Mayor de Blasio has declared March 14, 2021 as a city-wide “day of remembrance” for COVID-19 victims.
The mayor announced the news back in January, reflecting on the past year and looking toward 2021. Like most things now, the memorial ceremony will be virtual, but New Yorkers are encouraged to submit the name and photo of their loved one here on the city’s website, so their legacies will live on online.
“It’s important that we have a day going forward in the future of the city to always remember what happened in 2020, to remember those we lost, to honor them, to honor their families,” he said. “And, of course, at the same time, remember all the heroism, all the people who did so much good to protect people.”
The date will be this Sunday, March 14, 2021, which marks exactly one year since the first COVID-19 death in NYC. We have lost almost 30,000 New Yorkers due to the virus since then.
March 14, 2020 was the day we had our first confirmed death of a New Yorker from COVID-19.
March 14, 2021, we will gather virtually to honor the New Yorkers we lost. You can submit the name and photo of your loved one at https://t.co/4S44AI3x1q. #COVIDMemorial pic.twitter.com/xXi1xdRpXN
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 8, 2021
“So, on March 14th each year, we remember also the painful lessons we learned but it’s a time to rededicate ourselves to making a difference and changing things,” he continued. “A day to look back, but it will always also be a day to look forward and say, how can we do better so we never lose people again, and we have a city that is there for everyone going forward.”
You can tune in to the virtual remembrance on Sunday beginning at 7:45 p.m. on YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter.
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