The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women provides an opportunity to commemorate the 14 women who were killed in an act of violent misogyny on Dec. 6, 1989 at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. It also presents an opportunity to remember people who continue to die as a result of gender-based violence and those who live with violence today.
On Dec. 6, we remember:
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
All members of the U of A community are invited to join the following events to honour these 14 women, to remember the lives of all of those who have died as a result of gender-based violence and to support those who continue to live in violence:
- Join NASA on Wednesday, Dec. 6 from 12-1 p.m. (MST) online for a discussion around taking action on gendered violence, led by Deb Eerkes, Sexual Violence Response Coordinator at the University of Alberta. This event is organized by NASA's Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee.
- Campus Saint-Jean is co-hosting a community commemoration with the Coalition des Femmes de l'Alberta and l'Association des Universitaires de la Faculté Saint-Jean. The event will take place at the entrance of the McMahon Building, from 12-12.30 p.m. (MST) on Dec. 6. Fourteen white roses, representing the victims of the feminicide, will be deposited at the foot of the sculpture "Trinity," by artist Patrick Jacob.
- Augustana Campus will have a memorial display of 14 roses in the Forum reception area and banners placed along College Lane to acknowledge the 14 women who lost their lives on Dec. 6.
- Engineering will have white ribbons available and a memorial of white roses at the memorial plaque in ETLC, where a moment of silence will be observed on Dec. 6.
Additional ways you can honour those impacted include wearing a white ribbon and participating in an initiative through the United Nations' 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
Learn more about U of A's Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response.
The University of Alberta is committed to the safety, health and well-being of our faculty, staff and students. Every day, we advance this commitment to safety through the Culture of Care.