The Queen’s community is marking the anniversary of the death of student Amir Moradi and the other 175 passengers who were killed on Jan. 8, 2020 when Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 was shot down in Iran.

An online memorial service is being held on Friday, Jan. 8 by the families of the victims, with events being hosted online. Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane will be participating at 4 pm, sharing the Queen’s community’s grief with participants. Several other leaders of post-secondary institutions from across Canada, that also lost students, faculty and staff, will also be taking part in the event.

“The loss of a community member, especially a student, is always painful. This tragedy has been felt across the Canadian post-secondary sector with so many of our institutions directly affected by the loss of friends, classmates, colleagues, mentors, and family members,” says Principal Deane. “I am honoured to be asked to contribute to this memorial organized by the victims’ families and to share the Queen’s community's sense of loss but also hope for the future. I know that many members of the Queen’s community will want to participate to remember Amir and all the other victims of this tragedy.”

Principal Deane also posted a statement on the anniversary online.  

Moradi, 21, was a third-year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts and Science and had traveled to Iran to visit family during the winter break.

A vigil, hosted by the Queen’s Iranian Student Association and the Office of Faith and Spiritual Life, was held in McLaughlin Room at the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC), bringing together students, faculty, staff, and administration members including Principal Deane, who spoke at the event.

Hundreds of people left messages of condolence after listening to heartfelt words from Moradi’s friends, and his cousin. Principal Deane spoke about the impact of the tragedy not only at Queen’s but across the Canadian post-secondary sector as well.