Community gathers for candlelight vigil for earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. PHOTO CREDIT: Eddie Melfi | Staff Photographer
The Multicultural Student Services Center held a vigil on Wednesday, Feb. 15 to memorialize the victims who lost their lives in the earthquake on the border between Turkey and Syria on Monday, Feb. 6.
At the vigil, Sean Rogers, the vice president of community, equity and diversity introduced Julia Al-Amir, a fourth-year student at the University of Rhode Island and president of the Middle Eastern Student Association, one of the organizations that organized the vigil.
Al-Amir said she appreciates the centers and individuals including the Multicultural Student Services Center, The Muslim Student Center and The Good Five Cent Cigar who joined the vigil to show support. Then, she talked about her connection with her relatives in Syria.
“When I was little, I grew up speaking to my family in Syria on Skype and seeing the joy and happiness in their hearts,” Al-Amir said. “I always dreamed about visiting them and to be able to see where my roots came from.”
Then, she talked about the biggest hardship the survivors of the earthquake have to face, losing their loved ones whether may be alive but under rubble or found dead.
“Over 40,000 individuals have lost their lives so far, including newborns who never had a chance to dream,” Al-Amir said. “Families are still stuck under the rubble as we speak. Everyone is used to seeing Syria and other Middle Eastern countries on the news but they forget that these people are human too.”
Waseem Bahra, a second-year student at URI spoke about what it means to be an activist. He said that Syria and Turkey are being recognized for the wrong reasons and that they aren’t shown in the “best light.” According to Bahra, to be an activist means that you take action and do anything that is possible to support a tragedy like an earthquake.
“A moment ago, I went to the Student Union to see if I could ask some people about the vigil and if they were aware that 35,000 people died nearly a night ago,” Bahra said. “Most of the people looked at me confused. Earthquake? Really? I think this reflects this sort of content we need to focus on.”
Rabia Hos, an associate professor in the TESOL/Bilingual-Dual Language Education program, recited a poem by a graduate student who was trying to comfort her friend who lost loved ones in the earthquake.
The poem explained the emotions of the people of Turkey as the earthquake started. The terror they felt as the ground tore apart.
“/The rubble rained while buildings fell,/” Hos read. “/Soon screams echoed in scenes of hell./ With thousands trapped in debris, many drown in rocky seas./ Had the judgment they have last begun, the final setting of the sun./”
Father Ephrem M. Kardouh at St. Basil Church in Lincoln, Rhode Island, led everyone in prayer for the lives lost and to support those helping the survivors who may have lost loved ones.
“May your spirit be with the first responders and neighbors, putting their lives at risk to help those around them,” Kardouh said. “Anyone assisting during this time of emergency. May you provide protection, energy and strength through your presence as the days go by.”
Warith Balogun, the president of the Muslim Student Association, gave a prayer asking Allah, or the god of Islam, to help and care for the families struck by the earthquake.
“Aiko Mota Allah Barakatuh to all my Muslims in the crowd,” Balogun said, which means God bless you in Hausa, according to Google Translate.
“Oh Allah, I ask you to protect all of the families affected by the earthquake,” Balogun prayed. “To provide security and stability, and donate food, water, or money to cover for those people. We ask you to settle a heart, filling it with comfort, peace, and happiness.”
After his prayer, the vigil ended with a thank you from Al-Amir.
“Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to be here with us in solidarity tonight,” Al-Amir said. “The gathering truly would have not been seen without you. I appreciate all of you and have a safe night and drive safely.”