The Université de Montréal community remembers Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte.
Twenty years ago next month, a tragedy occurred at the École Polytechnique provoking consternation, anger and pain within the university community. The Université de Montréal will hold three commemorative activities to honour the memory of the 14 female victims: the opening of a documentary exhibit, Vingt ans d'actions, at the Centre d'exposition de l'Université de Montréal, the presentation of the December 6 Scholarship and the distribution of December 6 white ribbons.
The École Polytechnique will observe the 20th anniversary with an invitation-only, secular ceremony for families of victims, injured survivors, graduates, professors, staff, retirees and current students. “The December 6 tragedy will forever mark the history of the Université de Montréal community and beyond. Since that horrific event, which affected everyone, our community has undertaken several actions to decrease violence in our world,” says Luc Vinet, rector of the Université de Montréal. “One very concrete action was the creation of the December 6 Scholarship, while the white ribbons we wear annually symbolize how 20 years later we still vividly remember and demonstrates the compassion we retain for the friends and families of these exceptional women.”
The exhibit
Since 1989, the Université de Montréal community and Quebec society have multiplied efforts to encourage women to consider academic sectors that are non-traditional and to better understand and intervene in cases of violence against women. The Vingt ans d'actions exhibit will provide an overview of actions taken to provide hope for all Quebecers.
The exhibit will cover four themes: women's history, women in science and technology, actions taken to counter violence against women and December 6 commemorations. The posters, photos and documents, provided by over 40 organizations, were selected to evoke how positive actions can help advance society.
December 6 Scholarship
For the past five years, the December 6 Scholarship is awarded to a male or female graduate student whose research aims to better understand, prevent and eliminate violence against women. The scholarship is awarded by the Comité permanent sur le statut de la femme with the support of the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
White ribbons
Each year, the Université de Montréal community is invited to wear white ribbons, which are distributed by the thousands across its campuses. “The white ribbon symbolizes the passing of the torch, the need to be responsible, the need to mobilize our society to take a clear and forceful stand against violence towards women, and that all forms of violence have no place in our society and will never be tolerated,” says Andrée Labrie, diversity coordinator at the Université de Montréal.
On the Web:
- About the École Polytechnique
- About the Centre d'exposition de l'Université de Montréal
Media contact:
Julie Gazaille
Press attaché
Université de Montréal
Téléphone: 514-343-6796
Email : j.cordeau-gazaille@umontreal.ca
