16 Days of Activism: UTM events honour lives touched by gender-based violence

“16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” comes to the U of T Mississauga campus this week as part of a series of events to honour women and girls whose lives have been affected by or lost because of gender-based violence.

The awareness-raising events are part of a series of university-wide ceremonies, classes and exhibits leading up to the Dec. 6 National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women, which commemorates the anniversary of the murder of 14 female engineering students at Montreal’s École Polytechnique in 1989. On this day, U of T recognizes the many ways in which all women experience gender-based violence, including the experiences of missing and murdered Indigenous women, transgender women and the broad spectrum of women from vulnerable populations.

UTM will recognize the National Day of Remembrance with three lead-up events: “Stories of Resilience: Fragments of Me” exhibit on Nov. 27 and 28; the White Ribbon Campaign on Tuesday, Dec. 5; and a red rose vigil on Wednesday, Dec. 6.

UTM is the first stop for the “Stories of Resilience: Fragments of Me” exhibit, which tours Peel Region in November and December. Developed by the Peel Committee Against Woman Abuse, the exhibit features anonymous stories from women who have survived gender-based violence, and from families who have lost a loved one due to gender-based violence. The two-day exhibit runs in the CCT Atrium from Monday, Nov. 27 toTuesday, Nov. 28.

UTM will also participate in the White Ribbon Campaign that features white ribbons and cards tied to trees on campus between CCT and IB on Tuesday, Dec. 5. The annual campaign raises awareness of gender-based violence and asks participants—particularly men and boys—to wear white ribbons and pledge to take action against gender-based violence. Ribbons and pledges will be available at key front desks on campus.

The “16 Days of Activism” at UTM ends with a red rose vigil and a ceremony at UTM to honour women whose lives have been lost to gender-based violence. All are welcome at the ceremony, which takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at the Peace Pole between the Davis Building and CCT from 12:00 noon to 12:15 p.m. and features speakers from across the UTM community.

The UTM events are organized by the Tri-Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre, the Equity and Diversity Office and the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” planning committee.

See the schedule of events on the St. George and Scarborough campuses