Red Lantern of Hope

December 6, 2019
The Red Lantern of Hope in the foyer of Town Hall was lit today to commemorate December 6.

Part of an international campaign, the 16 Days of Action to End Gender-Based Violence, organized by the United Nations (UN). The Red Lantern of Hope was created in response to the UN initiative by the YWCA and the Native Women’s Association of Canada. Organized locally by the Peace River Regional Women’s Shelter, the Town of Peace River was invited to take part this year.

The lantern was set up in the foyer of Town Hall on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It will stay up until December 10, which is International Human Rights Day. The first 12 days the lantern is left unlit, until December 6.

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, it commemorates the day in 1989 when 14 women were murdered at École Polytechnique, in Montreal. Their lives were taken because they were women and because of that the world missed out on the contributions they would have made. They were:

Geneviève Bergeron (born 1968), civil engineering student

Hélène Colgan (born 1966), mechanical engineering student

Nathalie Croteau (born 1966), mechanical engineering student

Barbara Daigneault (born 1967), mechanical engineering student

Anne-Marie Edward (born 1968), chemical engineering student

Maud Haviernick (born 1960), materials engineering student

Maryse Laganière (born 1964), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique’s finance department

Maryse Leclair (born 1966), materials engineering student

Anne-Marie Lemay (born 1967), mechanical engineering student

Sonia Pelletier (born 1961), mechanical engineering student

Michèle Richard (born 1968), materials engineering student

Annie St-Arneault (born 1966), mechanical engineering student

Annie Turcotte (born 1969), materials engineering student

Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (born 1958), nursing student

In the Peace River region, the Peace River Regional Women’s Shelter provides short-term emergency shelter as well as education, safety strategies and awareness through residential outreach, community outreach, a residential follow-up program, and their empowering kids and youth program.

Flags at all municipal locations have been lowered to half-mast for the day.

Crisis Phone: 780-624-3466
Toll-Free Number: 1-877-624-3466
Business Phone: 780-624-3466
Shelter Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.prrws.com/