List of largest peaceful gatherings in history
This is a list of the largest historic peaceful gatherings of people in one place for a single event. For brevity, only gatherings in excess of 1 million are recorded.
Imam Husayn Shrine, Karbala, Iraq
- An estimated 20 to 25 million people visited the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq during Arba'een in December 2013. [1][2][3][4][5][6]
- An estimated 15 to 18 million people visited the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq during Arba'een in January 2013. [7][8][9][10]
- An estimated 15 to 18 million people visited the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq during Arba'een in 2012.[11][12][13][14]
- An estimated 15 million people visited the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq during Arba'een in 2011.[15]
- An estimated 10 to 14 million people visited the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq during Arba'een in 2010.[16][17][18][19][20]
- An estimated 10 to 14 million people visited the shrine of Husayn ibn Ali in Karbala, Iraq during Arba'een in 2009.[21]
Funeral of Annadurai
An estimated 15 million people attended the funeral of C. N. Annadurai in Tamil Nadu, India in 1969.[22]
Over five million
- An estimated 14 million people gathered in and around Tahrir square in Cairo, Egypt on June 30, 2013 to protest against Muslim brotherhood president Mohamad Morsi, making it what was said to be the biggest protest in human history.[23]
- An estimated 5 million to 7 million people gathered for the funeral of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran in 1989.[24]
- An estimated 5 million people gathered in Sabarimala, India on 14 January 2007.[25]
- Over 5 million people attended a rally for World Youth Day 1995 in Manila, Philippines, to see Pope John Paul II.[26]
June 30 Revolution
Two to five million
- An estimated 5 million people attended the funeral of Egyptian President Gamel Abdel Nasser on 1 October 1970 in Cairo, Egypt.[27][28]
- An estimated 4.2 million people attended a concert given by Rod Stewart in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 1996-12-31.[29]
- An estimated 4 million people attended the funeral of Umm Kulthum in Cairo, Egypt on 6 February 1975.[30][31]
- An estimated 4 million people attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 1995 in Manila, Philippines.[32]
- An estimated 3.16 million people made the annual Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 2012 (1.4 million from Saudi and 1.75 Foreigners)[33]
- The Bengali gathering, called Bishwa Ijtema (World Gathering) of Tablighi Jamaat, converges followers from around the world in Tongi near Dhaka, Bangladesh and with an attendance exceeding 3 million people.[34][35]
- An estimated 3 million people welcomed Benazir Bhutto on her return from exile in 1986 in Lahore. The procession covered the 12 kilometer distance from the Lahore airport to Minar e Pakistan in over ten hours. The crowd accumulated at gardens of the landmark accommodated over 1.5 million people with queues of cars and trucks reaching outside the then city limits miles away.[36]
- An estimated of 2.5 million gatered in Warangal in India supporting the formation of Telangana which is conducted by TRS party.[37]
- An estimated 3 million people attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2013 on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[38] Over 2 million people also gather there yearly on the night of December 31, making of it the world's largest New Year's Eve party.[39]
- An estimated 3 million people gathered in London, United Kingdom on 2 June 1953 to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[40]
- An estimated 3 million people marched through Rome, Italy in opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in the largest anti-war rally in history on 15 February 2003.[41][42]
- An estimated 3 million people attended a parade in Boston, United States, celebrating the Boston Red Sox's 2004 World Series victory on 30 October 2004. The victory ended an 86-year drought of World Series championships and ended the era of the famous Curse of the Bambino for the Red Sox.[43]
- An estimated 3 million people attended the annual feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila, Philippines, in January 2008.[44][45][46]
- An estimated 2 to 4 million people are reported to have attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome, Italy on 7 April 2005.[47][48]
- An estimated 2.5 million to 3.1 million people attended the "Telangana Maha Garjana", at Warangal in Andhra Pradesh on 16 December 2010[49] to demand the formation of Telangana as an Independent Statehood.[50][51][52][53][54][55]
- An estimated 2 to 3 million people gathered to rally in defense of workers rights in Rome, Italy on 23 March 2002.[56][57][58]
- An estimated 2 to 3 million people attended the Iglesia ni Cristo's Grand Evangelical Mission at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Philippines.[59]
- An estimated 2.8 million people made the annual Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia (excluding unregistered pilgrims which were over 0.75 million, the number of pilgrims would then be over 3.5 million) in November 2010.[60]
- An estimated 2.7 million people attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2000 in Rome, Italy.[61]
- An estimated 2.5 million people participated in Art of Living Silver Jubilee Celebration at Bangalore, India.[62]
- An estimated 2.5 million people participated in a beatification mass held by Pope John Paul II in Błonia Park, Kraków, Poland.[63]
- An estimated 2.5 million people participated in the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade that took place in June 2006 in São Paulo, Brazil.[64]
