Tamils in Australia and New Zealand gathered to commemorate Maaveerar Naal, alongside Tamils around the world.
See photos from various events below.
Sydney
More than 2,000 Tamils gathered in Sydney this morning to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.
Each year, a make-shift Thuyilum Illam is created with the name and year of martyrdom of any family members of Sydney Tamils who wish to honour and remember their fallen loved ones in this way. The number of tombstones created has steadily increased year after year with a total of 230 Maaveerar remembered for their sacrifice today.
A large number of young Tamils participated in the event, a reminder that despite more than a decade since the end of the armed struggle and attempts to halt Tamil memorial efforts, the Tamil resistance continues.
In addition to this, Sydney Tamils have a monument at Rookwood Cemetery in honour of every life lost in the Tamil struggle for liberation. A group of Tamils also gathered here to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.
Darra, Queensland
Tamils across Wellington and Auckland also gathered to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.
Over 100 Tamils attended the Maaveerar Naal organised by Wellington Muttamizh Sangam. Attendees appreciated the efforts taken to ensure the preparations this year were more elaborate than the previous year and this was reflected with a greater turnout in Wellington yesterday.
Wellington
Similarly, large numbers of Tamils attended the Maaveerar Naal at May Road War Memorial Hall in Auckland. The commemoration event was organised by the New Zealand Tamil Coordination Group.
Auckland