Of Words and Walls final events include debate and dialogue

Of Words and Walls: The Anne Frank Project at Adams State University presents two community events in the SLV Federal Bank Theatre, located in the ASU Theatre Building. Connecting the Past to the Present will be on Wednesday, September 27 and Coming Together: An Evening of Dialogue is on Thursday, September 28. Both events are free to the public and begin at 7 p.m.

Connecting the Past to the Present is a two-part evening featuring a policy debate and a faculty lecture. ASU Model UN students will begin the evening with a debate about removing Confederate statues from public places, "Removing Public Monuments: Stamping Out Symbols of Racism or Hiding Away History."

After the debate, Dr. George Backen, associate professor of philosophy, will present a talk titled "How Should We Treat Others? Compassion, Autonomy, and Nazism."

"In recent weeks, our nation has been engaged in a debate about Confederate statues in public spaces and we’ve witnessed the reemergence of white supremacy in bold and public ways," said Dr. John Taylor, professor of theatre. "As ASU Module UN, under the leadership of Dr. Mari Centeno (professor of political science); and Dr. Backen address these important topics, this evening promises to be powerful and provocative."

On Thursday evening, the Center for Restorative Programs (CRP) and CIELO (Community for Inclusive Excellence, Leadership & Opportunity) will host Coming Together: An Evening of Dialogue. Join us and share your voice as we focus on nation-wide issues related to the question "What is our responsibility to one another?"

"This is an exciting opportunity for us to come together as a community and talk," added Taylor. "Guided by Luke Yoder of the CRP, we will have a chance to engage in constructive conversations with each other. While we may not always agree, we can listen to each other and share our own thoughts about this fundamental question of responsibility."

For more information about this event or the Of Words and Walls Project, please call 719-587-7382. This project is made possible through the generous support of Leslie and Maury Lieberman.

Tickets are still available for the Adams State Theatre Production, The Diary of Anne Frank. Dates for the play include 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23, 29, 30 and 2 p.m. Oct. 1. The theatre box office number is 719-587-8499.