World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
Every year, the third Sunday of November is the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is held every year on the third Sunday of November.
The next World Day of Remembrance is on Sunday 15th November 2019.
This day focuses on both the overall scale and the individual devastation caused by road deaths and injuries and the impact upon families and communities around the world. Almost 4,000 people are killed and many hundreds of thousands injured on roads throughout the world every day. Many more have to cope with bereavement or the effects of injury and thus become part of the huge group of people affected by road carnage.
Planning an activity for World Day of Remembrance
In recent years many varied events have taken place, such as the march through the City of Bath to an open-air gathering, the Critical Mass of cyclists through London to the sites where someone was killed, or a Remembrance Concert with many bands in Johannesburg. Schools hold special assemblies, minutes of silence, or allow pupils to express their thoughts or feelings in essays and various art forms. People are encouraged to create acts of remembrance in their own way.
In religious gatherings of all kinds, the reading out of names of those killed and injured, the lighting of candles and offering of flowers or acorns as signs of hope, help the bereaved and injured to find expression for their sorrow and give them the courage to go forward. These meetings and ritual acts bring people together and make them appreciate that they are not alone.
You are encouraged to create acts of remembrance in your own way, whether in a religious service, remembrance ceremony, special concert, or other ways that bring together family, friends, schools and local communities
RoadPeace's World Day of Remembrance leaflet can be downloaded here:
A history of the World Day of Remembrance
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was originated in 1993 by RoadPeace as a response to road crash victims’ need for public recognition, which appears to be more readily given to victims of other types of crime, disaster or war. It is also a day to commend the work of those involved in the aftermath of a crash – including fire, police and ambulance teams, doctors, nurses and counsellors.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is now observed in countries in every continent of the world.
For more information about international activities visit www.worlddayofremembrance.org a website developed by Brigitte Chaudhry, Founder of RoadPeace and president of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR).
Events during August National Road Victim Month
The RoadPeace Wood
The RoadPeace Wood has been planted at the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, in memory of all those who have been killed in our roads
Every year on the second Saturday of August, during National Road Victim month, a ceremony of remembrance is held at RoadPeace Wood.
The next annual Ceremony of Remembrance at the RoadPeace Wood will be on:
Saturday 8th August 2020.
All are invited to attend this annual ceremony where we gather to remember together those who have lost their lives on our roads. The ceremony offers an opportunity to reflect quietly in the peaceful and tranquil setting of the arboretum, as well as the chance to meet others who have come to remember loved ones.
During a short service in the Chapel, names of those being remembered are read out from oak leaves. This is followed by a short walk down to the RoadPeace Wood where the oakleaves are buried amongst the trees. Refreshments are served afterwards until the National Arboretum closes at 5pm.
For further information please contact the RoadPeace office on 020 7733 1603 or email info@roadpeace.org.
A history of the RoadPeace Wood
The National Memorial Arboretum was founded by David Childs as a place where the lives of people could be remembered by living trees that would grow and mature in a world at peace. It is a 150 acre site on the edge of the National Forest at Alrewas, Staffordshire.
The RoadPeace Wood is part of this memorial with trees that are individually sponsored to remember those who have lost their lives or been injured because of a road crash.
Planting of trees in the RoadPeace Wood began in spring 2001 and the wood was dedicated on 10 August 2002.
Please contact the National Memorial Arboretum directly if you would like to sponsor a tree and dedicate it to a loved one at the RoadPeace Wood.
The National Memorial Arboretum
The National Memorial Arboretum is open between 9am and 5pm. Admission is free. Restaurant and picnic facilities are available.
For a map and travel details visit the National Memorial Arboretum website.
Liverpool Ceremony of Remembrance
Every year a service of remembrance is held in Liverpool to remember Diana, Princess of Wales, and all road crash victims
Every year, on 31st August, a service of remembrance is held in Liverpool to remember Diana, Princess of Wales, and all road crash victims.
The next Ceremony of Remembrance is on Monday 31st August 2020.
The service is held in The Lady Chapel of Anglican Cathedral followed by the releasing of 5 doves, on the cathedral steps.