A local couple is planning an impromptu gathering for Whistlerites to show their support for New Zealand in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shooting that killed 49 people on Friday, March 15.
The gathering is set to take place at Whistler Olympic Plaza on Saturday, March 16, from 8 until 9 p.m.
Everyone is welcome, said Nick Coward, who was moved to organize the event with his wife Rachel. "I'd like people to bring candlelight," he said. "If anyone's got a prayer or poem or a nice Kiwi song they want to sing—just to show unity. Show your support for people who are just like us and need a bit of support. Kiwis will do anything for anyone, it's become apparent to me."
Coward is from Australia and his wife is Canadian, but the couple has spent time in New Zealand and have many friends from the country. "I've been (to Christchurch), I can identify with the city," he said. "When something like that happens, it becomes surreal."
As a town that draws visitors and residents from around the globe, Whistler should celebrate diversity, he added. "Whistler is just as dependent on cultural diversity as anywhere else in the world to exist," he said. "There's more chance of me not being friends with somebody because they ski and I snowboard than religion."
For more information on the gathering click here.
