Amanda Cheek, News Editor
The Unity Walk will begin at the North Plaza of Campus at noon today and will end under the Clock Tower.
It will provide a way for students to gather for the demolition of the Berlin Wall replica that will begin at 1 p.m.
After a month of campus and non-campus events relating to the wall, including debates and participation in wall graffiti, the wall will be destroyed with sledgehammers and saws. This demolition will celebrate the anniversary of the destruction of the actual Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989.
“We’re focusing on social action for this event . . . to underline the important lessons to be learned from the Berlin Wall,” said Jacob Kohut, organizer and graduate student majoring in music. “Our understanding of ‘unity’ that we’re trying to express runs so much deeper than merely two sides of a city reuniting – it’s about the unity of the human race and destroying divisions both physical and imaginary that limit humanity’s progress.”
Although the wall will no longer stand on Mason grounds, events will continue to occur on and off campus. The famous German writer Peter Schneider will be speaking on Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m. in the Student Union Building II ballroom. The German ambassador Dr. Klaus Scharioth will also be visiting on Nov. 17 and speaking at 1:30 p.m. in Blue Ridge, room 129.
“Our own rally, walk and demolition invite students to raise awareness on our campus of current situations of oppression and injustice, places where walls – real or perceived – still exist between people,” said Heather Hare, Associate Director of Leadership and Community Engagement at Mason. “We hope that this event will inspire others to consider how they can take action to promote the removal of these barriers so that all people will benefit from the same freedom that we enjoy.”
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