The Shoe Memorial - A hard hitting Visual Statement Against Violence

December 6 2009, Vancouver Art Gallery

On December 6,1989, Marc Lepine walked into the L'Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal and, separating the men from the women, methodically killed 14 women who were studying engineering, simply because they were women. Since then, December 6th has been declared a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and it is a Canadian day of mourning for women who have met with violent deaths.

Once again, Women Information & Advocacy will be collecting women's shoes (any condition) as well as the details of women who have been killed by violence all over North America. These shoes will be displayed on the Vancouver Art Gallery steps on December 6 to raise public awareness of the violence against women.

Each pair of shoes will represent a woman who has been killed. By printing their names, we are honouring the memory of the women, and their families. The names of the victims should never be forgotten.

After the memorial the shoes are given, both directly and indirectly, to women in need. Among the receiving organizations in 2008 were W.I.S.H., Union Gospel Mission and Elizabeth Fry.

Women Information & Advocacy and the Ending Relationship Abuse Society request your support and participation in this project. Working collectively we believe we can have a greater impact.

For more information and to donate shoes please contact