December 6 Vancouver shoe memorial honors victims of gender-based violence

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 247 (UFCW 247) is once again hosting the annual National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women Shoe Memorial in Vancouver on Tuesday, December 6 at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia Street side), with a memorial ceremony commencing at 12:00 p.m. (noon).

The Shoe Memorial honours the memory of victims of domestic violence, femicide, partner abuse and commemorates the 14 women students who were murdered on December 6, 1989 at Montreal’s École Polytechnique as victims of gender-based violence, as well as the thousands of women in the metro-Vancouver area who fell victim to domestic and gender-based violence since then.

The shoe memorial will be displayed as a one-day art installation with the names of mothers, daughters, sisters, or friends who have lost their lives from violence, and no longer walk among us.

UFCW 247 collected shoes to build the memorial on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery. All shoes and boots collected will be donated to women’s and emergency shelters in the Vancouver-area.

The shoe memorial will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a ceremony beginning at noon.

Speakers for the event include Jasmine Bhambra, sister of Manjit Panghali, a victim of domestic violence who was murdered by her husband in 2006, Christine Wilson, Director of Advocacy for Indigenous Women at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre. Other speakers for the event include Brenda Bailey, MLA (Vancouver-False Creek), Raina Siou from the RCMP, Ninu Kang of Ending Violence Association of B.C., and retired officer Jim Cessford.

Date: December 6, 2022

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (PST) with ceremony at 12:00 p.m.

Location: The event will be held in person

Vancouver Art Gallery (Georgia St. side)

750 Hornby St.,

Vancouver, B.C.

V6Z 2H7