Not so Silent Vigil Dec. 6 in New Glasgow

A Not so Silent Vigil will be held in Pictou County on Dec. 6, marking the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.

On Dec 6, 1989, 13 female students and a female administrator at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal were murdered because they were women. Their deaths led Parliament to designate Dec. 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women. It is a time to honour the 14 young women whose lives were taken on that fateful day as well as a time to reflect and take action on eliminating gender-based violence.

Modelled after the “Not so Silent, Silent Vigil” held in Halifax each year, local activists recreated the event and brought it to Pictou County. The very first “Not so Silent Vigil” was held on Dec. 6, 2017, and was a huge success. It helped to bring awareness in the community about the realities of violence against women and girls, organizers said.

“After attending the ‘Not so Silent, Silent Vigil’ in Halifax I was inspired,” says vigil co-ordinator Donna MacGregor. “With so many talented women in Pictou County I thought that an event like this would be a perfect fit. I really wanted to keep the grassroots vibe of the Halifax vigil while at the same time being conscious of the fact that many women live in poverty and often don’t have access to transportation. I wanted our vigil to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their income.”

With support from the Pictou County Women’s Resource & Sexual Assault Centre, this year’s “Not so Silent Vigil” will be held at 135 Provost St., New Glasgow (formerly Lolly’s), from 6 to 8 p.m.

The evening will feature musical, literary and dramatic performances by talented women in Pictou County. The performances speak to the epidemic of violence against women and girls, as well as celebrating women in their many roles as mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers and friends.