December 1, 2005 Source: University of Toronto:
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/051201-1872.asp University to mark 16th National Day of Remembrance Ceremonies to be held on all three campuses
Dec 1/05
by Sonnet L’Abbé (about) (email) The University of Toronto will commemorate the 16th anniversary of the murder of 14 women at Montréal’s Ecole Polytechnique Dec. 6. Dec. 6 is Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The university community joins the country in reflecting on the circumstances and conditions surrounding the killings. "We reflect on the past, and ask ourselves how to create a world where violence against women doesn’t continue to happen," says Connie Guberman, U of T’s Status of Women Officer. Márta Ecsedi, advisor to the dean on women’s issues at the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, notes the importance of remembering that 14 promising engineers were lost. "The massacre prompted many people to realize the sexist atmosphere prevalent in the engineering profession. U of T began initiatives to warm up the climate for women, and we saw many more women begin to enrol." "Ending violence is not just a women’s issue," says Paul Nazareth, senior development officer, gift planning, who has for the past three years been part of a U of T volunteer group that raises money for the December 6 Fund of Toronto. "Every man has a mother, or sister, or friend who has been through it. I met many young women at university who went on to great careers as doctors, lawyers or heads of state who survived physical, mental or social abuse. We need to talk about it." National Day of Remembrance ceremonies will be held on all three campuses: St. George Campus Ceremony:
Dec. 6, Great Hall, Hart House, 12:15 p.m., Reception 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.,
Opening Remarks, President David Naylor UTM Ceremony:
Dec. 6, Presentation Room, Students’ Centre, 11 a.m. UTSC Ceremony:
November 29, Atrium, Arts and Administration Building, noon Classes will not be cancelled, but Professor Vivek Goel, vice-president and provost has encouraged instructors to mention the anniversary to students and be considerate of students who are absent in order to attend the event. Administrative staff should consult with their supervisors who are urged to recognize the importance of the occasion. Dec. 6 is also one of 16 days of activism against gender violence, an international campaign that involves over 1,000 organizations and spans 130 countries. "Taking action takes many forms," says Guberman. "We can volunteer. We can donate money. We can begin by challenging our own thinking."
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