Bright lights pierced the hazy sky Monday night as students gathered and released lanterns into the darkness, symbolizing their goal of illuminating the current crisis in Syria to the rest of the world.
Political science professor Cyrus Contractor said the issue of humanitarian rights was the evening’s focus.
“It’s a mess… with seemingly no end in sight,” Contractor said.
Before the lanterns were set free into the night sky, United Muslim Relief hosted a talk on the Syrian situation called “Light the Night: Lanterns for Syria” in the Rockwell Pavilion of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. Key speakers included Contractor, political science professor Eduardo Aleman and Shiyam Galyon, the president of the Syrian-American Council in Houston. The speakers gave their thoughts on the current situation in Syria before holding a general Q&A session with the audience.
Both groups are experiencing pressure from outside players, including the Islamic State, Iran, Russia and the United States. The government loyalist group, or the Assad regime, has traditionally been backed by Iran and Russia, while the rebel forces are supported by Turkey, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
While a series of talks known as Geneva II was held in 2014 with the intent of ending the conflict diplomatically, these negotiations failed, leaving the Syrian population hung between the violent factions that outline the crisis.
Both the Assad regime and the rebel group have been accused and convicted of committing human rights crimes, and the Syrian civilians bear the brunt of the casualties.
While the speakers offered differing views on the situation, the uniting factor rested on revealing and preventing the crimes against humanity that are occurring daily in Syria.
“I’m not surprised that everyone is confused about Syria,” Galyon said. “The atmosphere we have set up is not prepared to handle the current situation (in Syria).”
Political science junior and UMR president Dania Albaba spoke afterward about the harsh realities of the crisis and the importance of dispelling public ignorance.
“To me it’s about educating the general public about what’s going on because the only way we can get this (crisis) to stop is if we have informed citizens,” Albaba said.
After the talk, students were able to purchase the miniature hot-air balloons for $8 before heading outside for the releasing ceremony.
Students formed a circle, and designated lantern lighters set each lantern ablaze before it was turned loose to brighten the night. The result was a sky littered with incandescent lights, symbolizing the penetration of truth in a world where ignorance runs rampant.
All of the proceeds received from the lantern lighting ceremony will be donated to the United Muslim Relief’s fund for aiding Syrian refugees.
“I just wish the world knew how real this conflict is for a lot of us,” Albaba said.
Who went and picked up all those lanterns after they returned back to earth and littered the Houston landscape?
ISIS is funded by the CIA thanks to Obama. Turkey and Saudi Arabia also arm and fund ISIS. Thanks to Iran and Russia ISIS hasn’t taken over Syria completely.
Christians and Yazidis are experiencing genocide thanks to Islamic extremists and their allies(USA,Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel).
When will ignorance towards the PRESIDENT ever stop, bush didn’t get this much heat even though he had the country jacked up before he left office but you people praise him. Get over yourself
you put PRESIDENT in caps since but Bush with a lower case….
You seem to be an apologist for Obama’s terrorism against Christians and non-Muslim minorities in the Middle East.
1)Saddam was against Al Qaeda
2)Bush destroyed Saddam, Al Qaeda took over
3)Gaddafi was against Al Qaeda
4)Obama destroyed Gaddafi, Al Qaeda took over Libya
5)Assad is against Al Qaeda
6)Obama fights against Assad, arms Al Qaeda
7)Al Qaeda controls large parts of Syria, beheads and rapes Christians
8)Obama is the most powerful terrorist at the moment
Is Iran next?
Its okay if Obama does is a terrorist, because he’s:
a)half Black
b)Democrat
c)a minority
d)works for Wall Street
e)creates havoc in secular countries that are threats to Israel
Greater Israel:
It describes a large territory, “from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates”, comprising all of modern-day Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, as well as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Oman, Yemen, most of Turkey, and all the land east of the Nile river.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Israel