Syracuse, NY – It has been 22 years since the Lockerbie Bombing took the lives of all 270 members aboard Pan Am Flight 103. While traveling home for the holidays, 35 students at Syracuse University died in the crash. Over two decades later the University and community continues to mourn the loss and remember the tragic events of December 21st, 1988.
Each year the University honors the student victims by dedicating a week during the Fall semester known as Remembrance Week. Between October 17th and 22nd events will take place across Syracuse’s campus honoring the victims and their families including:
- Panel Discussion on Terrorism over the next decade
- Camp Out on the lawn of the quad
- Acapella Concert and Poetry Readings
- Rose Laying Ceremony at the Wall of Remembrance
At a candlelight vigil Tuesday evening, student association President Jon Barnhart said, “Every year beyond this the people that come out are going to be younger and younger and farther away from the event. But it’s so important that we remember what happened because of what it meant to our family here at Syracuse. Because of how it hurt our family. But ultimately because of how we remember and how we healed together as a family.”
Remembrance Scholars
Each year 35 Seniors are presented scholarships to honor each of the student victims from the crash. It is a very prestigious honor at Syracuse and many students apply. Tim Biba received the scholarship award representing Eric Coker. Biba was especially honored.
“He was an economics major and he was a twin,” said Biba. “His twin brother Jason Coker went here and they studied abroad together in London for a semester. There Mother and Father lost both of them. I chose Eric because I chose to study abroad with my twin brother and I got to spend a semester with him. It was a really strong connection that I felt because of that experience.”
Emily Allen was selected as the remembrance scholar for Sarah Philipps. Allen has felt a very strong connection to Philipps and recently wrote a letter to her family. In the letter she expressed her sadness over the events as well as the things her and her fellow scholars are doing to keep the memories of the victims alive. This week has been a particularly tough one for Allen.
“It’s so much more than just a week of remembering,” said Allen. “It takes a lot out of you. It’s an emotional roller coaster all week. It’s hard.”
What’s to come?
Earlier this week Mayor Miner announced that Friday, October 22nd, 2010 will be Remembrance Day in the city of Syracuse. At 2pm there will be a rose laying ceremony at the base of the Wall of Remembrance in the heart of the SU Campus.
Additionally there will be a convocation at Hendricks Chapel following the rose ceremony Friday afternoon and students and community members are encouraged to visit the Schine Center Atrium to find out more information on remembrance week events.
Leave a Reply