 "Photo: Matt Andrew/ The Quad News")
Burt Kahn Court bustled with life on Mar. 2, as the Quinnipiac community opened their arms to welcome Greg Mortenson, the New York Times bestselling author of “Three Cups of Tea” and “Stones into Schools.”
“My goal is not to fight terrorism, but to promote peace through education,” Mortenson said. “Fighting terrorism begins with fear, but to promote peace is based in hope. The real enemy is ignorance.”
The event, hosted by the Albert Schweitzer Institute and co-sponsored by the department of women’s studies and the office of community service, attracted a diverse group of listeners from students and professors to locals in the Hamden community as well as business professionals.
As students began to file into Burt Kahn Court and the buzz of voices drowned out any chance of conversation, Mortenson was upstairs at a meet-and-greet reception. Jennifer Aldrich, a senior health science major, said she hoped to learn more about Mortenson’s previous work and completed projects. Much younger students were also in attendance, including one particular school that has been studying Mortenson all year.
“ Our student population has done some special projects, and we have a dedication for [Mortenson] tonight,” said Michelle Coogan, assistant principal of the Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School in Hamden. “Our students read the three versions [of “Three Cups of Tea”], and they all decided they wanted to participate in the Pennies for Peace project.”
A group of eighth graders presented Mortenson with a check from their own fundraiser.
“We collected $750 in pennies to give to Dr. Greg,” they said in unison.
As thanks, praise and handshakes were passed out freely upstairs, students continued to shuffle into Burt Kahn Court. The already packed gym was filled to capacity once the reception attendees entered the room. David Ives, executive director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute, said he was more than thrilled with the turn out.
“Having Greg Mortenson here is a real honor for the Albert Schweitzer Institute and Quinnipiac University,” Ives said.
Mortenson made his way down to Burt Kahn Court minutes before he was scheduled to speak and the room erupted with applause.
“Peace begins with the children and the students here,” Mortenson said. “And you are all going to make a difference here. Hope starts here. It starts with you.”
“Three Cups of Tea,” a required text for QU 301 classes, chronicles Mortenson’s travels through Pakistan and Afghanistan, and discusses his triumphs and struggles to educate women and promote peace.
While Mortenson promotes education for all, he emphasizes education for girls and women. He said educating girls can reduce the rate of infant mortality, control the population and improve the quality of life for the community.
Mortenson encouraged the audience to honor the tradition of storytelling from elders. He also said to stop thinking of peace as tranquil and solitary, because peace is often noisy.
“Today we’re trying to understand and solve something that is simply called poverty,” Mortenson said. “We have to touch poverty. We have to taste poverty. We have to smell poverty. We have to give poverty. We have to be with poverty. We can never solve poverty from a think tank in Washington, D.C.”
However, Mortenson remains optimistic. He believes we have the power to defeat poverty.
“It is through the phenomena we call community service,” he said.
Even with available community service opportunities, Mortenson said some students know they want to help but just don’t know how.
“Don’t set a goal and try to accomplish it,” Mortenson advised. “Listen to the people. See what they want and let them do it. You can help.”
Mortenson’s words of wisdom have left a lasting mark on many members of the Quinnipiac community.
“I really understand now that everyone can make a difference no matter what they do,” said Rebecca Eckerson, a senior psychology major. “I really admire Mortenson.”
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