Emory University held a series of events last week in remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. The events included a discussion on conflict resolution, a Day of Service and a candlelight vigil.
The memorial events sought to “remember those lost in 9/11 and to reflect on the value of life,” Program Coordinator Rachel Cawkwell wrote in an email to the Wheel.
Conflict Resolution Event
Titled the Social Justice Dialogues (SJD), the service consisted of six individual student monologues by several members of the Emory Issues Troupe. Organized by College sophomore Emilia Truluck, approximately 30 students attended the discussion.
“This year, we decided to have a series of monologues read at the beginning of the dialogue to highlight the diversity of people affected by 9/11 and its repercussions,” Truluck wrote in an email to the Wheel. “My goal was to expose the attendees of the event to voices that they might not otherwise hear.”
Among the monologues were a BBC interview with a fire-captain who was in the World Trade Center; a poem by an Arab-American poet, Naomi Shihab Nye, called “Letter to Any Would-Be Terrorist” and a poem called “Albanza: In Praise of the Local 100” by Martin Espada about the undocumented, primarily Hispanic kitchen workers who worked in the Trade Center. The discussions focused on the common experiences of tragedy and how shared grief can be turned to healing initiatives. Moderated by Associate Dean of the Chapel and Religious Life, the Rev. Lisa Garvin, they were based on the attending students’ responses to the various monologues as well as their own reflections of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Candlelight Vigil
The vigil included a walk of silence to the flagpole on the Quadrangle, where candles were lit in remembrance of all the people harmed by Sept. 11.
The Interreligious Council (IRC) led prayers from five major religions on campus: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam.
“The vigil was not for only those who lost someone,” Cawkwell wrote. “It was open to the entire campus, and we also encouraged students to think not just about those who passed away on 9/11 but all those who have died afterwards in related or non-related large scale conflict.”
Day of Service
More than 180 student volunteers attended the Day of Service, which included service activities at seven different locations.
The service activities ranged from painting the nails of homeless women at Gateway Center to working on the trails at Kittredge Park.
After a brief orientation at the site, they served for approximately three hours. Afterwards, Volunteer Emory staff members led the students in reflection.
“Reflection is a staple of all Volunteer Emory events which precludes mindless volunteering by allowing students to share their experiences and personal connections to their work,” Cawkwell wrote.
For students unable to attend on Saturday for religious reasons, there was a smaller service and project held at Lullwater Park.
– By Joe Toledano
Photo by Andy Kim
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