Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund
Urbana University
October 29, 2007
Dear Friends,
We wish to express our sincere gratitude for your donations and ongoing support in raising money for the Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund. To date the fund has received contributions totaling $33,600 from generous donors such as you. As a result, for the past 3 years we have been able to provide speakers and programs for Urbana University and the surrounding community that promote and contribute to the cause of peace in the world.
This year we are sponsoring a very special visitor, an English literature teacher from Baghdad, Iraq, who will bring a message of peace to Urbana University, at least one area high school, and interested community members. Nesreen, who does not use her last name in order to protect her family still in Iraq, will attempt to “give a human face to those living in the midst of terrorism, war, and political violence”. She will be the keynote speaker at a program open to the community and free of charge, on Friday, November 16. The event will be held at 7 p.m. in The Honda Lecture Hall located in The Lewis and Jean Moore Center for Mathematics and Science.
Nesreen has been speaking around the country with Bruce Wallace, whose nephew was killed in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center Towers. A former high school teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y., Bruce worked with Nesreen to develop a program called One-to-One Contact that linked students from the U.S. with their counterparts in Iraq through e-mail. The overall goal of the project has been to “give a human face to those living in terrorism, war, and political violence and to allow students the opportunity to see how their similarities far outweigh their differences”. Nesreen states, “I am glad to speak to Americans because I always wanted to share ideas and feelings with different people – people who really care for what is happening in this world.”
This program honors the spirit of Alicia’s life in promoting awareness of our common humanity, which is the necessary foundation for peaceful coexistence, social justice and world peace. We invite you, in Alicia’s memory and in honor of her legacy, to join us for this very special community event.
Blessings for Peace,
John and Bev Titus, Parents of Alicia
and the Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund Committee
The Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund was established at Urbana University after Alicia, a United Airlines flight attendant, was killed when her plane was crashed into the second World Trade Center Tower by terrorists on September 11, 2001. She was 28 at the time of her death. She was the daughter of John and Beverly Titus, both graduates of Urbana University. John served as the University’s dean of students for 12 years and now serves on the Board of Trustees. The purpose of the fund is to carry out the legacy and spirit of Alicia’s life, by enabling Urbana University to sponsor programs that promote world peace.