Malta's candlelight vigil between Balluta Parish Church and Spinola Bays LOVE Monument in the name of victims of the shooting in an Orlando gay club on Sunday 12 June is underway this evening. The vigil is not only in the name of the victims in Orlando, but also in the name of recently murdered British MP Jo Cox, as well as all the other senseless deaths at the hands of intolerance.

This was insisted upon in a short speech at the beginning of the short walk by Drachma, the LGBTI group responsible for organizing the vigil. "We also honour those silent and forgotten and oft ignored by the world media because their sacrifice is of little news value."

During the introductory speech, there was also a strong message in terms of honouring people who have lost their lives migrating to other countries to avoid their war-torn circumstances, as well as people who haven't lost their lives, but are still "living in limbo" as they are unwelcomed in their new countries.

Present for the vigil were a number of private citizens, as well as members of a number of NGOs. Also present were the U.S. Ambassador G. Kathleen Hill; the Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil and PN MP Clyde Puli; Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof Arnold Cassola; Civil Society Network co-founder, Michael Briguglio; the British Deputy High-Commisioner; and the Archbishop's Delegate, Mons. Charles Cordina.

Photos by Jonathan Borg