2026-2027 Purple Ribbon Campaign

Breaking Patterns: Creating a World Without Violence

The 2026-2027 Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence Against Women theme focuses on working to create a world free from gender-based violence, especially violence against women. It is the responsibility of everyone, in every community, to prevent violence from happening. To break free from established patterns of acceptance and response. To break free from blaming survivors. Violence is not inevitable. We can choose how we respond individually and as a community when harm happens. We can decide what we teach our children of all genders about equality and respect. We can choose safety, care, respect, and equality. We can decide the kind of people we want to be.

The purple ribbons are worn in honour and remembrance of the 14 women murdered in Montreal in 1989, and the 10 women murdered in PEI since 1989 by someone who knew them. We also wear purple ribbons as a call for justice for the tragic number of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The purple ribbons can be worn anytime of the year to signify support for ending gender-based violence against women.

Volunteers cut and pin thousands of purple ribbons to bookmarks, so that they can be distributed to individuals and organizations across the Island. We are especially appreciative of Women’s Institute members, who will pin most of the 10,000 ribbons to bookmarks in 2026. WI members are also key in distributing the ribbons to communities across PEI.

In addition to the purple ribbons and bookmarks, we have created a multilingual poster featuring the 2026-2027 gender-based violence prevention message in 12 languages (historical and prevalent current usage in PEI). Slideshows and other materials developed for use by teachers and students, including the Teen Power & Control Wheel, are available on our website. All resources created in 2026 and in previous years are available in hard copy on request – we want to share the message of equality and violence prevention with anyone:

• https://peistatusofwomen.ca/purple-ribbon-campaign/resources-for-teachers/

All resources created in 2025 and in previous years are available in hard copy on request – we are happy to share the message of equality and violence prevention to individuals and communities across PEI.

Montreal Massacre Memorial Service

This years’ Montreal Massacre Memorial Service will be held on December 4th, at 12 noon in Memorial Hall of the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown.

All are welcome. 

For more information contact [email protected]

Purple Ribbon Bookmark

Sponsors

Funding Sponsor

• Memorial Service Program (pdf)
• Dec 6th Commentary/Commentaire – “Shame Must Change Sides: An Intersectional Approach / La honte doit changer de camp : Une approche intersectionnelle” by Chairperson Hsiao-Yu Liu
• “Seeing Beyond Shame” by Alyssa Coghlin, Guest Speaker, Dec 5, 2025
• Memorial honours those who lost their lives to gender-based violence, CBC PEI, Dec 5, 2025
• Thank You Card – 2025 Purple Ribbon Campaign and Memorial Service
• Montreal Massacre Memorial Service Photo Gallery – Dec 5, 2025
• “Mary Ann” – A New Song by Catherine MacLellan Marking National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
• Our November 5th Pinning Bee Gallery
• Summerside Memorial Service, EPWIC Facebook post