- An estimate of over 2 million people attended a parade and rally in Chicago, Illinois, United States for the 2013 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.[65]
- An estimated 2 million people gathered in Philadelphia, USA for the Stanley Cup parade for the 1974 Stanley Cup Champions, the Philadelphia Flyers.[66]
- An estimated 2 million people attended the state funeral of the assassinated President of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman on June 2, 1981.[67][68]
- An estimated 2 million people are reported to have gathered in Madrid, Spain for a parade celebrating the success of the Spain national football team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[69]
- An estimated 2 million Hindu women gathered at the Attukal Temple in Kerala, India on 4 March 2007, making it the largest gathering of women in history, overtaking the record set by the same festival on February 23, 1997.[70]
- On 25 May 2010, an estimated 2 million people gathered at the 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to attend several concerts and street art parades celebrating the Bicentennial of the May Revolution.[71]
- The funeral of Bal Thackeray: 2 million,[72] and a 7 km long cortege.[73]
- On 25 May 2010, an estimated 2 million people gathered at the 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to attend several concerts and street art parades celebrating the Bicentennial of the May Revolution.[74]
- On 01 July 2011, an estimated 2 million people gathered at Green Square, Tripoli, Libya to show support for Muammar Gaddafi against NATO aggression. The gathering represented just under a third of the Libyan population.
One to two million
- Security officials estimated that 1.8 million people attended the inauguration of Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. on 20 January 2009.[75] Other estimates vary significantly, ranging as low as 750,000 people.[76]
- An estimated 1.75 million people attended a parade in Chicago, Illinois, United States for the 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox.[77]
- An estimated 1.6 million people (30 percent of Lebanon's 4 million population) gathered in Beirut, Lebanon on 14 March 2005 to demand an end to the Syrian military presence in Lebanon. This event is known as the Cedar Revolution.[78]
- The second largest Tabligh Jamaat gathering takes place in Raiwind, Pakistan which is attended by approximately 1.5 million people.[79] Since 2011 Pakistan divided the Ijtema into two parts and total 1 million People attend the Ijtema.[80][81]
- An estimated 1.5 million people were at 2013's San Francisco Pride,[82] in the wake of the Supreme Court decisions on DOMA and Proposition 8.[83]
- An estimated 1.5 million people attended the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, PA 2 July 2005.[84]
- An estimated 1.5 million people claimed the independence of Catalonia in Barcelona, 11 September 2012. More info: 2012 Catalan independence demonstration. [85]
- An estimated 1.25 million people attended a Papal mass given by Pope John Paul II in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland on 29 September 1979. The estimated attendance was about one third of the population of Ireland gathered in one expansive public area.[86]
- An estimated crowd of 750 thousand to 1.5 million people gathered in Central Park in New York City on 22 April 1990 to celebrate Earth Day.[87][88]
- An estimated 1.2 million people attended the Yoido rally of Sun Myung Moon in Yoido, South Korea in 1975[89]
- An estimated more than 1 million attended the funeral of Italian Communist Party leader Enrico Berlinguer on 13 June 1984 in Rome[90]
- An estimated 1 million gathered in London, England for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011.[91][92]
- An estimated 1 million people gathered in The Mall outside Buckingham Palace in London for the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II on 4 June 2002.[93]
- An estimated 1 million people participated in what is considered the largest procession in the history of New Delhi, India on 8 October 1970 in commemoration of Hans Ji Maharaj, led by his son Guru Maharaj Ji (now Prem Rawat).[94][95]
- An estimated crowd of over 1 million revelers attended Love Parade in Essen, Germany on 25 August 2007.[96]
- An estimated crowd of over 1 million Colombians gathered in Bogotá, Colombia on 4 February 2008 to protest against FARC.[97]
- On 1 March 1990, over 1 million protesters gathered at the headquarters of the UN Military Observer Group in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir to present a memorandum addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations demanding that Kashmir be given the right of self determination.[98][99]
- An estimated one million Catholics gathered for the mass at Saint Peter's Square, to celebrate John Paul II's beatification on 1 May 2011[100]
- An estimated 1.4 million attended World Youth Day 2011 (16–21 August) in Madrid[101]
Methodology
The methods of determining how many people are at an event vary in accuracy. Without knowing the method used and its error potential, estimates can be very inaccurate.Practically, for a gathering in an open space,five adults with normal body growth can stand per square metre with minimum movability. For more than four adults per square metre with the crowd moving without previously practised parade-discipline,there is always an ample chance of a stampede. An estimate made by an untrained observer of a large crowd is potentially the least accurate, as there is no methodological basis for the estimate, and it amounts to no more than a guess. Better is an estimate made by a trained observer. These are usually based on scientific principles and experience. Trained observers usually work for governmental or academic organizations.
