The First Family observed the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on 14 April 2012 in Government House. The sinking of the RMS Titanic, the most famous shipwreck in history, occurred on 15 April 1912 at 2:20 AM. The storied ship struck an iceberg just two hours and forty minutes earlier, a collision which jabbed holes below the waterline, damaging it beyond hope of repair or survival. As the giant vessel filled with water, the catastrophe was compounded by a lack of adequate lifeboats for the 2,223 people aboard. As the ship foundered 1,514 of its passengers and crew perished, one of the worst maritime disasters in history.
His Excellency, The President, long a student of Titanic history, directed that a remembrance ceremony take place on the 100th anniversary of the sinking. The event began with a viewing of a documentary on the discovery of the wreck of the Titanic in 1985. Thereafter, the evening meal was served, modeled on that of Titanic's second class dinner menu of 14 April 1912. The First Family dressed for the occasion in faux formal attire. Following the meal, each member of the family chose a boarding pass, similar to those actually issued to the original passengers, each with the biography of a real Titanic passenger on them. The boarding passes were to be read at the end of the evening with an eye toward who survived and who did not, to bring home the gravity of the event. After boarding passes were given out, there occurred a screening of the iconic movie "Titanic", a favorite film of The President and First Lady. At 9:20 PM, exactly 100 years after the Titanic sank (adjusted for our local time zone), a toast was made by His Excellency to the victims and survivors of the disaster. Thus concluded the evening, a solemn remembrance of one of the most tragic events of modern times and a celebration of the heroes, victims and survivors of the mighty RMS Titanic.
Titanic Meal.
Titanic Menu.
Titanic Ladies.
Titanic Gentlemen.