This Wednesday is April 15th: the 7th anniversary of the 2013 Boston Marathon. That means it’s One Boston Day.

It’s a tradition we started to commemorate our city’s response to that tragic event. As a community, we turned our grief into a powerful movement founded in peace, kindness, reflection, and hope.

Every year since then, we have celebrated One Boston Day through remembrance and reflection—and with acts of kindness, big and small. This holiday has come to represent our city’s spirit, our values, and most of all, our resilience.

This year, One Boston Day will look a lot different. We won’t be able to host in-person events or volunteer projects for One Boston Day this year. But in many ways, the positive impact that people can make this year is bigger than ever.

We’re calling on the people of Boston to do everything they can to protect their fellow Bostonians through #physicaldistancing. This is how we support the most vulnerable among us, like the elderly, and people with health conditions.

It’s also the best way to show our gratitude to everyone who is protecting others and keeping our city running during this difficult time. So we are asking you to join us in standing together while staying apart.

Stay home as much as possible, keep social distancing, and wear a face covering every time you leave the house. We’re also encouraging you to take time for personal reflection, and for spreading kindness.

I will be proclaiming April 15, 2020, a Citywide day of reflection, prayer, and unity.

We will be sharing opportunities to connect online with Boston’s faith community, with secular organizations, and with our local arts community— so that everyone has a chance to slow down, reflect, and share some meaningful time with their fellow Bostonians.

We are also calling on everyone to spread goodwill through acts of kindness you can safely do from home. We will be sharing ideas for things you can do over the next couple days.

And we invite you to share your reflections on the meaning of One Boston Day on social media with the hashtag #OneBostonDay. We need the #OneBostonDay spirit now more than ever. So I hope you will join us and help show what our city stands for.

We will get through this difficult time, together, as one Boston.