January 12, 2011
It has been one year since the earth shook, one year since the ground opened, one year since over a quarter million souls left this world in a flash seen and heard around the world. And it has been one year that we have mourned, remembered, wept and prayed… but in this one year, we, the world, have come together. We have marched, we have given from our wallets and our hearts, we have taken the time to teach and to learn, and most importantly, we… have become a "WE.". Together, on this day of remembrance, WE have come together, whether in town halls or universities, churches or living rooms, to honor those who perished, with praise and joy, and remember them with the love they left behind. WE gathered with candles and poems, songs and dance, to celebrate their lives, and to reinforce a new, collective commitment to see the unseen, hear the voiceless and embrace the suffering. Together, WE close this year of mourning with a new found commitment to work together in solidarity.  WE ARE HAITI, and AYITI PA PERI.

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January 12, 2011
A message from President Barack Obama:

"One-year anniversaries can sometimes seem an arbitrary symbolic moment, but being reminded of the devastation in Haiti in the wake of the earthquake one year ago serves as an example of why they can be so important as well.  The First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden witnessed that devastation on their trip captured below, and as the President makes clear in his statement today, their road back still stretches far ahead:..."

Click here to read the rest of President Obama's statement.

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January 12, 2011
The Green Family Foundation participated in several events commemorating last year's earthquake in Haiti. Kimberly Green, the Green Family Foundation's president, participated in a Teach-in Panel alongside distinguished FIU professors. The university also observed a moment of silence at 4:53 PM in remembrance of those lost in the disaster. President Green also spoke at Hope for Haiti: Night of Commemoration event held in the Florida International University Ballroom. Following is a report of the day.

FIU Haiti Teach-In
The cast of experts ran the gamut, from the earth sciences to culture, and they were received with all due reverence.

The panel consisted of:

Grenville Draper, professor in the Department of Earth & Environment in the School of Environment, Arts and Society, who presented the latest geological findings and the potential for future seismic activity in the country.

Richard Olson, professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations in the School of International and Public Affairs, who discussed the current reconstruction efforts and long-term plans for Port-au-Prince.

Jessy Devieux, associate professor in the Stempel School of Public Health, who gave give an update on the cholera epidemic and address other critical public health issues. Alex Stepick, professor in the Department of Global & Sociocultural Studies in the School of International and Public Affairs, who discussed the ongoing displacement of Haitians and the migration to the countryside and abroad.

Eduardo Gamarra, professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations in the School of International and Public Affairs, who discussed discuss the recent elections and the current political climate of the country.

And Kimberly Green, president of the Green Family Foundation and rapporteur for the Clinton Global Initiative Haiti Action Network, who discussed the changes she has seen in the country and what she envisions for the future of the Haitian people.

Moment of Silence - Bells for Haiti
At exactly 4:53pm Eastern Standard Time, FIU joined the entire nation in a ringing of the bells to commemorate those lost in the earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010. It was a spirited if sullen affair; made all the more resounding by the knowledge that thousands upon thousands of others, throughout the country, were doing the very same thing. Following the ringing there was campus-wide pause for a moment of silence. To see a bustling university, the size of a small metropolis, come to a complete standstill in respect for their Caribbean neighbors, was a wonder to behold. As FIU began to return to business as usual, a spirited group gathered to watch a screening of the film Ayiti Leve by Tatiana Magloire. Shot in the aftermath of the tragedy and made possible by the Green Family Foundation, Magliore’s movie was a moving tribute to Haiti – and to Haitians – of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Hope for Haiti: Night of Commemoration Hosted by Bruno Phanord, Chairperson of FIU’s Haitian Student Organization (HSO), the proceedings included welcome remarks by FIU president Mark B. Rosenberg and Leonie Hermantin, Deputy Director of the Lambi Fund for Haiti, as well as kind and inspiring words from Sandy Gonzalez-Levy, Sr. VP External Relations and Chairperson of FIU’s Hope for Haiti Task Force and GFF president Kimberly Green, who introduced the film Ayiti Leve Kanpe. The Danny Glover-narrated and Jean Jean-Pierre-composed cinematic homage to Haiti, was followed by a monologue and dance from members of HSO. Mr. Phanord closed the proceedings with a fitting summation that encompassed all that had happened – and will happen, with a united and informed front.

Click here to see more photos of the candle-lighting ceremony at FIU

Hope for Haiti: Night of Commemoration
Hosted by Bruno Phanord, Chairperson of FIU’s Haitian Student Organization (HSO), the proceedings included welcome remarks by FIU president Mark B. Rosenberg and Leonie Hermantin, Deputy Director of the Lambi Fund for Haiti, as well as kind and inspiring words from Sandy Gonzalez-Levy, Sr. VP External Relations and Chairperson of FIU’s Hope for Haiti Task Force and GFF president Kimberly Green, who introduced the film Ayiti Leve Kanpe. The Danny Glover-narrated and Jean Jean-Pierre-composed cinematic homage to Haiti, was followed by a monologue and dance from members of HSO. Mr. Phanord closed the proceedings with a fitting summation that encompassed all that had happened – and will happen, with a united and informed front.

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January 10, 2011
On the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake that ravaged Haiti, Florida International University will host its fourth teach-in focused on the ongoing recovery and reconstruction of the island nation. Several other commemorative events, ranging from a moment of silence to art exhibitions, will also take place on campus.

The Jan. 12 teach-in features a panel of FIU experts, who will explore various aspects of the 2010 disaster, together with Kimberly Green, president of the Green Family Foundation. The presentations will highlight the current state of affairs and the ongoing problems facing the country.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the School of International and Public Affairs at 305-348-7266 or click here for a complete list.

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