Scientific analysis of photographs, video images, or both is usually considered to be even better. Based on the quality of the image, it is possible to do a physical head count or to estimate attendance based on the density of people within similar areas. This permits the estimation of people over large areas or where parts of the image are obscured. An extensive discussion of how images were used to estimate the number of attendees at the Million Man March can be found at the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University's website.[102]
The most accurate number is achieved when an actual count of ticket stubs, gate counts, or both is used. This system does have limitations as well. If the number is based on the number of tickets distributed or sold, people who get tickets and do not attend will affect the results. Similarly, people who get into the event without an actual ticket may not be counted. If the count is based on the number of stubs collected, those who get in without tickets will again not be counted, and there is no way to account for people leaving early, or leaving and re-entering using a second ticket.
References
- ↑ http://jafrianews.com/2013/12/20/karbala-ready-to-host-20-million-pilgrims-at-the-event-of-arbaeen-this-year/
- ↑ http://globemuslims.com/en/news/1867/karbala-to-host-20-million-pilgrims-on-arbaeen
- ↑ http://www.irdc.ir/en/content/37748/default.aspx
- ↑ http://india.shafaqna.com/topnews/item/11877-18-million-pilgrims-reach-karbala-authorities-estimate-count-to-reach-20-million-on-arbaeen.html
- ↑ http://en.shiapost.com/2013/12/23/about-20-million-pilgrims-mark-arbaeen-in-karbala/
- ↑ http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=490288
- ↑ "Shiites flocks to Iraqi city of Karbala for Arbaeen rituals". france24.com. France 24 international news. 03/01/2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- ↑ "زيارة الاربعين: 20 مليون زائر ونجاح امني كبير". Al-Alam. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
- ↑ http://www.shafaaq.com/en/news/4595-fural-al-awasat-operations-reveal-the-entry-of-17-to-18-million-pilgrims-to-karbala.html
- ↑ http://english.irib.ir/radioislam/news/islam-in-asia/item/85314-about-18-million-devotees-commemorate-arbaeen-in-karbala
- ↑ "محافظ كربلاء لـ[أين] :عدد زوار الاربعين للمحافظة تجاوز الـ[18] مليون زائر بينهم [350] الف زائر عربي". alliraqnews. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
- ↑ http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/01/14/188201.html
- ↑ http://www.newsabah.com/ar/2466/26/87606/kerbala-arbaeen.htm?tpl=52
- ↑ http://arabia.msn.com/news/technology/technology-around-web/155193/shiites-throng-karbala-for-arbaeen-de/
- ↑ http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=222695
- ↑ "El Paso Inc". El Paso Inc. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ uberVU - social comments (2010-02-05). "Friday: 46 Iraqis, 1 Syrian Killed; 169 Iraqis Wounded - Antiwar.com". Original.antiwar.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ Aljazeera. "alJazeera Magazine - 41 Martyrs as More than thousand People Mark 'Arbaeen' in Holy Karbala". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ "Powerful Explosions Kill More Than 40 Shi'ite Pilgrims in Karbala | Middle East | English". .voanews.com. 2010-02-05. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ Hanun, Abdelamir (2010-02-05). "Blast in crowd kills 41 Shiite pilgrims in Iraq". News.smh.com.au. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ "10 mln pilgrims commemorate Arbaeen". Presstv.com. 2009-02-16. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ Guinness Book Records, 1986 UK edition, Religions, accidents and disasters, p.219. Largest funeral : The funeral of the charismatic CN Annadurai (died 3 February 1969), Madras chief minister, was, according to a police estimate, attended by 15 million people.
- ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/30/us-egypt-protests-idUSBRE95Q0NO20130630
- ↑ Kifner, John (7 June 1989). "Amid Frenzy, Iranians Bury The Ayatollah". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "50 lakh pay homage at Sabarimala - India News". IBNLive. 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ http://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-Philippines,-1995:-Pope-dreams-of-the-Third-Millennium-of-Asia-2947.html
- ↑ Aburish, Said K. (2004), Nasser, the Last Arab, New York City: St. Martin's Press, ISBN 978-0-312-28683-5
- ↑ "Nasser's Legacy: Hope and Instability". Time. 1970-10-12. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ↑ "Largest free rock concert attendance". Guinness World Records Corporate. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- ↑ "Umm Kulthum (1898-1975)". Your gateway to Egypt. Egypt State Information Service. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009.
- ↑ "‘Umm Kulthum’ Celebrates Egypt’s ‘Voice’", Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times, 17 October 1997
- ↑ Guinness Book of World Records - Largest Papal Crowd
- ↑ Saudi Arabia Embassy
- ↑ Uddin, Sufia M. (2006). Constructing Bangladesh (illustrated ed.). UNC Press. p. 224. ISBN 0-8078-3021-6
- ↑ "Millions of Muslims gather in Bangladesh". Reuters, UK. 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
- ↑ http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/oct/18bhutto.htm
- ↑ {{http://www.cinejosh.com/telugu-political-news/12485/trs-maha-garjana-super-success.html}}{{http://news.searchandhra.com/politics/25-lakh-people-attend-telangana-maha-garjana}}
- ↑ "Pope Francis Draws Crowd of Three Million to Beachside Vigil, but Not Everyone Came to Pay Attention To mass".National Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2013.
- ↑ "Pope Francis Delivers Mass before Reported 3 Million Faithful in Brazil". Fox News. FOX News Network, n.d. Web. 28 July 2013.
- ↑ "1953: Queen Elizabeth takes coronation oath". news.bbc.co.uk/.
- ↑ "Three million take to the streets in Rome". Wsws.org. 2003-02-17. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ "Iraq: 15 February - Italy - Over three million in Rome against the war and Berlusconi". socialistworld.net. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ 7 Miles, 86 Years Worth of Partying, Los Angeles Times, Elizabeth Mehren, 2004-10-31
- ↑ Abs-Cbn Interactive, Crowd swells to 80,000 n Quiapo - police
- ↑ QTV: Thousands flock to Quiapo for Black Nazarene feast, Gma News, 01/09/2008
- ↑ Inquirer.net, 2.6M devotees at Nazarene feast; 2 die, 50 injured
- ↑ "Pope John Paul II buried in Vatican crypt. Millions around the world watch funeral". CNN. 8 April 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-11-04.
- ↑ Holmes, Stephanie (9 April 2005). "City of Rome celebrates 'miracle'". BBC News.
- ↑ KCR fails to roar at Garjana
- ↑ .
- ↑ "People of Telangana losing patience, KCR tells Manmohan". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 17 December 2010.
- ↑ .
- ↑ Telangana Maha Garjana
- ↑ Telangana mahagarjana: Traffic blocked for over 20km. Half the people on the roads
- ↑ Telangana Maha Grajana: Traffic jam up to 35km
- ↑ Willan, Philip (27 March 2002). "Italian unions call first general strike for 20 years". The Guardian.
- ↑ Italian unions call first general strike for 20 years
- ↑ Dal corteo il servizio d'ordine annuncia: "Siamo tre milioni" (Italian)
- ↑ "Police expect up to 2 million people to mass up in Manila’s Rizal Park in the vicinity of the Quirino Grandstand on Tuesday during the "grand evangelical mission" of the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), but said there was no need to disrupt the signals of mobile phones as "no security threats have been received by authorities so far."
- ↑
- ↑ Avvenire, Tuesday August 22, 2000, pag. 3.
- ↑ http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/art-living-foundation-two-half-million-people-meet-world-unity-peace-578619.htm
- ↑ "Pielgrzymki Jana Pawła II do Polski". papiez.wiara.pl. 2005-04-24. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ "Sao Paulo holds Gay Pride parade". BBC News. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ↑ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-06-29/news/ct-met-blackhawks-stanley-cup-rally-parade-0629-20130629_1_blackhawks-faithful-grant-park-hutchinson-field. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - ↑ Lin, Jennifer; Steele, Allison; Ott, Dwight (October 31, 2008). "Million-plus expected for Phillies parade". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- ↑ "Bangladesh Buries Leader". The Pittsburgh Press. 2 June 1981. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ↑ "After the Assassination". Newsweek. 15 June 1981. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ↑ "Selección Española de Fútbol en Madrid". RTVE. 13 Jul 2010.
