In Halifax, there’s a lot of interest this week around the 100th anniversary of one of the largest maritime disasters in our region, the sinking of the Titanic off the Atlantic coast. It's part of the city's history, as cable ships were dispatched from Halifax to help with the recovery.
People can take part in numerous commemorative events in Nova Scotia, from visiting the cemeteries where 150 victims are buried, to attending talks, exhibits, musical performances, special dinners and book signings. Not to mention the re-release of the blockbuster movie in 3D.
You can even follow a real-time account of the disaster on Twitter with the hashtag #TitanicMMA starting on April 14 at 11:55 pm Newfoundland time. Other hashtags you may want to check out include #Titanic100 and #TitanicStories.
It’s pretty interesting that even in 1912, there was concern that the Titanic tragedy would turn into a “three-ring circus” in Halifax. It has since become a favourite subject matter of the film industry and part of our pop culture.
As a disaster response agency, there is much we can learn from this tragedy. Our sister society, the American Red Cross responded by comforting families and survivors, but we would surely be better able to respond at the local level today. We can also ask ourselves, given the enduring public interest in the Titanic, why some disasters continue to attract worldwide attention decades later while others disappear from the headlines in a matter of weeks or months.
What do you think? Are you still fascinated by the Titanic 100 years later?