On Sept. 21, ETSU celebrated the International Day of Peace by hosting a series of events in the university commons. With the theme of “End Racism: Build Peace,” students came together to encourage building a culture of peace in our world.
The Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, in collaboration with Model UN club and HASCA, hosted the events. Throughout the day students could take part in the celebration, taking photos and using the hashtag #IChoosePeaceETSU.
The day’s events began with a Peace Education Tabling from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Cave. This was followed by a Table Talk Discussion at 5:30 p.m, in which students held a discussion about peace around the world and what changes could be made on campus.
At 7 p.m. a Tie Dye station took over the commons area, leading into the ETSU Together event at 8: p.m. Across the university commons, students and guests could be found painting cranes, networking with student organizations, listening to music performances and enjoying refreshments.
As the day faded into night, the street lights were turned off, allowing the commons area to be lit up by a drone show. In a synchronized performance, the community watched as images of peace and school spirit were displayed across the sky.
The celebration came to an end with a candlelight vigil, where individuals could light one another’s candles and take a moment of silence to reflect. As the silence drifted away and the flames went out, the night officially ended with a balloon release.
