The sixth national museum of Canada is the Canadian Museum of Immigration, located at Pier 21. Their goal is to tell the ongoing tale of immigration to Canada from coast to coast, from the past to the present. Nearly a million immigrants arrived in Canada between 1928 and 1971 at the Halifax harbour, which is home to the Museum, which is part of Pier 21 National Historic Site.
Their own journey of becoming is filled with turns and turns, from immigration terminal to national historic site to national museum of immigration.
The museum will be opening a new exhibition called Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees. It examines the lives of Southeast Asian refugees who arrived in Canada between 1975 and 1985, as well as the experiences of the people who helped them.
The fascinating tales of refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are the main subject of this show. Millions were compelled to leave their home nations in search of safety abroad due to the effects of the Vietnam War, the Lao Secret War, and the Cambodian Genocide. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and personal security as well as the right to apply for and be granted refuge if they are being persecuted in another country, according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These brave refugees put their lives in danger, traveled to several host nations, and then trekked thousands of kilometers to Canada. The exhibit adds to the tapestry of Canadian immigration history by telling the tales of these survivors in their own words and from their distinct viewpoints.
Additionally, it looks at the linkages between Southeast Asian migrants’ experiences, the challenges they had in settling, and their successful integration and contributions to Canada’s cultural fabric.
Since the project’s launch in 2015, the Canadian Museum of History has served as both a supporter and an advisor.
The Canadian Mennonite University, Carleton University, the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Canadian Immigration Historical Society, the Vietnamese Canadian Federation, the Lao Association of Ottawa-Valley, the Cambodian Association of Ottawa-Valley, the Pacific Canada Heritage Centre – Museum of Migration Society, and the Manitoba Museum all contributed to the creation of this exhibition.
Starting on August 22nd, the debuts at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Discover the strength and tenacity of refugees as they journey to rebuild their lives through personal stories. Become more knowledgeable about the experience of being a refugee.
Learn more about the event at https://discoverhalifaxns.com/event/hearts-of-freedom-stories-of-southeast-asian-refugees/
References:
https://www.historymuseum.ca/
https://heartsoffreedom.org/
https://pier21.ca/
https://discoverhalifaxns.com/
Photo credits to: https://pier21.ca/hearts-freedom
