National Ceremony to Honour Victims of Asian Earthquakes and Tsunamis
OTTAWA, January 5, 2005 -- The Department of Canadian Heritage today released further details about the national ceremony of commemoration to be held this Saturday in honour of those lost or missing following the earthquakes and tsunamis that struck countries in South and South-East Asia, as well as the east coast of Africa, on December 26, 2004.A public ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 8 at 12 noon (EST) at the Civic Centre, Lansdowne Park, 1015 Bank Street, in Ottawa. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson will take part in the ceremony, along with Prime Minister Paul Martin. Carlos Miranda, Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, will also participate. The Head of all diplomatic missions in Canada have been invited, as well as all staff of diplomatic missions from directly affected countries.
The national ceremony will be an opportunity for all Canadians to honour the memory of those who lost their lives as a result of these tragic events that have affected a great many people around the world. It will also be a time to express our hopes to recover those who are still missing.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will also include representatives of various faith communities and youth.
Everyone is encouraged to arrive early and to use public transportation, if possible, since parking is limited at Lansdowne Park.
Canadians will also be able to follow the ceremony on a number of Canadian television networks which will broadcast the event live.
Additional details about the ceremony will be provided as information becomes available and will also be posted on the Department of Canadian Heritage Web site at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca
Information:
Myriam Brochu
Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-9314
[ Media Room ]
