Lamenting devastating attacks in Sri Lanka

As many were celebrating Easter Sunday and Passover under a beautiful blue Carolina sky and elsewhere, a horrible tragedy unfolded halfway around the world, in Sri Lanka. We are saddened and sickened at the scale of the tragedy in Sri Lanka, where more than 300 people died and another 500 were injured when churches and hotels were bombed. We at the Gillings School grieve with those who lost family, friends and loved ones. They also lost businesses, churches and any feeling of safety that remained 10 years after fighting ended in the country.  We continue to denounce hatred and violence and work with passionate commitment to make the world healthier and safer for all. We remain committed to being a place where we welcome, value and learn from individual differences and perspectives.

Some of you may be personally touched by this tragedy. We echo Chancellor Guskiewicz, in his message on Sri Lanka, in urging you to reach out for support if needed. Thank you, all of you, for everything you do – large and small – to uphold values of diversity, inclusion, respect and equity.
Barbara

The views expressed in this blog are Barbara Rimer’s alone and do not represent the views and policies of The University of North Carolina or the Gillings School.