Austria: Syrian war victims’ names read in 48-hour session

VIENNA – The names of thousands of Syrian war victims are being read out in Vienna, in a 48-hour session meant to commemorate all who die in armed conflict.

The Austria Press Agency says the Vienna part of the global event started Tuesday after beginning in Tel Aviv. Staged by Spanish artist Santiago Sierro, the reading will then move to London and end in Buenos Aires, with the aim of naming all known Syrian victims.

An estimated 400,000 people have been killed in the six-year civil war.

A total of 10 men and women are taking turns reading out the names in a darkened room of a Vienna museum. As they are uttered, the names also appear in white script on a black screen.