WSU, Ogden City Team Up to Promote World Civility Day

OGDEN, Utah – Even an act as simple as smiling at strangers can increase the overall feeling of civility within a community – and the Civility Quest Challenge aims to prove it. Weber State University, Ogden City and local businesses are teaming up to engage the community in civility-based behavior April 6-12, 2018.

The challenge will kick off at 11:30 a.m. at WSU’s Stewart Bell Tower, with another event downtown at 6 p.m. in conjunction with the First Friday Art Stroll on Ogden’s Historic 25th Street.

Participants can collect and complete Civility Quest Challenge cards from local businesses around Ogden, download them from weber.edu/ccel.els.html or follow @wsuccel on social media for daily updates.

Each card – available in both English and Spanish – will have a challenge designed to encourage the participant to get involved with the people, animals and environment around them. After completing each quest, participants hand off their cards to somebody else – literally passing on the challenge to spread civility and kindness. Participants can share their experiences on social media using hashtags #CivilityIs and #WSUCivilityQuest.

“We’re really looking forward to the Civility Quest, and hope it helps start a dialogue on what civility is and ways we can better engage with those around us,” said Ogden Downtown Alliance director Kim Bowsher. “It’s awesome Weber State is asking us, as community members, to participate.”

Teresa Martinez, WSU’s Center for Community Engaged Learning program coordinator, developed the idea and invited everyone to collect and finish at least one quest card. “The Civility Quest is designed to get people to engage in simple behaviors that remind us to live and act as a community,” Martinez said.

Though there is no prize for completing the cards, participants will come away from the experience with a deeper appreciation for their communities and with better ideas about how to uplift those around them.

“The civility challenge allows us to go back to the basics of how to interact as human beings by acknowledging each other,” said Viviana Felix, diversity affairs officer with the Ogden City Mayor’s Office of Diversity Affairs. She hopes the experience will allow individuals to think and act outside of their regular roles and routines and interact with each other without relying on technology and social media.

Some of the Civility Quest challenges include picking up litter, going 24 hours without complaining, planting flowers at home or in a community garden, visiting local businesses and nonprofits, lending a helping hand to someone in need and appreciating silence in a community area. Challenges can be completed alone or with a group.

“I hope that the Civility Quest pushes people to move outside their comfort zones by connecting in meaningful ways with people who they do not know,” said Adrienne Andrews, WSU’s Chief Diversity Officer. “Like exercise, once the habit to connect and show respect and kindness is developed, it will continue to grow.”

The public is invited to celebrate the milestones of Civility Quest with Weber State University and Ogden City during World Civility Day, April 12, 6 p.m. at the Ogden City Amphitheater. The free celebration is open to all, whether they participated in the Civility Quest Challenge or not, and will include games, music, vendors, stories and more, all tied to the theme of civility in Ogden.

“We have an amazing community in Ogden and this is a great way to celebrate civility,” Martinez said.

Businesses wishing to get involved with the Civility Quest Challenge and the World Civility Day Celebration can sign up online at tinyurl.com/wsucivilityquest.

Civility Quest is a part of WSU’s Engaged Learning Series, a university-wide series of events designed to involve the campus and the community in discussion, debate, dialogue, learning and action focused on an issue of public concern. For 2017-18, the series aims to raise awareness, impact personal behavior and increase public engagement in civility.

Visit  weber.edu/ccel/civilityquest.html for more information about Civility Quest.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

Author:

Ivonne Dabb, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7925 • ivonnedabb@weber.edu

Contact:

Teresa Martinez, CCEL program coordinator
801-626-7737 • teresamartinez1@weber.edu