Toronto Vigil December 26

Tamil Youth Organization of Canada, in partnership with several community organizations, is holding a vigil to remember the one year anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami that killed more than 200,000 in Asia.

The vigil will be held on Monday, December 26, 2005 at Albert Campbell Square (in front of the Scarborough Civic Centre) from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

The Boxing Day Tsunami left a trail of death and destruction from Indonesia to Somalia. Over 200,000 people died and over 5,000,000 people were displaced in over 11 countries. In the North and East of Sri Lanka, over 18,000 people were killed and 500,000 people were displaced. The disaster also claimed the lives of several Canadians. This human tragedy has left a lasting impact on many communities in Canada.

Thirty-one members of the Tamil Youth Organization were in Sri Lanka during
the Tsunami and witnessed first-hand the effects it had on the people.

'Over the past year, hundreds of people have joined hands to assist these victims of the Tsunami in many ways.   This will be an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to continue to assist the hundreds of thousands of people who lost everything that they had and are still languishing in temporary shelters' said Meera Bala, one of the event coordinators.

Representatives of various communities that were affected by the Asian Tsunami will join the Tamil community in Toronto to commemorate the memories of their loved ones. Guest speakers will also share their experiences during and after the Tsunami.

Multi-faith prayers will be followed by commemorative songs and speeches.

The event is expected to be attended, in addition to general public, by community leaders, leaders of various organizations that have played a significant role in providing relief and rehabilitation assistance, politicians, and representatives of various communities.

For more information, contact Meera Bala, Event Cordinator at 647-401-4258.

* Tamil Youth Organization is a non-profit organization aimed at uniting Tamil Youth nationwide by acting as the central communication link and providing an opportunity for action to serve the Tamil community, both domestically and abroad. For more information, visit our website at www.tyocanada.org or contact us at 416-841-1013.