"Three Years Later, UB Remembers Attacks"

Three years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, UB will hold a series of events to honor the people who lost their lives on that tragic day.

While students are invited to pay tribute at either of UB's two Sept. 11 memorials -- one outside the CFA, another on the Ellicott Creek bike path -- the main university-planned event will take place this Saturday at UB Stadium before the kickoff of the Bulls' game against Syracuse.

According to Vice President of Student Affairs Dennis Black, the pre-game show will include a Ground Zero flag presentation by local emergency first responders and Olympian Bruce Jenner. Along with a moment of silence, a large American flag will be drawn across the field as a jet flies overhead.

"The activities this year are focused on the football game, because the 11th falls on the weekend and we will have a large crowd," Black stated in an e-mail. "By building it into football, we will actually do more this year than last."

On Friday at 1:15 p.m. at 210 Student Union, Muslim SA will be holding a prayer service and ribbon ceremony, accompanied by a speaker. At 2 p.m., the Town of Amherst will be holding its annual Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony at Amherst Memorial Hill. The entrance to Memorial Hill can be found on the Ellicott Creek bike path, just north of the intersection of North Forest and Maple Roads.

On-campus, the Organization of Arab Students will be having a remembrance march outside the Student Union from 2 to 4 p.m.

The march will not be OAS's only event this weekend, as the group will be holding its Unity Weekend for peace.

"We're trying to create something that will represent unity and togetherness," said Mazin Kased, junior marketing major and president of the Organization of Arab Students. "It's an opportunity for different cultures to come together and learn about one another."

After its march on Friday, OAS will head with nine other cultural organizations to Darien Lake and on Sunday will host a barbeque in front of the Student Union.

Kased said he hopes the barbeque will bring together various cultural groups that might not mingle under normal circumstances. Last year UB Bhangra, Muslim SA, OAS and the Jewish Student Union all participated. This year the event has expanded to incorporate the Indian, Pakistani, Polish, Ukrainian, Bangladeshi and Turkish Student Associations.

Kased said none of the events are meant to be political demonstrations.

"This is not an anti-Bush demonstration, but rather a way for all of us to hold up our different flags and stand together for the same reason," he said.

Going to Darien Lake will give the different groups an opportunity to learn about each other and have some fun in the process, Kased said.

"The Darien Lake trip is a great way for the different clubs to get together and learn about each other's cultures," he said. "It's also good for incoming freshman and students from overseas as a way of meeting new people."

Sunday's picnic, which will top off the Unity Weekend, will run from 1 to 7 p.m. "I hope the picnic will help in building relationships and strong connections," he said.

Kased added he hopes to increase participation for events in the spring and encompass an even larger number of cultures.

"You feel good when you bring people together," Kased said. "It's not like a party setting -- you can just be yourself and come as who you are."