Events & Ceremonies

Events and Ceremonies – to ‘Remember and Reflect’

The message ‘Remember and Reflect, Remember and Respond’ represents the essence of our World Day of Remembrance.

“Public reflection is the act of recognition. It states to the victims and their families that their humanity is valued, that their loss is our loss and that their suffering is shared, if only through recognizing the tragedy and error of its occurrence.”    (Holocaust Memorial Day booklet 2007)

The World Day of Remembrance has been introduced:

…as the appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families
…to bring the devastating impact of road deaths and injuries and lack of support to the widest attention

Events to mark this recognition of the devastation and suffering can be held locally, regionally, nationally and worldwide.

These are some examples:

• Religious Remembrance services (inter-denominational or single religion)

• Humanist ceremonies

• Flower- or wreath- laying ceremonies

• Ceremonies and events involving the lighting of candles or illumination of buildings. A worldwide initiative – ‘A Light of Hope’  initiative – has been introduced

• Concerts and special music

• Conferences, seminars and workshops

• Marches or processions through cities with placards, photographs, candles etc.

• Ceremonies and gatherings at memorials

• Planting trees or flowers in memory

• Launch of internet memorials with tributes to victims

• Ceremonies involving reading of the names of victims or special poems

• Release of balloons, pigeons, paper boats

• Ringing of bells or playing of sounds

• Observing moments of silence– at specific events or nationwide at a specific time