Georges River Council will hold a COVID-19 safe 'No Domestic Violence' ceremony in November.
The ceremony will replace the council's No to Domestic Violence Walk which sees several thousand participants march from Kogarah Park to Kogarah Town Square in November each year.
Because of social distancing restrictions this year, Councillor Colleen Symington proposed the alternative COVID-19 safe event.
Councillor Symington outlined the details in a Notice of Motion she lodged at this week's meeting of Georges River Council.
In this, Cr Symington said that, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, council reimagine the annual 'No to Domestic Violence Walk' event in November into a COVID-19 safe ceremony.
At the ceremony, the names of domestic violence victims within the community who have lost their lives will be read aloud and remembered via an online broadcast.
Cr Symington also asked that a temporary public art installation at Kogarah Town Square honouring these victims be created to raise community awareness of the devastating impacts of domestic violence in our community.
A council report said that the proposal is consistent with the Council-adopted Connecting the Community with COVID-19 Safe Events Program, as well as with key objectives of the Georges River Council Events Strategy and the Community Strategic Plan 2018-2028 to increase community safety and a sense of belonging in the local government area.
The 2020/21 budget funds allocated to the 'No to Domestic Violence Walk' event of $24,650 can be reallocated to this COVID-19 safe event, the council report said.
Councillor Symington's Notice of Motion was supported unanimously by the council.
