Public invited to anti-war event on Nov. 10 in Memorial Peace Park
Maple Ridge Friends for Peace is holding a candlelight vigil on the evening before Remembrance Day, for children who have been victims of conflicts.
The vigil will be held on Sunday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the bandstand in Memorial Peace Park, in downtown Maple Ridge.
“A lot of good people worked very hard, and many gave their lives, to put in place international laws prohibiting war crimes, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocides,” said Steve Ranta, one of the peace group organizers.
“We can’t let that system of laws meant to protect everyone collapse because of the selfish interests of very narrow segments of the international community. We hope that by remembering the innocent victims, our society will find the will to preserve basic rights for all. ”
Oosha Ramsoondar, another one of the organizers, pointed out that the past year’s casualties of war show the need for public denouncement.
“It broke my heart to read that over 750 infants had been murdered in Gaza in the last year,” she said. “How can we stand by and not condemn this? Not mourn the loss of these innocent babies?”
Participants are encouraged to bring their own small lights. Limited numbers of lights and white poppy wreathes will be supplied by Friends for Peace.
