Each year, Memorial University holds a vigil on the St. John’s campus to commemorate the 14 women who were killed because of their gender at l’École Polytechnique in Montreal, Que., on Dec. 6, 1989.

The anniversary of this tragedy coincides with the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada.

Annual event

This year the vigil will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Engineering building’s main lecture theatre (EN-2006) with a reception to follow.

The annual event includes a candlelight procession of 14 students who will each represent the lives of the women who were lost. The Pachelbel Trio will perform and dedications will be offered by university groups and community organizations.

Everyone invited

Dr. Noreen Golfman, provost and vice-president (academic), will emcee the event. Cathy Bennett, minister responsible for the Status of Women, will speak on behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, will offer welcoming remarks.

Guest speaker Alyse Stuart, master of gender studies candidate, will give the keynote address, and Natasha Farrell, School of Graduate Studies, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, will honour the memory of the 14 women who died by reading their names aloud.

The Sexual Harassment Office and the Department of Gender Studies invite members of the Memorial University community as well as the community at large to join them again this year as they honour the women who died that day and reflect upon concrete actions that each of us can take as a shared responsibility to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence.

Parking will be available in lot 60.