In honor of the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, The College will join campuses around the world in commemorating the anniversary.† Student-designed wall segments will be displayed on campus between Lowry and the Oak Grove for the week of Nov. 9th.
A panel discussion will take place at 7:30 p.m. on the evening of Nov. 9th in Ebert Art Center and is set to feature Communications Professor Denise Bostdorff, Political Science Professor Jeffrey Lantis, History and Religious Studies Professor Joan Friedman as well as Kenyon History Professor Eliza Ablovatski and eyewitness Birgit Lindemann.
In addition to commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wallís collapse, the event is also an opportunity for students to reflect the social, cultural and political barriers present in the world now.† German Professor Beth Muellner describes the event as a challenge for students to explore ìother walls that exist in our world today.” It is a challenge that she believes is reflected in the forum speakers as well as Woosterís desire to embrace the global community.
Muellner, who studied in Berlin at the time The Wall was taken down, reflects on the moment as a formative experience, one she was fortunate enough to be able to witness first hand.† Recalling a sarcastic joke her father made about visiting her before the Wall fell, Muellner reflected that no one thought at the time that it would actually come down.”
The task of assembling the 10 wall segments that comprise the display has been divided among 10 groups of students who will meet on the weekend preceding the event, Nov. 7 and 8 in what Muellner describes as a ìweekend building spree.”
The event is sponsored by the German, Political Science, Womenís, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Art and Art History, Spanish and Cultural Area Studies departments as well as the new Center for Diversity and Global Engagement, the Cultural Events Committee and The Women of DenÈ.