The STM unveils the Mur de la paix at Berri-UQAM métro station

Press release


 

The STM unveils the Mur de la paix
at Berri-UQAM métro station

Montreal, September 21, 2007 - As part of the International Day of Peace, Claude Trudel, chairman of the STM Board of directors, and G�rald Tremblay, mayor of Montréal, today unveiled the Mur de la paix, at Berri-UQAM métro station. Measuring 2.4 m by 12 m, the wall features the word “peace” written in the 34 languages representing the most important communities in Montréal, in terms of population.

“The STM wanted to pay tribute to the cultural diversity that distinguishes its client�le,” declared Mr. Trudel. “It is our wish that this graphics artwork will serve as a reminder of our society’s values of peace and tolerance for the thousands of people who will walk by the wall each day.”

The Mur de la paix was designed and developed as part of the renovations work carried out at Berri-UQAM station, in the corridor leading to the métro’s line 4 to Longueuil-Universit�-de-Sherbrooke. Instead of simply putting up another flat wall, the métro’s planning and engineering department took the lead and proposed an architectural wall covering consisting of twelve aluminium panels, each a different colour, giving the wall both perspective and rhythm. The concept was developed by the STM’s communications and graphics design team, in cooperation with the city of Montréal’s intercultural affairs department, who selected the 34 languages.

“The métro is one of Montréal’s strongest symbols. It is above all a means of transportation for the hundreds of thousands of people who use it each day. In essence, the Mur de la paix illustrates a dream shared by all humans of all countries and all cultures, a desire for peace along with respect for human dignity and justice, also felt by Montréal’s community,” declared mayor Tremblay.

“Through this initiative, the STM is reaffirming the importance of Peace in our daily lives. We hope that other companies are inspired by the STM’s lead and help develop, in their own way, a Culture of Peace,” added Jean Trudel, president of the Circle of Peace.

“The Mur de la paix illustrates the concept of a culture of peace, a vision of the world where universal concerns and individual ones come together by design, thus encouraging better understanding between people and greater respect for each other,” declared Mich�le S. Jean, president of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

Promoting this message of peace, the STM has reproduced the peace sign on 1.1 million CAM cards for September, as well as on 330 000 Planibus timetables for fall. Earlier this week, it also launched the second phase of its Voyageons en paix campaign, borrowing the Mur de la paix visual for posters to be displayed throughout its bus and métro network. This second phase rounds out the campaign initiated last March: Voyageons en paix : nos clients sont importants, nos employ�s le sont tout autant.

“The métro is widely acknowledged as one of the safest in the world and as one of the greatest achievements of which Montrealers are most proud,” concluded the chairman of the STM Board of directors. “The STM is pleased to take part in this international movement for peace and to promote it among its clients.”

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