By Xu Binglan

A memorial service and candlelight vigil was held on Sunday (May 18) at Harvard’s Memorial Church, marking the culmination of university-wide effort by Chinese students at the University to mourn the dead and to help survivors in the Sichuan earthquake.

Fundraising activities have been held since last week in different schools of the university.  By Sunday, more than $31,000 was raised.  Organizers are also in talks with companies for matching that amount, according to Li Gang, a key organizer of the event. 

 "If we have choice, I hope the money can be used to rebuild schools," said a donator at the event who donated $3,000 but would only identify himself as Wu.

Li, from Harvard Medical School, said it was also the organizers’ intention to use the money for education.

The Sunday service brought together about 500 people -- students and scholars from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as Harvard faculty members, American students and international students from other countries.

Church pastor Rev. Jonathan C. Page and Harvard professor in humanitarian crisis management Jennifer Leaning both called for support that transcends boundaries in face of a human disaster like the one in Sichuan.

Liu Jianing, ceremony master and also a key event organizer, said what struck her the most had been the support from people from all different backgrounds.

"You can tell that people attending are of different races, from different countries and have different faith, but they all came to this event because they all cherish life," said Liu, who is also from the medical school.

Among the participants were 15 Tibetans, who attracted lots of attention because of the tension between ethnic Chinese and Tibetans since the recent riots in Tibetan-inhabited areas in China.  Some Tibetans in the Harvard area had been holding demonstrations since March. But they have suspended the protests since the earthquake and have started to pray for the earthquake victims during their weekly gatherings.

The Sunday memorial service was a joint endeavor by Harvard Medical School, Business School, Kennedy School of Government, Law School, Harvard School of Public Health, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Harvard College. About 30 organizers pulled together the event during their final exam period, which is the busiest time of the school year.