premiere for the film The Last Kick on the International Day of the Girl Child, 14 October, at the local racecourse auditorium. The club managed to book the venue free of charge with the help of their network. The event was specially organized for the young stars, the children and teenagers who acted in the movie, and their proud parents. Special guests included Theatre Ulpu’s chairperson, Maiju Junko, who co-wrote the screenplay, young screenplay writer Oskari Huhtanen and Glad Media representatives Anu and Tomi Glad. Zontians and Soroptimist clubs in Pori were also invited to the event.

The club received great support from several local sports clubs and teams, some participating in national-level competitions. The club requested their logos to be used in the final texts of the movie as a show of support for their cause. The logos would manifest their stance against physical and mental violence and their support for equal rights and compassion. To their surprise, all the teams and clubs contacted provided 100% support. Many were already running similar “anti-bullying” campaigns and revising their internal codes of conduct. Additionally, the project patrons, Mari Kaunistola and Petri Huru, who are members of the Finnish parliament, were invited to the event. The heads of the educational and cultural services of Pori and Ulvila and local media representatives were also in attendance.

The film, which you can watch here, sheds light on the importance of ending bullying, its lasting effects on victims and hope still exists in the world. The movie premiere also aimed to teach the importance of valuing others, showing compassion, and appreciating different personalities from diverse backgrounds. Such values can help increase equality in society, both on a micro and macro scale, and build a better world for women and girls.

The club’s initiative went beyond their expected goals. This project is a true testament to the fact that where there’s a will, there’s a way. It also shows that when you have like-minded and kind-hearted people in your network, anything is possible. Of course, commitment and persistence are key to creating and achieving something new and unique. The club challenges everyone to think outside the box and step beyond.

After the premiere, the club received numerous thank-you notes and messages of congratulations from those who attended. They also received several requests to distribute the material to schools outside the original distribution area of Pori and Ulvila.

The club plans to interview students and teachers from various schools to get their thoughts and opinions on the movie and its possible impacts while providing question card materials. It’s important to understand that the problem of bullying is not just local but global. The club hopes that the movie will serve as a tool to decrease bullying and teach compassion, thereby changing many people’s lives, especially those who have been bullied or involved in bullying. The club hopes the movie will start a positive chain reaction and spread as far as possible. As the movie is available in Swedish and English, the club hopes it will reach the countries of fellow Zontians worldwide through this award application.