The School of Engineering is participating again in the annual White Ribbon awareness campaign, which runs from Nov. 25 (the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women) through Dec. 6.
Dec. 6, 2017 marks the 28th anniversary of the tragedy at École Polytechnique de Montréal.
Engineering’s White Ribbon events start on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. with the painting of the iconic red ‘E’ statue outside the EME Building. The organizing committee, Women in Engineering (WIE), helps paint it white every year for the occasion.
On Monday, Nov. 24 in the Student Union Theatre (UNC 106), WIE invites students, faculty, and staff to join them for a free movie and popcorn—albeit a difficult one, Polytechnique, director Denis Villeneuve’s 2009 fact-based drama. The Genie Award-winning film (French with English subtitles; 77 minutes) tells the story of events that took place on Dec. 6, 1989 at École Polytechnique de Montréal and the people affected.
A Memorial Service takes place Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. in the Richard S. Hallisey Atrium (level 0), followed by the painting of the ‘E’ statue outside. As in 2013, WIE invites everyone to inscribe the statue with messages of creativity and inspiration.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is Saturday, Dec. 6—a day that marks both a tragic anniversary and a reminder of acts of gender-based violence against women in Canada and around the world.
It is a day of action, prompting us to take steps to end violence against women.
Background
- On December 6, 1989 an armed man walked into an engineering class at the school.
- After forcing the men to leave and claiming he was “fighting feminism,” the gunman murdered 14 women—12 engineering students, one nursing student, and one university employee. He injured another 10 women and four men.
- As a result of these acts, and the link women made between these acts and wider societal violence against women, Canada established December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.