HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo participated in the national Memorial to Lives Lost to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon.
The local leaders will turn City Hall and several other buildings the color amber at dusk.
Hidalgo made remarks along with other invited faith leaders. The combined Honor Guard from the Houston Police Department and Houston Fire Department also participated in the memorial.
The memorial took place in cities across the country and in Washington D.C.
READ: Biden calls for remembrance at COVID-19 memorial
The memorial in D.C. will feature the lighting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the illumination of buildings and the ringing of church bells in a national moment of unity and remembrance.
This was the nation’s first nationwide COVID-19 Memorial to Lives Lost, which was part of the Inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The event emphasized the importance of the past and remembers the lives lost to the coronavirus and gives hope to the future.
Here are the following buildings in Houston that will participate in the lighting ceremony:
- City Hall
- Partnership Tower
- The Wortham
- Jones Hall
- 7 Wonders (Theatre District - west of the Wortham)
- The Lyric Center
- Main Street square
- Montrose Highway 59 bridges/Interstate 69
- The Wharf (art piece in front of the GRB)
- Uptown Houston/Post Oak Boulevard
- George Bush Airport
- Hobby Airport
The city also encouraged all houses of worship and places of business that have bells to toll the bells at 4:30 p.m. in unity with other surrounding cities to honor the lives lost to COVID-19.
“It is important that our city and country unite at this time and reflect on the devastating impact COVID-19 has inflicted on our communities. A lot of families are grieving the loss of a loved one. Hosting a memorial and remembering people who died due to complications from the virus will be a nonpartisan event. I encourage everyone to join us by illuminating your building, ringing a bell, and watching the virtual program,” Turner said.
Watch the full memorial in Houston below: