UVic: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

• Dec 4, 2007 (Tuesday)

Classes and exams at UVic are cancelled from 11:30am – 12:30pm on Tuesday, December 4th (the last day of classes), to enable students, staff and faculty to attend.

This year’s memorial will feature several speakers addressing the issue of violence against women, a moment of silence to honour the memory of the women from l’Ecole Polytechnique, a candle lighting ceremony, and music by the Philomela women’s choir and a brass quintet.

From dec6.gc.ca:

“Did you know that December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada? Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l‘École Polytechnique de Montréal. They died because they were women.

As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.”