More than 100 people gathered at the Manitoba Legislature Wednesday night to honour and remember the victims of the Nanking Massacre.

An estimated 300,000 people were killed in China over a six-week period, and Wednesday marked 80 years since the massacre began.

"The Chinese community wanted to have a space to remember and honour the victims," said Jennifer Chen, who helped organize the event. "Countless women and children were raped during the Nanking Massacre. We want to raise awareness of the use of sexual violence against women and girls."

George Wong, who also helped organize the event, said the massacre has been largely forgotten and many Manitobans aren't aware of it.

"As we become more and more open to talking about our tragedies then we started to think this was a story that should be told so that we won't repeat those atrocities," said Wong. "Even though it happened 80 years ago, it's a history that's never been told."

'Huge part of history is untold'

A letter from a descendant of a victim of the massacre was read at the event, a moment of silence observed and a candlelight vigil was held afterward.

"This sharing of emotions and mourning and this process. It's positive for intergroup understanding," said Wei Xing, a professor at the University of Winnipeg who attended the event. "A few people know the history of the Second World War in Asia … that huge part of history is untold and unknown to the western society. It's not just about the massacre; it's about the memorial to those people who died 80 years ago."

Xing teaches sociology, specifically in the area of immigration and cross-cultural integration.

She said few of her students have heard of the massacre.

"I come here to speak and support the event because I think this is a chance to share the emotions and the history with Manitoba — the whole society. It's to promote understanding between the two communities," she said.