On Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. on the Main Quad, approximately 30 students, faculty, administrators, and community members sat in a circle holding candles in a few moments of silence for the people killed in the earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25.

After the moments of silence, participants took turns sharing their stories about Nepal and the earthquake, outlining ways to help victims, and reading Nepalese poetry.

Sujata Singh, a Harris School graduate student who has family living in Nepal, told the story of how once she heard that the earthquake had hit, she was unable to contact any of her family members for three hours to make sure they were okay.

“Nepal is not just about Mount Everest and being a tourist destination. It’s so much more than that,” Singh said.

Another participant urged attendees to donate money and supplies via drive locations in Swift Hall, the Social Services Administration building, Ida Noyes Hall, and the Reynolds Club.

“We need more shelter, food, medicine… even a few dollars from us can help,” he said.

Dean of Students Celia Bergman told the story of how she and her husband spent four months in Nepal trying to adopt a three-year-old girl in 2009.

Shrabya Timsina, a second-year undergraduate student from Kathmandu, discussed how the destruction of so many historical, sacred spaces would affect Nepalese spirituality.

The event ended with a reading of a poem, first in Nepalese and then in English.