Montreal’s rally for International Darfur Day brought attention to the inaction of the international community and common misconceptions about the controversy and violence in the region on Sunday. Held on the future site of Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business Building, hundreds of Montrealers partook in the rally, pressing for what organizers called “effective [United Nations] intervention” in the war-ravaged region of western Sudan.
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News, off and on campus.
Glazer discusses segregation, immigration, and education
Nathan Glazer, the prominent sociologist and professor emeritus at Harvard, delivered two lectures at McGill last week. Glazer is perhaps best known for Beyond the Melting Pot, a pioneering study of different ethnic groups in New York City that he co-authored with Daniel Patrick Moynihan in 1963.
CAMPUS: Just in case you had SSMU withdrawal…
The Students’ Society of McGill University is back and ready for a new year after a summer of hard work. But who are the personalities behind these photos? What do these power-wielders do with their three month break. Read through this handy guide to find out more about them and their plans for this year.
CITY: Religious talks disappoint
Organizers had high hopes for last week’s World Religions conference, which aimed to combat the increasingly negative perceptions surrounding religions. However, the event fell far short of expectations according to most attendees.
Barghouti postpones Canadian tour due to visa complications
A speaking tour of Canada by Mustafa Barghouti, a well-known peace activist and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was cancelled last week due to delays in the Canadian visa application process. Barghouti, who finished second to Mahmoud Abbas in the 2005 Palestinian presidential election, had been set to visit Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal – where he was scheduled to speak at the University of Montreal on March 21 – in a tour organized by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.
NEWS BRIEFS
Stair stepping for a cancer cure Step It Up for the Cure, a 24-hour stair climbing marathon, will have individuals and teams running up and down Molson Stadium on Sept 9 at 12 p.m. in order to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. One Canadian dies of cancer every four minutes, so the challenge to each participant is to raise $240 by running one set of stairs every four minutes.
CAMPUS: Activites night reaches new heights
Adding the Shatner building’s fourth floor to last week’s Activities Night received mixed reviews from clubs and services. According to Students’ Society Vice-President Clubs and Services Floh Herra-Vega, the decision to open the top floor was made because this year SSMU recognized more clubs than ever before.
BASiC hosts Lander and Huh at annual Ampersand Conference
The Bachelor of Arts & Science Integrative Council hosted the second annual Ampersand Conference last week, which focussed on creativity in the digital age. The four-day event featured addresses by Christian Lander, the founder of the popular blog Stuff White People Like, and Ben Huh, the internet entrepreneur who popularized Lolcats, as well as workshops on digitial innovation.
CAMPUS: Muslim students association still searching
Students walking through campus will once again pass Muslim students praying in stairwells and on fields as the ongoing dispute between McGill and the Muslim Student Association over providing a prayer space drags into its second year. The dispute began in May 2005 when the university declined to renew MSA’s lease on a prayer space in the basement of Peterson Hall.
CITY: Pedestrians take over city’s downtown
If your back-to-school shopping included a new pair of sneakers, Friday, Sept. 22 is the day to put them to use. For the fourth straight year, the city of Montreal will be participating in International Car Free Day, known locally as “En Ville, Sans Ma Voiture!” or “In Town, Without My Car!” by transforming its downtown core into a pedestrian paradise.