How Hillsborough touched the world
The world will be not only be watching, but once again offering endless support, as Liverpool Football Club pauses to remember the 96 fans that lost their lives at Hillsborough, on the 25th anniversary of the disaster on Tuesday.
A quarter of a century has now passed since the stadium tragedy unfolded during the FA Cup semi-final between the Reds and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989, and Anfield will commemorate the occasion with its annual memorial service.
In attendance will be the families who have had to persevere in the absence of their loved ones for two-and-a-half decades, the human beings who have exhibited a level of strength, character and resolve that demands the immediate respect of all who understand their story.
Fittingly, given the inspirational words of the club's anthem, 'You'll Never Walk Alone', the relatives and friends of the 96, the survivors of Hillsborough and those who witnessed what happened on that day have never been abandoned.
The support offered by the city of Liverpool itself was instant and everlasting, with Hillsborough an important and overriding subject which the residents of Merseyside will forever ensure remains at the summit of the agenda.
Beyond that, people across the entire globe - encompassing both football institutions and otherwise - have been moved to provide their help, their voice and their unyielding support in memory of and tribute to the 96.
Closest to home, the gestures undertaken by Everton during the past 25 years have been flawless, initially culminating in the poignant scenes at the 1989 FA Cup final derby, which the Reds won 3-2 after extra time, exactly five weeks to the day of Hillsborough.
In September 2012, following the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report, the Blues honoured the 96 with a series of remarkable tributes before their match against Newcastle United at Goodison Park.
Two young mascots brought the teams onto the pitch, one in Everton colours wearing No.9 and another in Liverpool colours wearing No.6, standing side by side to produce an iconic image of togetherness by displaying the number '96'.
A minute's applause was observed ahead of kick-off, while a moving montage of those lost was accompanied by the Hollies song, 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother', which has subsequently become an anthem in remembering Hillsborough.
Last month, Everton announced plans to implement a permanent tribute to the 96 at their home ground, where the 2014 memorial service will be screened, and current manager Roberto Martinez will deliver a reading at Anfield on Tuesday.
In the aftermath of April 15, 1989, support from Scottish club Celtic was immediate, with the Glaswegian giants arranging a benefit fixture against Liverpool at Parkhead - the Reds' first following the disaster - to raise funds for the families.
The scoreline was irrelevant, of course; the emotional atmosphere generated, beginning with an unforgettable rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone', forged a relationship between the two sides which continues to this day. Indeed, mementos were exchanged in memory of the 96 at half-time on Sunday, when the Reds hosted Manchester City.
Fans of German outfits Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have each organised notable tributes to the 96 in years gone by, and Borussia Monchengladbach supporters recently made an incredible contribution to the club's appeal for scarves from around the world to form a special sign of unity at the Anfield memorial service.
Thousands of people from countries throughout the world donated a club scarf to the campaign, including a number of members of parliament, as explained by Labour's Alison McGovern below.
Beautiful scarves from across UK given by colleagues to @lfc for memorial to those who died at Hillsborough #ynwa #fb pic.twitter.com/1gJGb8TOWi
— Alison McGovern (@Alison_McGovern) April 9, 2014
All scarves received before Tuesday, April 8 will be used to form an incredible visual tribute, creating the number '96' on the pitch at the Reds' home stadium ahead of the 2014 memorial service in L4.
Italy and the world-famous San Siro stadium was the setting for an historic Hillsborough tribute just four days after the tragedy, on April 19, 1989, as two of the continent's greatest teams paused to pay their respects.
With one minute of the European Cup semi-final between AC Milan and Real Madrid played, the referee halted the match for a minute's silence, which quickly morphed into applause and, ultimately, a poignant singing of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.
At the weekend, all English football fixtures began seven minutes later than the originally scheduled starting time, holding a minute's silence immediately before kick-off, as a mark of respect given that the semi-final in 1989 was halted at 3.06pm.
An additional tribute was arranged, as 96 prominent seats were left empty and covered with Liverpool FC scarves at both FA Cup semi-finals held at Wembley on Saturday and Sunday.
These gestures, tributes and moments of respect mentioned are just a handful of examples of the dedication and support which has been provided by individuals, institutions and groups throughout the past 25 years - for which Liverpool FC, the families and survivors are eternally grateful.