Downtown Raleigh buildings to be lit up for nationwide pandemic memorial

"COVID has taken so much and so many dear ones from us," Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said in a statement. "Honoring those whom we have lost to this terrible disease is a way to bring communities together. I am honored to have our city join with others in this show of national unity and support for individuals and families who continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic."

The buildings to be lit up include Raleigh’s iconic shimmer wall, the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, towers along Fayetteville Street and the Raleigh Municipal Building.

The 5:30 p.m. event on Jan. 19 is being organized by the National League of Cities.

In Washington, D.C., a ceremony will feature a lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

People are invited to join the national memorial from home by lighting candles or putting a small light in a window and taking time to pray, meditate or reflect.

Houses of worship are invited to join the memorial by ringing bells, blowing horns or performing traditional ceremonies at that time. Businesses and building owners are invited to show their support by displaying amber-colored lights for 30 minutes or more.