Toronto, October 10, 2013 — Video testimonies from survivors of the Holocaust will be preserved thanks to funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney announced today.
“Canada has been profoundly shaped by approximately 40,000 Holocaust survivors who resettled across our country after World War II,”
said Minister Kenney. “As Canadians, it is our responsibility to learn from these brave individuals and ensure that the horrible events of the Holocaust are not forgotten, and ensure that such atrocities never happen again.”
Through Inter-Action, Canada’s multiculturalism grants and contributions program, the Government of Canada intends to provide support of approximately $800,000 for four organizations to preserve Holocaust survivors’ testimonials:
- The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre will support the preservation, access and use of Holocaust survivor testimonies in schools;
- The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre and the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre will work, in partnership, to digitize existing footage of Holocaust survivors’ testimonies; and
- A digital archive of Holocaust survivor testimonies during the March of the Living will be created by the Jewish Federations of Canada-United Israel Appeal of Canada. The March of the Living is an annual educational program, which brings students from around the world to explore the remnants of the Holocaust.
These projects support Canada’s goal, as 2013 Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), to promote Holocaust remembrance, research and education across Canada. Federal support will enable these organizations to educate Canadians on what Holocaust survivors went through and to make essential teaching tools more accessible to Holocaust educators.
Minister Kenney announced support for these projects at a special event to honour Holocaust survivor educators, held in conjunction with the bi-annual IHRA working meetings. He also announced the winner of the Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education, Mr. Scott Masters, a Toronto teacher.
For more information on Canada and the Holocaust, visit: www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/holocaust.asp.
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For further information (media only), please contact:
Alexandra Fortier – Minister Kenney
Minister’s Office
819-994-2482
Alexis Pavlich
Minister’s Office – Minister Alexander
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
