Campus Hosts Exhibit to Counter Violence

The Victory Over Violence (VOV) exhibit is on display through April 1 in the Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library, Room 355, to help raise awareness of the need to overcome violence.

The VOV exhibit consists of a series of 12 panels with pictures and information that address various forms and causes of violence, and suggest ways to eliminate it.  

UC Merced alumna Ushonda Wilson, who installed the exhibit, said its purpose is to stimulate a conversation in schools and communities about peace and nonviolence across all boundaries such as race, religion and culture.

“Victory Over Violence encourages people — especially young people — to identify and counteract the root causes of violence in their lives,” said Wilson, who graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in history. “Victory Over Violence is inspired by the universal principles of nonviolence and respect for all living beings and actively supports the United Nations’ Culture of Peace initiative.”

The exhibit is sponsored by the UC Merced Office of Campus Climate, the UC Merced African Diaspora Student Association and the Central Valley chapter of Soka Gakkai International-USA, a culturally diverse Buddhist association.

VOV is in line with the Office of Campus Culture’s primary mission to enhance the campus’s learning, working and living environments for all faculty and staff members, lecturers, postdoctoral scholars and students.

“Events like the Victory Over Violence exhibit provide our community an opportunity to learn, explore and be inspired to improve the world around us,” said Deidre “De” Acker, director of Campus Climate in the Office of Campus Climate. “This project also provides us ideas to make changes toward a more peaceful tomorrow at our own pace and during our daily lives.”

The exhibit is free and open to the public 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. A closing reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. April 1 in the Kolligian Library, Room 355.

For information, email Elyse Gittens at sgi4life1980@gmail.com.