Richmond, VA – This Friday, December 6, the Richmond chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) will host a ceremony and march to honor women who have died as a result of violence. The event will coincide with the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which marks the tragic events of December 6, 1989, when 14 women were killed at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. The gunman, who targeted women in the engineering program, blamed feminism in his suicide note and cited it as the cause of his personal downfall.
The Richmond event will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the steps of the Library Cultural Centre, where participants will gather before proceeding with a ceremony at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will include an Indigenous welcome and acknowledgment by Elder Mary Point, an introduction of dignitaries, and a reading of the names of the 14 women killed in the Montreal tragedy. A candle-lighting ceremony will follow, and the community will then take part in a march that will proceed from the library plaza to the Minoru Seniors Centre, continue to Richmond City Hall, and then return to the starting point.
Sylvia Gwozd, president of the CFUW Richmond chapter, emphasized the importance of the march as a symbol of “hope and action against gender-based violence.” She explained, “This day is not just about remembrance. It’s a call to action to educate ourselves, speak out against harmful behaviors, and stand together against all forms of gender-based violence.”
Participants are encouraged to wear orange, the color representing the movement to end violence, and to bring battery-operated candles to the ceremony. Gwozd stressed that the day serves as a reminder not only to honor the victims but also to renew the community’s commitment to ending gender-based violence through education and collective action.
The event is open to the public, and all members of the Richmond community are invited to participate in the march and ceremony to show solidarity and raise awareness. The CFUW Richmond chapter hopes to continue its advocacy for women’s rights and safety with this annual commemoration.
