
While some people have started to dream about extravagant holiday gifts, Betty Hsu is asking for just one thing this year: world peace. It might seem like a lot to ask for, but she said it would simply take a pair of white canvas shoes to help her achieve what she wants.
Hsu is the public relations officer for the International Student Association, and the organization is collecting canvas shoes for its Shoes of Hope donation event.
Its goal? To collect 10,000 pairs of shoes that will be delivered to South African orphans, HIV victims and reformed child soldiers, Hsu said.
The shoes can be gathered at boxes located around campus and at the International Student Center, which is located on 55th Street, or during ISA’s other main event: the 50th annual International Peace Village.
From noon to 3 p.m. today in Montezuma Hall, students, faculty and community members have the opportunity to essentially travel the globe for free in the “village.”
About 40 countries are expected to be represented at the event to share their cultures, including language, customs, food, entertainment and music, with visitors.
“What we’re trying to achieve right now is culture competence,” said Hsu, who is a social work senior and a Taiwanese international student. “It’s very important for you to be aware of different cultures, so when you do things (with different cultures), you know what the differences (are) and how to get along with people.
“I think that’s probably the main purpose (ISA is) trying to do. By understanding different cultures, we promote peace.”
ISA President Erickson Yan, a business real estate senior and an international student from Canada, said the goal of ISA is to promote cultural awareness.
“A lot of domestic students don’t understand why we have differences in cultures (and) values, and that’s why we have international conflict among cultures,” he said. “Peace Village helps students understand different cultures from all over the world.”
Hsu, who is an intern for the United Nations Association San Diego Chapter, said she likes to look at the bigger picture of her efforts.
“You have to work locally and think globally,” she said. “World peace is very, very hard to achieve, but we could start from understanding each other more culturally. Especially in the United States ? it is amazing. ? But at the same time, it’s really hard to know each other and get along well, so I think from the Peace Village, it’s a way to get to know other people and how to get along with each other.
“I think from (Shoes of Hope) ? you (can) really get out and connect with the world.”
The white canvas shoes of all sizes will be collected during the International Peace Village event. The shoes will be painted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday at Scripps Cottage.
Shoes will also be collected from the University of California, San Diego and USD, and once they are painted, Rotary International, a worldwide humanitarian service, will ship them to South Africa.
“Painting the shoes is one way that people have a way to express themselves and hoping to give it to children so that children feel like they own something from somebody who really cares about (them),” Hsu said. “I was thinking about all these children, maybe they’ve never owned a pair of shoes before, so we’re just hoping to do something different and make their lives a little better.
“You don’t think (donating shoes is) a big deal, but it will be to someone else who will really appreciate it.”