Seniors Alissa Bey and Crystal McCarthy wrapped white, black and brown ribbons around the trunk of a large campus tree Wednesday.

The ribbons represented uniting race and religion in the citywide movement, “Beyond Tolerance.”

“With everything that’s been going on with the inferfaith space, it’s something I feel really passionate about,” Bey said. “Everyone should have that space where they can go and practice their spirituality.”

Students and religious leaders from the Wichita community tied the “unity” ribbons around trees, representing the acceptance of a diverse student body. The movement will continue in Wichita and conclude Nov. 22 at Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center.

In the wake of a tragic shooting at a predominately black church in Charleston, Virginia, the movement began as a way to come together as a community to prevent more violence.

 “To move beyond tolerance you have to be the bigger person,” said Bishop Wade Moore, president of the Greater Ministerial League in Wichita. “As human beings, let’s move beyond just tolerating one another … We’ve all got the same blood flowing inside us.”

The ribbon-tying event kicked off with a discussion inside Grace Memorial Chapel, which has become the center of a recent national controversy surrounding the removal of the chapel’s pews last spring.

The timing was coincidental, said Jonathan Flesher, director of Campus Ministries at Wichita State.

“I think it’s very interesting and kind of cool the timing of all this,” he said to an audience of nearly 50 people. “I think it’s very fitting that we’re here today.”

Leaders from various religions — including those of Jewish, Methodist and Muslim faiths —spoke to the audience Wednesday about moving beyond tolerating one another to respecting and getting to know each other.

“Nobody likes to only be tolerated,” said Sam Muyskens, president of Global Faith in Action.

Jewish Rabbi Michael Davis compared religious backgrounds to bubbles, saying that a person can get out of their bubble to join another without popping either bubble.

“You don’t have to give up who you are to understand someone else,” he said.

Large chalkboards were on campus throughout the week for students to write the response to the question, “How can you live beyond tolerance in your life?” They wrote things like “solidarity,” “expand what you know” and “love everyone like you love pizza.”

The chalkboards were displayed outside the chapel Wednesday.

“Everyone needs to be together and support this cause,” WSU senior Rula Jamaleddine said after tying her last brown, white and black bow around a tree outside the Rhatigan Student Center.

Bey said she’s used the chapel once or twice since the pews have been removed, and that she’s been following the latest debate about the chapel.

“This is innovation,” she said about the Interfaith Prayer Space. “It stands for what the university stands for.”