In Brief: October 17

Bowling Green, BGSU to hold Peace March

The city of Bowling Green and BGSU will hold a Peace March on Oct. 20 as part of a Reaffirmation Celebration of Not In Our Town (NIOT), a campaign to stop hate and build safe, inclusive environments.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the march, which will begin at noon at the corner of Main and Wooster streets. The march will continue east on Wooster to Thurstin, then north to the Bowen-Thompson Student Union parking lot, concluding at the front entrance of the Union.

A celebratory event will follow later in the afternoon at 4 in the Falcon’s Nest, where BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey will speak about the campus impact of NIOT and Bowling Green Mayor Richard Edwards will speak about its community impact. Gary Sanders and Leslie Dunn, co-chairs of NIOT on campus, will speak about regional impact, and a student government representative will speak about the world impact.

Pledge cards will be available at the event so that attendees can take the NIOT pledge, which says that a person will provide a safe and inclusive environment for friends and neighbors; commit to end hate and intolerance; not tolerate acts of discrimination; lead and live through example; and take a stand against hateful actions. Attendees can also sign banners in support of the initiative.

The city of Bowling Green and BGSU formally launched the NOIT initiative in April 2013 to affirm their commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion and to embrace and celebrate diversity.