WM Will Honor Japan With Candlelight Vigil

By Amber Lester Kennedy Friday, April 08, 2011

Japan hasn’t stopped feeling aftershocks of the earthquake that devastated its northeastern coast, and the aftershocks are being felt on the campus of The College of William and Mary.

In an effort to show solidarity with the Japanese, the William and Mary community will gather for a candlelight vigil to mark one month since the initial seismic event. The vigil will be held from 8 to 9 p.m. on Monday at the Wren Yard. In the event of inclement weather, the vigil will take place at the same time and location the next day.

The vigil is co-sponsored by the Japan Recovery Initiative, Japanese Cultural Association and Japanese Language House. It is open to the public.

The Japan Recovery Initiative is a group of students, faculty and staff who joined forces soon after the earthquake to create an easy-to-use website that helps people choose a reputable source for donations. The group is led by William and Mary professor Hiroshi Kitamura, who can be reached for more information here.

Japan was struck with a 7.1 magnitude aftershock Thursday, the largest aftershock felt since the March 11 earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey. A tsunami alert was issued, warning of waves up to three feet. Across the world, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit eastern Mexico on Thursday. It was felt strongest in the Veracruz state.