Orlando pays tribute to the 49 dead

The city of Orlando is inviting the community to come together eight years after the Pulse nightclub shooting to remember and honor the 49 missing people. The event takes place annually on June 12 to honor the victims, their families, survivors, first responders, trauma teams and all those affected by the Pulse tragedy. On June 12, 2016, 49 people were killed after a man opened fire at Pulse nightclub, in one of the worst mass shootings in the United States and the deadliest attack against the LGBTQ+ community . Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer spoke Friday about how the city has changed in the eight years since the tragedy. Saying, “We are a more unified city. We are a more compassionate city. We care about each other,” the ceremony will be preceded by the ringing of the 49 bells of Orlando's First United Methodist Church, which will begin 16 hours. Bells is part of a One Orlando Alliance movement called “Acts of Love and Kindness,” inspired by the good deeds seen in the wake of the Pulse shooting. The movement continues to inspire the community to show support through the spirit of generosity. At 7 p.m., the remembrance ceremony will begin at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission to the ceremony is free, but a ticket is required to attend. To book tickets, click here. The ceremony will also be streamed for those who cannot attend in person. The remembrance ceremony is not the only way the city is honoring the victims during the eight-year commemoration of the shooting. A Remembrance Day blood drive is also being held. 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in front of Orlando City Hall and 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in front of the Dr. Phillips Center. The victims are also being honored with a display of prayer ribbons that were on display Monday in the Harry P. Leu Gardens and Orlando City Hall Square and will remain on display through Sunday. The exhibit, which comes from a Massachusetts philanthropic organization, features the names of the 49 victims written in gold on black ribbons and messages of hope on colored ribbons. Provincetown Community Compact, which introduced the ribbons in the 1990s to commemorate those who lost their fight against AIDS, have continually made and sent colorful prayer ribbons to Orlando to commemorate the 49 victims.