It began with one mother, one candle and one hope.
Now, tens of thousands of people have pledged to shine a light in the darkness for Syrian refugees as a Scottish vigil spreads across the world.
Initially launched by Glasgow mother Alexis Stearns, in response to the tragic image of the lifeless body of a young boy washed up in the surf on Turkish shores, the candlelit vigils on Saturday will mark an international show of solidarity with refugees.
"I'd been talking to a lot of my friends and family and a lot of us were feeling quite helpless," explained Alexis.
"I watched a video of a family trying to get through an armed border. I could see they were hungry and desperate, but were being shot at.
"They were just mothers, desperately trying to help their children.
"I had put up a page on Facebook saying I was going to light a candle in George Square for Syria on the 12th of September and invited anyone else who would like to, to join me."
Around 14,000 people are now expected to join together in George Square tomorrow for the Glasgow Sees Syria vigil with close to 30 sister events taking place on the same day across the globe.
Commemorations will be held in Argentina, Brazil, Poland and Turkey, with four confirmed in Germany where authorities expect to welcome 800,000 asylum seekers this year.
In Scotland, vigils are set to take place at 2.30pm in Linlithgow, Stirling, Skye, Shetland and Orkney, with larger events planned in four of the country's largest cities.
Lasting right through until darkness falls, Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens, Campus Green in Dundee and The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh - along with the city that started it all, Glasgow, will all glow with candlelight as the public remembers the refugees who have died seeking safety from conflict.
So far more than 2,600 migrants are known to have died crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in 2015, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Collection points are also being set up across the country to allow people to donate vital supplies to send aid to refugees in Calais.
In Glasgow. Scottish Action For Refugees will collect donations of warm winter clothing, tents and sleeping bags at the St Paul’s Building on the corner of John Street and Martha Street.
Fuad Alakbarov, a refugee campaigner assisting Alexis with Scotland's candle-lit vigils, was keen to stress that all vigils should be held peacefully.
"We will hold these events not as a protest, but as a peaceful vigil in response to a very real human crisis," he said.
"We need to be humans first. Everything else comes second."
To find out if there is a vigil taking place in your area visit the Europe Sees Syria event page.
First published on STV - September 11, 2015
