Memory March
Memory March-a silent vigil and walk-Sunday, March 28, 2010-Vancouver
Although the numbers vary, the average number of women and girls are murdered in Canada each year is around 200. Each death is an inexcusable crime, and the death toll destroys the fabric of our society. Activist Gwynne Hunt draws attention to the plight of women and girls by gathering their names and asking individuals to remember, grieve, and work for change. On Sunday, March 28th, starting at 2:00pm in Crab Park, Vancouver, Hunt has organized The Memory March, a silent walk and ceremony in remembrance of murdered and missing women in Canada.
The march will start from the Missing Women’s Memorial in Crab Park at the foot of Main Street, and go to the women’s monument, Marker of Change, in Thornton Park at Main Street and Terminal Avenue. In the circle of Marker of Change, participants will honour the women and girls we have lost to violence.
They will also wear the names of the almost 4000 murdered women and children. Mary Billy began The Femicide List after the December 1989 Montreal Massacre. The list contained 1, 865 names of women and children murdered across Canada. Since then. Gwynne Hunt assumed responsibility for the list since 2005.
The Memory March is sponsored by Art Matters Society, a charitable organization based in Abbotsford, producing live, unjuried, social and political theatre. One of the Society’s mandates is to produce shows that help stop violence in the community Gwynne Hunt is the Artistic Director. Gwynne’s special focus is creating political theatre to help stop violence against women. In 1981, a fifteen year old family friend, Verna, went missing. She was never found. This tragic experience changed Gwynne’s life. In 2008 Art Matter’s produced Amrita Ganguly’s play from India at the Festival of Artistic and Creative Expression. In 2009 they produced Beth Hudson’s play Unwanted Dead or Alive. Beth is bringing a play back in 2010 with support from Art Matters Society as producers.
This is the 4th annual march. Come out and support us. Let us know how many people you will be bringing with you in 2010. Come out and watch The Vagina Monologues at the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street, Vancouver at 8 PM the night before (Saturday, March 27); the official fundraiser for the Memory March (tickets $15), or see the performance after the March on Sunday at 7 PM at Massey Hall in New Westminster.($20)
For more information, please contact:
Gwynne Hunt: Phone: 604-859-2407
Memory March 29, 2009 Vancouver, BC
Thanks to all who came out . . .
Let’s not forget . . . violence against women continues.
Honour those who are gone and who have been murdered.
Memory March; a walk/vigil
Sunday, March 28 @ 2 PM in 2010
Support the Rampage Project; the Memory March and The List.
We will honour over 3,000 women and children next year by reading names, having a two minute silence and carrying their names as we walk.
Join us in Crab Park (Portside Park),
& walk with us up Main Street to Thornton Park
(at the Bus Depot).
Information
call Gwynne
604-859-2407
(Abbotsford #)
www.ragmag.net
ragmag@telus.net
The Memory March was a beautiful memorial in 2007; on a bright sunny day. We had about 100 people and everyone carried a sign with a list of 30 names; 2,625 names in all. (see editor’s notes about the 2009 walk)
We sang the Women’s Warrior Song and Squamish nation elder Audrey Rivers led us in prayer to start the walk in Crab Park.
We walked to Thornton Park where we lit 2,625 candles.
At the Marker of Change Memorial we all recited a meditation, with our two minutes of silence marked by chimes at the beginning and at the end.
When the silence ended we hugged one another and while there was a sense of sadness, we were also filled with hope. With social action we bring about change.
In 2008, it was a blustery cold day and about 70 people braved the cold Easter Sunday to share stories, hugs and memories. We were strong.
This year we continued to raise awareness and asked people to think about the rampage of murder in our society.
We are not going away . . .we will continue to advocate for a government agency to compile a database.
We will continue to keep the List.
Join us on Sunday, March 29, 2 PM at Crab Park-2010