Halifax needs to embrace its unique Titanic heritage - Letters - TheChronicleHerald.ca

The centennial is 10 months away. Belfast, where she was built, is spending 120 million euros on her anniversary, including the building of a nine-storey museum, to open in October. Japan is spending $1 million, although the exhibit has been delayed by the earthquake; and the U.S. has three travelling exhibits and new exhibitions in several cities.

Titanic.

One word — one knows. Generation through generation, she remains relevant and meaningful. She is always news.

A world icon, the greatest symbol of disaster, and the most famous ship and ocean story of all: The biggest, safest, unsinkable "hot wedding cake of a ship" on her maiden voyage hits a mysterious iceberg, and family, friends and strangers say goodbye forever. Over two hours and 40 minutes, she submerges into the abyss.

We care and we keep on caring. Thousands of ships have sunk and dozens of disasters have occurred and been forgotten, but our fascination with Titanic endures. Why? Many have ventured complex theories, but in the end, as Hammerstein said in South Pacific, "Fools give you reasons, wise men never try." She is what she is. Part of our everyday language, part of our everyday life.

Halifax has a unique relationship with the Titanic. From here, the recovery mission was carried out. There are 24 Titanic sites in the HRM, including the three world-famous Titanic cemeteries, where more victims are buried than at any another place in the world.

James Cameron researched and filmed several scenes here for his historic blockbuster movie Titanic — still the most watched movie of all time and the second most profitable.

There were 132 Canadians aboard the Titanic, including Halifax millionaire and philanthropist George Wright. And the wreck of the Samson, the supposed mystery ship of the Titanic story, is in Yarmouth.

For weeks, Halifax was the centre of world attention and, as local historian Alan Ruffman describes in his book Titanic Remembered: The Unsinkable Ship and Halifax, "Halifax was the focus of the world’s grief. Visitors from all over the world came to the Halifax graves … the universal shock was focused on Halifax …"

We must never forget that 1,523 people died that incredible night. However, something extraordinary happened over the past 99 years: Through 1,000 books, 20-plus movies, countless articles, documentaries, 80 commemorative stamps, hundreds of exhibits came the universalization of the story — a legend, a heritage, unlike anything else.

Canada Post has just accepted Titanic 100’s application for four Titanic stamps and the unveilings will be the biggest stamp event of the year. Titanic 100’s events include a conference, a wake and commemorative festival, and a memorial monument — the first ever for Canada. We expect many, next year, to make visits and pilgrimages to Halifax. Incidentally, the Belfast Titanic conference, two weeks ago, sold out. Halifax’s Titanic conference is planned for next April.

Halifax has authentic Titanic connections that no other city in North America has. She is us. I urge the city and the community to support the Titanic commemorations. This is the time — the once-in-a-hundred-years moment, the centennial of the most famous ship in history — for us to embrace our Titanic heritage.

As Bob Dylan sings in Desolation Row: "Praise be to Neptune … the Titanic sails at dawn."