Ashton awarded

 MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University celebrated the International Day of Peace and presented WIU Art major Rivers Ashton with the 2023 WIU Peace Award.

Sponsored by the WIU Department of Political Science, the College of Arts and Science, the Latin American Student Organization, AMPLIFY and the African Student Association, three student groups discussed reasons why people are displaced from Latin American and African countries. The event included a walk to the WIU Multicultural Center to deposit candles on an altar designed to honor those who suffer from displacement around the world.

For the first year, WIU presented an International Day of Peace Award to a student, Ashton, of Denver, NC, who exemplifies the ideals of peace and social justice.

"Rivers exemplify the ideals of peace and social justice we celebrate on the Peace Day," WIU Professor of Political Science Julia Albarracín said. "She spent countless hours making a drawing of 3-year-old, asylum-seeker, Jismary, who died on a bus sent by Governor Abbott to Chicago, to fulfill the little child's mom's wish to put the drawing on a monument. Students like Rivers make us proud."

The drawing was framed by the WIU Art Department and sent to the parents of the child.

For more information on the event or to nominate next year's winner, contact Albarracin via email at j-albarracin@wiu.edu.