Due to rain this event has been canceled. The lighting of the Green, decorated lanterns and most other components of the celebration will be included in the April 4 International Festival. Check back for further details.
“Ablaze: A Community of Light” will celebrate diversity and will include music, dance, fun activities and food. At UAB, it is a priority to celebrate the community in ways that honor the diversity of the UAB family and its connections to the world, says UAB President Ray L. Watts.
Participants will be able to display a commemorative light or personalize a paper lantern representing themselves; both will be provided by UAB. The evening will culminate with a short parade on the Campus Green, bringing participants and their lights closer together until a special decorative lighting finale illuminates the Green, signifying the power and beauty of individuals coming together in a celebration of unity.
This event is a meaningful expression of UAB’s Shared Values, which include integrity, respect, diversity and inclusiveness.
As they are central to our shared values, “we cherish the inclusion and diversity of people, ideas, races, religions, experiences, traditions and cultures on our campus and around the world,” said Assistant Vice President of Student Experience Mary Blanchard Wallace, Ph.D., who led the Ablaze initiative with a diverse group of representatives from across the university.
“We often say, when we know the people in and around our lives, we realize we are more alike than different,” Wallace said. “At the same time our similarities unite us, our differences can enrich us and bring us together. The exchange of unique perspectives and experiences among individuals that make up our community is invaluable to the growth and knowledge for which people come to UAB.”