It was Nov. 25, 1960 when three Mirabal sister were brutally assassinated.
In 1999, the UN general assembly declared Nov. 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Now, on Nov. 25, 91原创 will have its own special ceremony to bring awareness to violence against women -abroad and closer to home.
Program chair of , Shirley Stewart, noted this year鈥檚 annual candlelight vigil, hosted together with , will also include a new red sand ceremony.
The event takes place, for the first time, at the Bedford Landing Plaza in Fort 91原创 on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 5 p.m., rain or shine. In past, the candlelight vigil was held in downtown 91原创 City.
This is the 12th year Soroptimist International of the 91原创s and Ishtar have invited the community to support women through the candlelight vigil. The red sand ceremony is a new addition.
鈥淭he sand is red and it鈥檚 poured in the cracks of the sidewalk. It鈥檚 like a trail, a path,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually very, very moving.鈥�
Each attendee at the event will receive a tealight candle and some red sand to take part in the ceremony, which Stewart says brings the community together. She hopes to have enough sand for all participants who attend.
鈥淭here鈥檚 an organization that does the red sand. They sent us the sand and it鈥檚 all pre-bagged for us,鈥� she explained.
91原创, like other communities, faces violence against women and Stewart sees events like the candlelight vigil and new red sand ceremony as a way to help victims.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 always been important [to hold the event], and I think that we鈥檙e really starting to break down the barriers. Victims have felt shame or have felt fear and we鈥檙e finally breaking that down,鈥� she noted.
鈥淲hether that鈥檚 domestic violence, or the #metoo campaign, or any violence against women, we鈥檙e starting to realize that it鈥檚 okay to break down those barriers and it鈥檚 okay to tell somebody鈥� and if we can do that with our little candlelight vigil I think that鈥檚 really important.鈥�
Because the Soroptimist organization and Ishtar represent both the Township of 91原创 and 91原创 City, Stewart feels it鈥檚 natural to move the ceremony to different neighbourhoods within the region.
With the change in location to Fort 91原创 鈥� at the plaza, between Lelem Cafe and the Fort Pub alongside the Fraser River 鈥� Stewart hopes more attendees will walk to the area to take part.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something very healing about water,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd Fort 91原创 is such a walkable area. I鈥檓 hoping this year we鈥檒l have more [people out] because we鈥檙e changing up the location and format a little.鈥�
鈥淚 think for the most part, we live in a very embracing community and to be able to let victims, either in our community or further away, know that there are people who care, it accomplishes a lot if we can get that message out,鈥� Stewart added.
The event is free for all ages and this year builds on the Red Sand project started by artist and activist Molly Gochman in Art Basel, Miami in December 2014 to raise awareness of human trafficking.
