Hundreds of Calgarians gather to reach out to those in pain after Paris attacks

WATCH ABOVE: As Tracy Nagai reports, the feeling of solidarity is the common theme behind several vigils planned this weekend in Calgary.

CALGARY – Hundreds of Calgarians are paying tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks at City Hall Saturday night.

READ MORE: Canadian reaction to Paris attacks: solidarity, security concerns dominate

With a pen in hand, their tool to fight fear, many made banners of support to reach out to those in pain.

“I was absolutely terrified and so sad for them,” said Iman Bukhari from the Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I was absolutely terrified and so sad for them," said Iman Bukhari from the Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation.

“These attacks are an attack against humanity.”

The lives lost in Paris, strike a chord with so many in Calgary.

Paris was left devastated after series of attacks across the French capital killed more than 100 people and injured dozens more, marking the deadliest attack on French soil since the Second World War.

READ MORE: Paris attacks: Death toll in attacks could exceed 120; attackers killed

“My parent’s left Afghanistan, we left from there to seek refuge in France. It’s like home to me and then we came here to Canada, so I just couldn’t believe that was happening,” said Quais Amer, who helped organize the vigil at City Hall.

People have taken to social media with the hashtag (#) ‘YYC to Paris’  and also to the street, with symbols of support evident throughout Calgary.

“We are a multicultural country, so we care about each other, if one community gets hurt, the other one gets hurt too,” said Amer.

This feeling of solidarity, the common theme behind several vigils planned this weekend in Calgary.

“I’m originally from Ukraine and my country has been under attack as well, since last year,’ said Inna Platonova, who planned a vigil. “Every week, we see the horrible acts of violence around the world against innocent.

In Calgary, armed with words and the right to express them, the message is that Paris is not alone.

“We are for humanity, we are for all people. If you hurt people in Paris, you hurt people in Calgary,” said Bukhari.

French President Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency following the attacks, closing France’s international borders and deployed the military around Paris.