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| A vigil is planned on Sexton campus on Saturday, Dec. 6. (Josh Boyter Photo) |
Nineteen years ago, an enraged gunman entered L鈥橢cole Polytechnique in Montreal. Before opening fire in one of the classrooms, 25-year-old Marc Lepine separated the men from the women and started firing on the female engineering students, screaming 鈥淚 hate feminists.鈥�
Zhindra Gillis, a AV俱乐部 industrial engineering student, was just five years old when the Montreal Massacre occurred. A member of the AV俱乐部 Sexton Engineering Undergraduate Society, she is helping organize this year鈥檚 December 6 vigil on Sexton campus.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 something that students can connect to,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something really awful that happened at an engineering school. They were doing the same things we鈥檙e doing right now鈥攖hey were re getting ready for exams, they were getting ready for Christmas鈥攁nd that makes it very relatable.鈥�
The vigil is just one of many events held during the Purple Ribbon Campaign, running November 25 to December 10. The campaign was initiated in 1990 by the Women鈥檚 Action Coalition of Nova Scotia.
The annual event envisions an end to violence against women. Tiny purple ribbons are pinned on jackets and backpacks in remembrance of the 14 women who died at L鈥橢cole Polytechnique and to raise awareness about violence against women.
In 1991, a handful of men created the White Ribbon Campaign to run alongside the Purple Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon Campaign educates and encourages men to take a stand on violence against women.
鈥淭hose women were just trying to do something they liked. They weren鈥檛 trying to be controversial. They were at school to learn something they like,鈥� says Ms. Gillis.聽 "Everyone, men and women, should be to do something and learn something that they enjoy."
听听
This year's AV俱乐部 vigil will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sexton Alumni Lounge.
Other events include:
鈥⒙燭he War on Women, a lecture by Brian Vallee. It takes place Thursday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m. in the Potter Auditorium of the Rowe Building. The lecture is sponsored by the AV俱乐部 Women's Centre and the Metro Interagency on Family Violence.
鈥⒙燦ational Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Friday, Dec. 5, 10:30 a.m. at Province House, 1726 Hollis Street. There will be a moment of silence followed by a panel discussion.
鈥⒙燚ecember 5 event in memory of Paula Gallant and Violence Against Women. Friday, Dec. 5, 6 p.m. at BLT Elementary School, Timberlea. There will be a special commemoration to the BLT Rails to Trails Association made in Paula Gallant's memory.
鈥⒙燙andlelight Vigil. Saturday, Dec. 6, 4:30 p.m. at Parade Square, Halifax.