The university will hold a ceremony next month to honor the students, academics and staff we have lost in the past year.

The UC Davis Remembrance Ceremony, set for May 21, is open to both UC Davis and UC Davis Health communities.

The event aims to provide a contemplative space for members of the university community to connect with each other, and remember and celebrate the indelible marks left by those who are gone. It will feature a brief introduction from Chancellor Gary S. May, musical performances and a reading of names, commemorating the contributions and memories of those lost.

The event webpage provides more details, including partners and a list of people set to be honored. Tickets are not required, but guests are encouraged to RSVP to the event, which is open to all.

As this will be the university’s first time hosting such an event, campus leaders are asking the extended community to review the current list of names and help make sure everyone who has died since June 1 is included. Additional names can be submitted through an online form until May 15. 

In some cases, family members have asked that their loved ones not be included — those names will not appear on the website or be read at the event.

April 29 event to honor Abou Najm

Separately, an event will be held Monday (April 29) on the one-year anniversary of the killing of undergraduate Karim Abou Najm. The event has two parts, and both are open to the public:

• Readings, a Q&A about mental health and a lecture by Andrés Sciolla, a professor emeritus of clinical psychiatry, at 5:30 p.m. at Willett Elementary School, 1207 Sycamore Lane
• The unveiling of a bike path, bench and memorial sculpture, all named in honor of Abou Najm, at 7 p.m. at Sycamore Park, adjacent to the school

More information is available online. RSVPs are requested but not required.