Spring Break
Making the sign of peace
Lori Hanley, Daily Staff Writer
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Red, blue, green and yellow flags, each one-square-foot, adorned a table near the art building.
"Please come make a peace flag. It's free," international house director Leann Cherkasky Makhni shouted to students as they passed by.
Sponsored by international programs and services, Flags for Peace gives an early start to the third annual International Week taking place April 8-12.
"We are looking for signs of peace from all over the world in as many languages as we can find. We are hoping to get hundreds," Cherkasky Makhni said.
Two signs urged students to "pick a color flag, draw or write to express your thoughts and sign the guest book."
International students from Kenya, Singapore, Denmark and students from the United States drew flags that called for peace with sayings such as "Give peace a chance" and "Guns don't make peace."
"We are trying to do something fun to promote peace and unity," said international student adviser Samantha Lu.
Cherkasky Makhni said the event had already been successful, with about 40 peace flags made in the first four hours.
Flags for Peace was started at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, Lu said.
She said those who work in the international programs and services office read about the idea in its newsletter and decided to call the university for ideas.
"I think it is a great idea. It's good for people to stop for a minute and think about (world events)," said Khim Lok, the international programs and services office manager.
International student Amelia Han stopped to make a flag to promote peace.
"With all the recent things happening around the world, I think one feels a need to express themselves," Han said.
Junior communications major Mai Nguyen said she walked by the table twice before she stopped.
She said, unlike volunteering her time, making a peace flag was something she could do to get immediate results.
"I like this a lot. It is something visual that gets people's attention right away," said Nguyen.
Picking a yellow flag, she immediately began drawing red, blue and green stick figures, making peace signs instead of faces.
Within a few minutes, her flag was complete and hanging with the others.
Other International Week activities will include a study abroad fair, an international student workshop for jobs and careers, a fund-raising dinner at the International House and a pancake breakfast, said Louis Gecenok, the international student adviser.
During the pancake breakfast, international students wear traditional dress and provide international entertainment while serving breakfast, said Cherkasky Makhni.
Students can make peace flags today through Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Student Union.