- ↑ Holy Cooking India Today - MARCH 19, 2007
- ↑ "Dos millones de personas, en un cierre inolvidable de los festejos por los 200 años de la Patria" (in Spanish). Clarín. 2010-05-25. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ "Uddhav collects Bal Thackeray's ashes". Daily News and Analysis (Mumbai). 2012-11-19. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ↑ "Live Blog: Bal Thackeray cremated in Shivaji Park, traders call for shutdown in Mumbai today.". India Today. 2012-11-18. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ↑ "Dos millones de personas, en un cierre inolvidable de los festejos por los 200 años de la Patria" (in Spanish). Clarín. 2010-05-25. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ↑ Fahrenthold, David A.; Schneider, Howard (20 January 2009). "Crowds Disperse as Obama Arrives at White House". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ↑ Ruane, Michael (January 20, 2009). "D.C.'s Inauguration Head Count: 1.8 Million". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
- ↑ http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2010/10/26/how-sweep-it-was/chicago-white-sox-victory-parade-21/. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - ↑ http://www.internationalrelations.house.gov/archives/109/dee072805.pdf
- ↑ "600 couples wedded at Ijtema". Daily Times. 21 November 2004. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
- ↑ http://tribune.com.pk/story/294886/raiwind-tableeghi-ijtema-0-5m-attend-first-session-amid-tight-security
- ↑ http://tribune.com.pk/story/298670/religious-conference-second-raiwind-ijtema-session-ends
- ↑ "San Francisco Pride celebration could bring 1.5 million to city streets this weekend", San Jose Mercury News
- ↑ "California Couples Line Up to Marry After Stay on Same-Sex Marriage Is Lifted", The New York Times
- ↑ Lyall, Sarah (3 July 2005). "Musical Cry to Help Africa's Poor Is Heard Around Globe". The New York Times.
- ↑ http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/politics/15-million-people-demonstrate-peacefully-catalonia%E2%80%99s-independence-spain
- ↑ "1979: Pope calls for peace in Ireland". BBC. 29 September 1979. "Before travelling to Drogheda he was flown to Phoenix Park in Dublin where he delivered an open-air sermon to more than 1.25 million people - nearly a third of Ireland's entire population."
- ↑ NY Times, 23 April 1990. "EARTH DAY 1990; Music and, Oh Yes, Earth Day in Park"
- ↑ NY Times, 29 April 1990. " Central Park, Bent but Not Broken, Comes Through Earth Day"
- ↑
- ↑ "1 Million Attend Berlinguer's Funeral" The Palm Beach Post - 14 Jun 1984
- ↑ "A MILLION turn out for Wills and Kate." Daily Mail, 30 April 2011.
- ↑ "Royal Wedding: In numbers" BBC, 30 April 2011.
- ↑ Duffy, Jonathan (4 June 2002). "Crowds cheer parade of nations". BBC News.
- ↑ Navbharat Times, 10 November 1970 (from Hindi original) "A three-day event in commemoration of Sri Hans Ji Maharaj, the largest procession in Delhi history of 18 miles of procession; it culminated in a public event at India Gate, where Sant Ji Maharaj addressed the large gathering"
- ↑ Hindustan Times, 9 November 1970 (English) "Roads in the Capital spilled over with a 1,000,000 processionists, men, women and children marched from Indra Prasha Estate to the India Gate lawn."
- ↑ "Love Parade Debuts in Germany's Ruhr". The Associated Press. 25 August 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
- ↑ El Tiempo, Millones marcharon contra las FARC
- ↑ "My Kashmir: Conflict and the Prospects for Enduring Peace". Wajahat Habibullah. p.74. ISBN 1-60127-031-3
- ↑ "Kashmir: An Unparalleled Curfew". Aqil Ahmad Azmi. p.76. On March 1, according to some estimates more than a million people, an unprecedented number, congregated in Srinagar demanding independence.
- ↑ "One million go to beatification of Pope". 2011-05-01.
- ↑ http://www.europapress.es/sociedad/noticia-cerca-millon-medio-personas-reciben-papa-cuatro-vientos-20110821092016.html
- ↑ Million Man March. Background Center for Remote Sensing (adapted from Boston University Press Release dated 27 October 1997)