FAMILIES of the Victorian victims of the MH17 tragedy have been presented with condolence books, which are signed by mourners around the state.
At a morning tea at the State Library of Victoria, Premier Denis Napthine presented the books to loved ones of the 17 Victorians who were among 298 people on board the Malaysia Airlines Flight when it was shot out of the sky in eastern Ukraine on July 18.
“Two months on, the grief experienced by so many Victorians at the loss of family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, teachers, community leaders and business associates remains painfully close,” Dr Napthine said.
“A great many Victorians have expressed their heartfelt sympathy in the condolence books being handed over today.
The condolence books, bound into three volumes, run to more than 1,200 pages, representing more than 90 Victorian townships and communities.
A copy has been made available to the public in the Heritage Collections Reading Room at the State Library, forming part of the library’s manuscripts collection.
Condolence books were placed at local councils, public libraries, the offices of members of Parliament, the Melbourne Town Hall, Parliament House, the multi-faith service at St Paul’s Cathedral and at the State Library of Victoria.
Dr Napthine led a condolence motion on August 5 for the Victorian victims of the tragedy, acknowledging the loss of the van den Hende family, Frankie and Liam Davison, Emiel Mahler and Elaine Teoh, Albert Rizk and his wife Maree, Marco Grippeling, Gerry and Mary Menke, Gary and Mona Lee and Itamar Avnon.
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