Peace Haven, located in the Cone University Center, recently was designated as a space for meditation and reflection.
Chancellor Philip L. Dubois approved Cone Center, Room 366, for use as an interfaith space for students after receiving a proposal from Interfaith Niners, composed of several student organizations. Cone University Center and the Multicultural Resource Center also supported this initiative.
In advocating for the dedicated space, student leaders noted that Muslim students, who pray five times a day, had been reserving rooms in Atkins Library for the past year; finding a private area on campus to pray can be difficult.
The Chancellor’s Office and the Division for Student Affairs are providing funds to renovate Peace Haven during the summer.
Abrar Al-Shaer, president of the Muslim Student Association and co-founder of Interfaith Niners, said, “The plan is to have dimmed lighting, bamboo floors, chairs, a waterfall feature and storage spaces for books and shoes.”
A number of North Carolina colleges and universities provide dedicated meditation rooms, including Appalachian State University, Elon University, N.C. A&T University, N.C. State University, UNC Asheville, UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Greensboro.