March 21, 2022
Media Advisory: UArizona to mark second anniversary of pandemic with ceremonies and memorial flags on the Mall
- What: The University of Arizona will hold a "Day of Memory, Healing, and Hope" to mark the two years since the coronavirus impacted nearly every aspect of campus life.
- When: There will be a morning and an afternoon ceremony on Wednesday, March 23. University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins will speak at the 9 a.m. ceremony, and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Liesl Folks will speak at the 1 p.m. ceremony.
- Where: University of Arizona Mall, just south of the Modern Languages Building
- RSVP: Media who wish to attend should email Jason Ground, jground@arizona.edu.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Two years after the University of Arizona adjusted its operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campus community will come together for a "Day of Memory, Healing, and Hope" to reflect on losses, recall lessons learned and celebrate resiliency with a memorial flag display and two ceremonies on the University of Arizona Mall.
A total of 2,800 white flags will be placed on the Mall, just south of the Modern Languages Building – one for every 10 Arizonans lost to COVID-19. Students, employees and members of the wider community will be invited to share memorial messages on the flags throughout the day.
In addition, there will be two commemorative ceremonies on the Mall. President Robert C. Robbins will speak at the morning ceremony at 9 a.m., and Provost Liesl Folks will speak at the afternoon ceremony at 1 p.m. Each gathering will include music, reflections, stories and refreshments. American Sign Language interpretation will be provided.
Media contact:
Jason Ground
University Communications
520-954-0715
jground@arizona.edu
The University of Arizona, a land-grant university with two independently accredited medical schools, is one of the nation's top 50 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Established in 1885, the university is widely recognized as a student-centric university and has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The university ranked in the top 20 in 2020 in research expenditures among all public universities, according to the National Science Foundation, and is a leading Research 1 institution with $761 million in annual research expenditures. The university advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships as a member of the Association of American Universities, the 66 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually. For the latest on the University of Arizona response to the novel coronavirus, visit the university's COVID-19 webpage.