Communities across Canada, including Stratford, are coming together to honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Sisters in Spirit Vigils are taking place Thursday with organizers saying they are powerful movements of social change and the number of those being held across Canada has grown from 11 in 2006 to 212 last year.

There will be events held in Market Square in Stratford Thursday including a vigil at 7 p.m.

Anne Carbert helped organize the events locally and says it’s important to take time to honour those that have been lost.

“Different communities get together to honour missing and murdered indigenous women and show some support for families who are mourning the loss of those women in their families and communities.”

Organizers say that gatherings and vigils are also held internationally.