January 20, 2009
Vigil planned to honor victims of Mumbai attack
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Carbondale and area communities may join in a procession and candlelight vigil to honor the victims of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, on Friday, Jan. 23.
The event begins in the Peace Park at the intersection of West Mill Street and Illinois Avenue (U.S. Highway 51 South), across from 710 Bookstore and near the underpass. The group begins assembling at about 3:45 p.m. The group will proceed along Illinois Avenue to the pavilion in Carbondale’s downtown square for a candlelight vigil. The vigil ends at about 5:15 p.m.
Anil Mehta, an SIUC graduate student and teaching assistant, helped organize the event. He said the message is peace. As such, political slogans and signs are not welcome either in the procession or during the vigil.
“This is about peace, that’s the bottom line,” he said. “We are focusing on the victims at Mumbai because it is easier for people to focus on peace when they have an event to remember.”
The Indian Student Association at SIUC hosts the event with the Art of Living Foundation and the Indian Association of Southern Illinois.
For more information, contact Anil Mehta at anil@siu.edu or at 618/203-4655.