Nouvelles
Activities commemorating December 6, 1989
Thirty-one years have passed since the anti-women attack that took the lives of 14 young women and injured 13 other individuals on December 6, 1989, at Polytechnique Montréal. To honour the memory of the victims of this tragedy, several commemorative activities have been organized.

Week of the White Rose
In support of the sixth edition of the Week of the White Rose, being held from November 30, to December 6, 2020, Polytechnique is reaching out to its entire community as well as the general public, to ask you to purchase a virtual white rose.
All proceeds from rose sales go to Folie Technique, Polytechnique Montréal’s science camp. With the funds raised, Folie Technique is able to give girls from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to take part in science awareness activities.
Since its establishment, the Week of the White Rose has raised over $100,000 – a sum that enables thousands of young girls to attend in-class science workshops, or to participate in Folie Technique science summer camp. This non-profit organization can’t keep up with the demand, however. The “100% girls” groups are so popular, the organization struggles to fulfil the many registration requests. This year, due to the on-going pandemic, Folie Technique wasn’t able to hold activities in schools, nor to welcome summer campers. Nevertheless, the organization and its dedicated staff created activities adapted to health and safety guidelines. Give white roses.
Wearing a White Ribbon
In the spirit of solidarity, and to raise awareness of the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (also December 6 each year), many individuals choose to wear a white ribbon on their clothing. The ribbon, when viewed upside down, becomes a letter V, an eloquent and powerful symbol that condemns all violence against women and girls.
Due to the pandemic, white ribbon distribution at building entrances will not take place this year. Regardless, Polytechnique invites community members and the general public to wear a white ribbon to support this worthy cause.
You can also use the white ribbon frame, created specially for the event, on your Facebook profile. Head to Facebook, click on your profile photo, select “choose frame” and search for “Polytechnique – ruban blanc.”
Order of the White Rose Scholarship
Thursday, December 3 at 9:30 am, Polytechnique will hold the sixth edition of the Order of the White Rose award ceremony. This $30,000 scholarship honours and encourages a Canadian female engineering student who intends to pursue graduate studies anywhere across the globe. The ceremony will be held virtually, and broadcast on Polytechnique’s Facebook and YouTube channels. Find out more.
Laying of Rose Wreaths on Polytechnique’s Commemorative Plaque
On Sunday, December 6, at 8:30 am, a wreath of white roses will be placed on the commemorative plaque, placed by Polytechnique students and staff. All members of the Polytechnique community (students, staff, alumni) and the general public are invited to pass by the memorial for a moment of contemplation, at any point during the day; note that physical distancing guidelines must be followed. Find out more.
Engineering in Her Voice
40 women/40 weeks. From March 8 to December 6, 2020, Polytechnique Montréal has published a series of video clips starring professors and master educators, all working in engineering.
Addressing the theme - Polytechnique Montréal: Engineering in Her Voice - these women share their passion for teaching and research, while explaining how they’ve helped transform the world using scientific advances in their varied engineering specialities. View the videos.
Learn More
December 6 website