Assahafa EN
The memorial pays tribute to the victims of the attack at the Grand Mosque of Quebec City.
The City of Quebec inaugurated the monument on Tuesday morning in honor of the victims of the attack that claimed six lives on January 29, 2017.
The artwork was designed by artist Luce Pelletier and is located on both sides of Église Road, at the junction of Chemin Sainte-Foy: one part at the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec and the other at the Visitation Heritage Site.
The memorial includes, among other elements, three stone pedestals inscribed with the names of Khaled Belkacemi, Azzeddine Soufiane, Abdelkrim Hassane, Aboubaker Thabti, Mamadou Tanou Barry, and Ibrahima Barry. Above them are six aluminum leaves whose design is inspired by the ornamental traditions of the victims’ countries of origin: Morocco, Guinea, Tunisia, and Algeria.
At the site of the former church, there is a circular paving with a motif inspired by arrowheads, reminiscent of Quebec traditions. Also present are a circular bench and a stone stele.
The artwork was funded by the City of Quebec, Canadian Heritage, and the Government of Quebec through the Cultural Development Agreement, at a cost of $440,583.
On one of the elements of the memorial, one can also read the phrase: “No one can reach dawn without passing through the path of the night,” by poet Khalil Gibran. This attention particularly touches Régis Labeaume, who repeated this phrase during the victims’ funerals.
The inauguration took place in the presence of several relatives of the victims, Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume, as well as MPs Joël Lightbound and Joëlle Boutin.
