Following the Paris attacks and Beirut bombings last week, students are hoping to recognize and remember victims of all similar attacks in 2015
PRINCETON - Following a series of deadly attacks in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad last week, two Princeton University student organizations have put together a vigil - a candlelight tribute to the victims of all similar attacks this year.
The vigil is held from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Art Museum Patio at Princeton University and organized by the Religious Life Council and the Princeton French Society, according to vigil's Facebook group.
The name of the vigil, "Tossed by the waves, but does not sink," is an homage to Paris' motto.
"This candlelight vigil is a campus-wide intercultural and interfaith event," the group's description read.
The groups invite people to remember and honor the 43 people killed in a double suicide bombing in Beirut Thursday as well as the 129 victims who died in shootings and bombings throughout Paris Friday.
Extremist group, the Islamic State has since claimed responsibility for both attacks.
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But the recent losses are not the sole focus of the vigil Wednesday. Students hope to remember the victims of separate, largely unrelated attacks this year in, "Iraq, Kenya, Somalia, Turkey, and beyond," the page stated.
In October, 102 people were killed at a peace rally in Turkey in a bombing the Islamic State claimed. In April, 147 students were left dead after a shooting at Garissa University in Kenya. Numerous attacks were reported in Somalia and Iraq this year.
For the students organizing the event, the objective is less about recognizing one attack in particular and more about acknowledging all attacks as, "crimes against humanity," the description read.
"We stand together in prayer and solidarity, acknowledging that the universal force of good is greater than the forces of evil."
The university had a separate vigil planned for Monday night in honor of the Paris attacks but canceled it to make way for Wednesday's event.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.