WE DID IT STAR WEAVERS!

I don't know about other star weavers and supporters, but I'm still recovering from Wednesday's monumental announcement that we reached one million stars. HOORAY! The messages on our facebook page and instagram continue to come in and have been so supportive. It's beautiful to see so much love and good will for this project. I personally love seeing communities and individuals sharing the news and acknowledging their star weavers contributions, which means the wider star weave community can celebrate them too. Winning!!

Before we walked through security at Parliament House, I had to step aside and take a few deep breaths. I was feeling a huge wave of relief, intense happiness and nervousness building again. For me, these last 5 years of growing and living this project, the last 18 months in particular, have been steep in learning what success, happiness and community really feels and looks like. Sometimes it felt like we had a long way to go, other times, I was confident we would get more. Thankfully, I had Louis Doble, Project Manager for the One Million Stars project at the Office of Commonwealth Games to stand with me. I needed a moment, to take in what we were about to do - to announce to the Star Weave Community (and the world) that we reached one million stars. This little idea, which I wanted to share and carry with others, way back in September 2012, is now a reality. From a space and time of deep sorrow and tragedy, a dream to see communities everywhere come together in peace and care for each other, using art and craft, is really happening because people are embracing the project in their own way. My desire to have no shame, to use what skills and passions I have, my ambition to see one million woven symbols of light, hope and solidarity to end all forms of violence, is now poised to take take place next year. I knew it was ok to cry, I just wanted to make sure I could speak clearly when meeting Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Ministers Kate Jones and Shannon Fentiman. And to the media! *Breathe, breathe.*

With athletes from QAS, some who have come in to help star count.

Staff from OCG and Embracing 2018 team helped to lay out star tracks for a few athletes from Queensland Academy of Sports, as part of the media opp and announcement. It looked like so much fun, and the precision of those lines! Louise and I created a large star and wrote the number, '1,000,000' in stars. A brilliant way to help settle my nerves and remind me why the 'doing part' of this project is so calming.

I cherish these moments in the project, especially as things are ramping up in the countdown to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. As you can imagine, there are lots of moving parts, lots of people involved and issues to work through. It's easy to get caught up in things that aren't really important or to be overwhelmed by the counting of stars and the logistics of the installation. I know that everyone involved is doing their best and that gives me hope and fills me with so much excitement for this next phase of the project.

Speaking to the media.

With Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Hon. Minister Kate Jones and Hon. Minister Shannon Fentiman.

For now, I want to celebrate this moment for as long as possible. This has never been done before. One million woven stars in one place, by hundreds of thousands of people around the world, shining during a major event that happens every 4 years, in a city that I have come to love and call home. This is a once in a life time moment, a very special achievement of bringing many voices and stories together to create all kinds of positive peaceful vibes. There are so many new friendships and people connecting outside of their own circles, because of this project. What ever the stars mean for you, the reality of experiencing this power and beauty is well and truly underway. This is more than a dream come true, it is proof that when we work in a spirit of collaboration, when we live daily with the intention to end violence in our personal and public lives, we can transform ourselves and our communities for the better. We ARE light. We ARE love. And love, is everything.

Forever grateful to be a star weaver,

Maryann