May 6, 1997 Contact Pauline Austin (541) 346-3129 EUGENE--Gypsies, Jews, Moslems, Native Americans and other minorities who have suffered devastating losses through genocide will gather Friday, May 9, for an International Day of Cultural Reconciliation at the University of Oregon. The free public event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. in the Fir Room of the Erb Memorial Union, 1222 E. 13th Ave. Organizer Cheyney Ryan, a UO professor of philosophy, says sponsors hope the event will help participants begin to heal the cultural grief they carry by allowing people who have experienced genocide to speak with one another and learn new ways to work for peace. Speakers from African American, Chicano, East Timorese, Japanese and Japanese American, Jewish, Native American, Palestinian, Romany or Gypsy, and Vietnamese and Vietnamese American communities will share their experiences at the event. "The idea for the Day of Reconciliation grew out of the Holocaust conference held last year on the UO campus," Ryan says. "Events like the Holocaust have, unfortunately, happened to a great many groups throughout history. We felt it was important to bring together people who shared ordeals like that in order to talk about how to cope with those experiences," he explains. Sponsors include the Carlton and Wilberta Savage Professorship in International Relations and Peace, the University of Oregon-Vietnam Sister University Project, the UO Center for Asian and Pacific Studies and the UO chapter of Hillel. While there is no fee for taking part in the Day of Reconciliation, participants can pay a fee and earn one hour of UO credit through the International Studies Program. UO students can register through Duck Call, (541) 346-1600. Non-UO students can register through the Community Education Program, (541) 346-5614. For more information or to arrange for disability accommodations, contact the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, (541) 346-4816 or send e-mail to caps@darkwing.uoregon.edu -30- #P-6070/Local,OrDailies,PDX,OMA