Students gather in the center of the school in memory of the victims.
On May 12th we met on campus for a candle-lit vigil in honor of those who lost friends, relatives, and homes in the Sichuan earthquake. While the ceremony was almost entirely in Chinese, it felt good to take part. The night started off with a few songs, a few speeches, and a video of a group of UIC students who went to help shortly after the earthquake. They then showed a video of Children who were happily going to school in a large trailer provided by the Chinese government (illustrating the resiliency of the region), sang a few more songs followed by a few speeches by students who are from the Sichuan province. A woman, who I was told wasn't from Sichuan (nor was the dance) danced on stage for two songs and then a large group of students came to the stage and passed around a microphone as they sang a song (which eventually included nearly everyone as they held tea candles and reflected on the event.
We concluded the night by signing a giant poster and heading home. I know that the event and seeing the support of so many students was especially touching for those from the Sichuan region. My friend Teddy - who I stayed with in Sichuan and took me to the earthquake area - had the opportunity to say a few words.
Teddy speaking to his classmates.
The song we all sang midway through the ceremony.
If you are reading this please take a moment to pause and reflect on the impact of the earthquake which killed more than 70,000 people who were in schools, factories, and hospitals...
People lost their family members. Their friends. Their homes. Their ways of life.
2 remarks:
Jon, did you fall off the Great Wall?
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