Two AU clubs on opposite sides of the political spectrum, Students for Justice in Palestine and AU Students for Israel, tabled on the main quad Tuesday on behalf of one cause: Frisbee.
Chelsea Lund, a senior in the School of International Service, brought together many of AU's clubs to support the union of sports and conflict resolution. Ultimate Peace is an organization that promotes peace in the Middle East through Frisbee games.
"[Ultimate Frisbee] is about the team on both sides, supporting each other," she said. "If there's a foul called, you admit it; it's about honesty and it's about working with your teammates and the other team."
As a member of AU's Ultimate Frisbee team, Lund invited her teammates to play a match at the event, in addition to the several clubs that tabled nearby. OneVoice, an international grassroots movement for negotiation between Palestine and Israel, and AU's Community Action and Social Justice Coalition were also participants.
Most of the clubs at the event participated in activities together previously, but this was the first chance for several of the on-campus clubs focused on Israel and Palestine issues to co-sponsor a social event, according to Lund.
Rachel Weingartner, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a Students for Justice in Palestine member, said the event sounded like a good opportunity.
Nick Haras, a first-year graduate student in the SIS International Communication program, participated in Students for Justice in Palestine during his four undergraduate years at AU and continues to do so as a graduate student.
"In Lebanon, for example, soccer matches were used prior to the civil war to try to bring Muslim-Christian reconciliation," he said. "Sports allow people to interact with each other and to compete, to get out a lot of energy in a context that doesn't turn violent."
All the clubs present addressed some aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Lauren Barr, the president of the OneVoice Movement at AU and a sophomore in SIS and CAS, said the OneVoice Movement had not worked with the Ultimate Frisbee team before.
"It's exciting that we've partnered with them, it's kind of fun to cross boundaries that usually aren't related," Barr said.
The biggest mishap of the event was a late start, Lund said, but the clubs were able to stay late so students leaving class had a chance to see everything.
"I was excited to see so many people show up for the tabling, that was the part that I thought would be the hardest," she said. "I also got a great Frisbee game going, which was the whole point of the event."
Lund is also arranging a D.C.-wide Frisbee game March 22 on the National Mall. Club teams and individuals can sign up and pay $10, which will go towards Ultimate Peace.
You can reach this staff writer at klitvin@theeagleonline.com.
