On Monday evening, the world mourned with Manchester, England, as news of a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert left more than 20 people dead and 59 injured. Many of the concertgoers who lost their lives were children. Since then, countless memorials and vigils have been held honoring their memories.
Pope Francis offered his condolences to the Manchester attack victims, calling it a “senseless act of violence.” Hours before, he had his first formal audience with US President Donald Trump at the Vatican where they exchanged thoughtful words and gifts. Trump gave the pope a collection of books by Martin Luther King Jr., and the pope returned a copy of his writings on climate change and an emblem of an olive tree, representing the need to pursue peace.
In a peaceful protest in Texas, activists dressed as characters from the Netflix original series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which tells the story of a woman who is forced to live as a concubine under a twisted, fundamentalist dictatorship. The activists stood in the Texas Capitol Rotunda wearing white bonnets and red capes as they protested SB8, a bill that approves new abortion restrictions.
Meanwhile, LGBT communities in Taiwan and Lebanon marked important milestones. Taiwan became the first Asian country to approve same-sex marriage and Lebanon celebrated its first ever pride week.
Global Citizen brings you these compelling images and more from events that have unraveled this past week.
People attend a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England May 23, 2017, the day after the suicide attack at an Ariana Grande concert that left 22 people dead as it ended on Monday night.
1) Terror Attack in Manchester: People attend a vigil in Albert Square, Manchester, England, May 23, 2017, the day after the suicide attack at an Ariana Grande concert that left 22 people dead as it ended on Monday night.
Renee Rachel Black, right, is comforted by Sadiq Patel in front of flower tributes at Albert Square central Manchester, England Wednesday May 24 2017. Police confirmed that more than 20 people were killed in an explosion following a Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena late Monday evening. Britons will find armed troops at vital locations Wednesday after the official threat level was raised to its highest point.
2) Manchester Memorial: Renee Rachel Black, right, is comforted by Sadiq Patel in front of flower tributes at Albert Square central Manchester, England, May 24 2017. Police confirmed that more than 20 people were killed in an explosion following a Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena late Monday evening.
Family members celebrate as they embrace a relative, one of the released kidnapped schoolgirls, in Abuja, Nigeria, Saturday, May 20, 2017. The 82 Nigerian schoolgirls recently released after more than three years in Boko Haram captivity reunited with their families for the first time Saturday, as anxious parents looked for signs of how deeply the extremists had changed their daughters' lives.
3) Nigeria Schoolgirls: Family members celebrate as they embrace a relative, one of the released kidnapped schoolgirls, in Abuja, Nigeria, May 20, 2017. The 82 Nigerian schoolgirls recently released after more than three years in Boko Haram captivity reunited with their families for the first time Saturday, as anxious parents looked for signs of how deeply the extremists had changed their daughters' lives.
4) Iranian Election: A supporter of newly re-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani flashes the sign for victory as he takes to the streets to celebrate his victory in downtown Tehran on May 20, 2017. Iran has chosen the 'path of engagement with the world' and rejected extremism, President Hassan Rouhani said following his resounding re-election victory.
A medical doctor embraces Bolivarian National Guard during an anti-government protest by doctors in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 22, 2017. The doctor was pleading with the Guardsmen not to repress their demonstration, but the water cannon behind them opened up on the demonstration.
5) Venezuela Protests: A medical doctor embraces Bolivarian National Guard during an anti-government protest by doctors in Caracas, Venezuela, May 22, 2017. The doctor was pleading with the Guardsmen not to repress their demonstration, but the water cannon behind them opened up on the demonstration.
Activists dressed as characters from "The Handmaid's Tale" chant in the Texas Capitol Rotunda as they protest SB8, a bill that would require health care facilities, including hospitals and abortion clinics, to bury or cremate any fetal remains whether from abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth, and they would be banned from donating aborted fetal tissue to medical researchers, Tuesday, May 23, 2017, in Austin.
6) Texas Women's Protest: Activists dressed as characters from "The Handmaid's Tale" chant in the Texas Capitol Rotunda as they protest SB8, a bill that would require health care facilities, including hospitals and abortion clinics, to bury or cremate any fetal remains whether from abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth, and they would be banned from donating aborted fetal tissue to medical researchers, May 23, 2017, in Austin.
7) President Trump and Pope Francis: President Donald Trump and Wife Melania Trump meet Pope Francis, on May 22, 2017 in Vatican City.
8) Israeli Solider: A member of the Israeli forces reads as he waits for the arrival of the US President and the First Lady at Ben Gourion airport in Tel Aviv on May 22, 2017.
Same-sex marriage supporters wave rainbow Taiwan flags after the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan, May 24, 2017. Taiwan's Constitutional Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage on Wednesday, making the island the first place in Asia to recognize gay unions.
9) Taiwan Same-Sex Marriage: Same-sex marriage supporters wave rainbow Taiwan flags after the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan, May 24, 2017. Taiwan's Constitutional Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage on Wednesday, making the island the first place in Asia to recognize gay unions.
10) Afghanistan: In this photograph taken on May 21, 2017, a burqa-clad Afghan woman makes her way through the old part of Herat.
11) Trump in Israel: President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalems Old City on May 22, 2017.
12) Refugees: Refugees and migrants are seen swimming and yelling for assitance from crewmembers from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) 'Phoenix' vessel after a wooden boat bound for Italy carrying more than 500 people capsized on May 24, 2017 off Lampedusa, Italy. The 'Phoenix' vessel rescued 603 people after one of three wooden boats partially capsized leaving more than 30 people dead. Numbers of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy has risen since the same time last year with more than 43,000 people recorded so far in 2017. In an attempt to slow the flow of migrants Italy recently signed a deal with Libya, Chad and Niger outlining a plan to increase border controls and add new reception centers in the African nations, which are key transit points for migrants heading to Italy. MOAS is a Malta based NGO dedicated to providing professional search-and-rescue assistance to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. Since the start of the year MOAS have rescued and assisted 3572 people and are currently patrolling and running rescue operations in international waters off the coast of Libya.
13) Festival in Japan: In this picture taken on May 21, 2017, a couple dressed in traditional Japanese costume walk along a street during the Sanja Matsuri festival in Tokyo. Over 1.5 million people flocked to Tokyo's Asakusa district during the three-day annual festival, which heralds the coming of summer in the Japanese capital.
14) Beirut Pride: Members of Lebanon's LGBTQ community attend a picnic the coastal city of Batroun, north of Beirut, on May 21, 2017, as part of the Beirut Pride week aimed at raising awarness about the rights of the community.