University students planned and executed two vigils honoring the victims of last week's terrorist attacks in Paris, Lebanon and around the world. The French House hosted one vigil Monday evening, and Student Council helped organize another vigil Tuesday evening.
In response to the attacks in Paris, fourth-year College student Radobice Fass and fellow residents of La Maison Français collaborated to create a meaningful event Monday night.
"After we heard about what happened, we made sure our residents were fine, their families were fine [and] we started to think about how to honor the memories of the people who were killed," Fass said. "Since we are the French House and we are the center for the French population on Grounds we thought that it would be good to have [a vigil] here right in front, so it would be a symbolic spot."
The vigil began with French music as students, faculty and residents of La Maison Français gathered on the porch and on the front lawn. Candles were passed to each attendee as students read speeches and poems in both English and French.
A second vigil was held Tuesday evening and was sponsored by Student Council, Global Student Council, Middle Eastern Leadership Council, the Muslim Student Association, La Maison Français and the French Department.
"After discussing with other student leaders we...decided that it would be best for us to memorialize the victims of terrorism that have occurred really in the last week, but just more generally the horrible incidents of terrorism that have been somewhat recurrent since earlier this year," second-year College student, Katie Brandon, Student Council legislative affairs committee co-chair said.
Student Council sought to provide an opportunity for the entire University community to come together and show solidarity for all the victims of terrorism, Brandon said.
"[It is] important for the U.Va. community to come together as a whole and recognize that these attacks are not just occurring here at home, but they’re also occurring in our allied nations and those that we may not typically think of when we go about forming memorials," Brandon said.
Scott Beardsley, dean of the Darden School of Business, delivered a speech in both French and English at the vigil, highlighting the recent attacks in Paris. Beardsley himself is a dual citizen of both France and the United States and spent over twenty years living abroad.
“[The attacks are] a reminder that we can never take for granted our quality of life and freedom in the large and complex world in which you, the students and future leaders of this world are being groomed to lead,” Beardsley said.
Following Beardsley’s speech, the University Singers sang the French national anthem, followed by a moment of silence to honor the victims of the attacks.
In addition to the attacks in Paris, over 40 people were killed in a double suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon the preceding day, President of the Lebanese Club Caline Shamiyeh, a fourth-year College student said. The bombing was the deadliest since the end of the Lebanese Civil War twenty-five years ago.
“We must actively work to condemn these acts of terrorism and prevent this sort of violence from being normalized as something that only happens in specific parts of our world,” Shamiyeh said. “Terrorism is the same, whether it is in Beirut or any other place, and each victim of these senseless attacks is as important as the next.”
While recent events have captured the attention of the American people, terrorism is not new to many global citizens, third-year College student Adrianna Taweel, President of the Middle Eastern Leadership Council, said.
“Through these attacks humanity has been lost and replaced with chaos and fear,” Taweel said. “We are forced to see what other countries have seen for years — a complete disregard for human life.”
Taweel encouraged attendees to work together for peace, awareness, empathy and unity to bring back the humanity lost through terrorism.
“In this time we must all cling to each other, to a community and to a glimmer of hope,” Taweel said. “No matter who we are or where we come from, tonight we must stand together and light a candle for the world.”
The vigil Tuesday was widely attended by students, faculty and members of the Charlottesville community. Almost one thousand people responded to the event on Facebook, and attendees nearly filled the amphitheater.
Fourth-year College student Kelly McNally said this was a time for students to stand in solidarity with one another.
“It’s important to stand in solidarity as a university and to come together as global citizens to respect the people that have lost their lives due to terrorism,” McNally said. “It’s a way to come together with your peers and sort through all the different emotions you’re feeling.”
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