We protest not just to change the world, but to stop the world from changing us.

Today at Flinders we engaged in a peace vigil, organised by students and staff and led by chaplain Thích Thông Pháp. We walked slowly up from the Mall opposite the Religious Centre to the Plaza, where readings and prayers from various religious traditions were read. People were invited to light a stick of incense as an act of solidarity and prayer for the Burmese people.
We then processed down the hill to Sturt campus where we repeated the vigil.

Along the way we were joined by a young Burmese woman. She has been in Australia on a study visa for six years and daren’t return to her home country. “I did not think anyone cared about us”, she said after the vigil.

Even if it were just assuring her that some Australians do care, the Peace Vigil was worth the effort. Her presence certainly enriched us.

There will be another Peace Vigil for Burma next Monday, beginning outside the Religious Centre at 1pm.
Contact Elizabeth Young, elizmyoung@gmail.com, for any further information.