Date:   December 8 (Thu) & 9 (Fri), 2011 (a full-day program available on both days)

Time:    8:30 am - 3:00 pm

Venue:  Vancouver Technical Secondary School, 2600 East Broadway

SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM

08:00 - 08:30 (Assembly Hall) Registration

08:30 – 08:35 (Assembly Hall )    Welcoming Remarks by Mrs. Brenda Burroughs,School Principal; Ms. Veronica Godard, First Nations Support Teacher & Student Representatives of Vancouver Technical Secondary

08:35 – 09:15 (Assembly Hall) Plenary 1:  Backgrounder of Human Rights Violations in the Asia Pacific War

Co-Presenters: Students of Vancouver Technical Secondary School under the guidance of Mr. Dale Martelli, Head of SS Department of Vancouver Technical Secondary

Resource Person: Professor John Price, History Department of University of Victoria  

Professor Price is the author or “ORIENTING CANADA – Race, Empire and the Transpacific”. He served as a historian for the BC Ministry of Education developed teacher’s guide, “Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific 1931-1945: Social Responsibility and Global Citizenship"

09:15 – 10:00 (Assembly Hall)      Plenary 2: Survivor's Testimony - Marius van Dijk van Nooten / Tony Cowling

Survivor’s testimonies will help students face the bitterest of truths, the most shattering of experiences, the pity and the terror of tragedy and to come forth humbler, more dedicated, and more compassionate about other people’s sufferings and with more awareness of the experiences of survivors. 

Marius van Dijk van Nooten was born in the Netherlands in 1930 and grew up in the Dutch East Indies. He was eleven when Japan invaded in 1942 and was put into many concentration camps. After the war, he returned to the Netherlands and joined the merchant marines. In 1954, he moved to Canada and became a sea captain. (Dec 8^th)

Tony Cowling was born in Singapore in 1924. He was working for his father on a rubber estate in Malaya when the Japanese invaded. At the age of seventeen, he joined the RAF in Singapore. He was captured in Java soon after. He spent three and a half years in many slave labour camps in Japanese occupied Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. After the war, he settled in Canada and worked as a teacher librarian. “My Life With the Samurai” is Anthony Cowling's book on how he survived the Japanese death camps (Dec 9^th)

Facilitator:

James Knihniski, Southridge School, Surrey (Dec 8^th)

James met with survivors of the Asian Holocaust and visited museums and historical sites related to the Asia-Pacific War during his visit to China in the summer of 2005.  Since then, he has been inviting Canadian survivors of WWII in Asia to speak in his class so to facilitate his students’ understanding of this chapter of history.

Thekla Lit, President of BC ALPHA (Dec 9^th)

Thekla met with many survivors of the Asian Holocaust and visited museums and historical sites related to the Asia-Pacific War.  She is the producer of the DVD resource, “Witness to History – Survivors of WWII in Asia”

10:00 – 10:10 BREAK

10:10 – 11:40            Morning Workshop Session

Workshop 1. “Comfort Women” & Violence Against Women in War & Peace

From the video, “You can never forget, never… Her Stories” produced by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan in 2008, students will learn about the issue of “comfort women” in its totality by relating it to the structure of colonial, military, state, race, class and gender oppression.  Since the 1990s, the unveiling “comfort women” issue has become the cutting edge of the global movement against violence against women in war and peace.  In 2007, the House of Commons of Canada unanimously passed a resolution to support proper acknowledgment and justice for the “comfort women” victims.  Similar parliamentary resolutions were also passed by other countries including US and the European Union. 

Co-Presenters:

Greg van Vugt, Fraser Heights Secondary School, Surrey

During the summer of 2008, Mr. van Vugt visited China, Korea and the Philippines to meet with survivors who had been abducted as sexual slaves by the Japanese military during World War II in Asia.  

Susan Ruzic, Moody Elementary, Coquitlam

Ms. Ruzic is an elementary teacher-librarian and ESL teacher in the Coquitlam School District. She recently completed a diploma program in Global Education in 2010 at SFU. She sits on the Committee for Action on Social Justice as part of the anti-racism group at the BCTF. She is a BCTF workshop faciliator for many SJ workshops, is co-founder of the organization, "Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children" and is currently president of the BC Teachers for Peace & Global Education (PAGE). In the

summer of 2011, Ms. Ruzic personally met with both Chinese and Korean survivors of Japan’s military sexual slavery system during WWII.

Christina Anderson, Douglas Road Elementary School, Burnaby

Ms. Anderson is an Executive of Burnaby Teachers’ Association and Chair of its Social Justic Committee. She is also a former Executive Member and Conference Chair of BC Teachers for Peace & Global Education. She has conducted many social justice and peace education workshops for teachers. In the summer of 2011, Ms. Anderson personally met with both Chinese and Korean survivors of Japan’s military sexual slavery system during WWII.

Workshop 2. Canadian Hong Kong veterans as POWs: Wounds and Closure

1,975 Canadian soldiers were sent to defend the British Colony of Hong Kong in 1941.  550 of them never returned home.  In this workshop, students will make explicit connection of the Asia-Pacific War to Canada as they investigate the crimes against humanity committed against these Canadian prisoners of war and examine which international agreements were breached.  The students will also consider ways to bring proper closure to the Canadian Hong Kong veterans and their families.

Co-Presenters:

Graeme Stacey, Kelowna Secondary School, Kelowna

Mr. Stacey is Co-Educational Chair B.C. Branch of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association & serving member of the National Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association. He was a contributing writer to the “Human Rights in the Asia Pacific 1931-1945 Social Responsibility and Global Citizenship”, a resource guide written for senior Social Studies teachers. He has presented numerous workshops on the topic of Hong Kong Veterans including a presentation for veterans themselves at the Canadian Hong Kong Veterans National Convention in Victoria and for Central Okanagan teachers at their provincial Pro – D sessions. Besides teaching, Mr. Stacey is working with TC² as both a contributor and editor for the History Docs Project.

Lee Naylor, Hong Kong Veterans' Commemorative Association Education Chair, BC, Region

Mr. Naylor is a retired 2^nd Lieutenant. He is the eldest son of Staff Sergeant Howard E. Naylor CD who was a member of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals for twenty five years and a member of “C” Force attached to Brigade Headquarters in Hong Kong. After the Battle of Hong Kong he was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army and spent three years and nine months in POW camps in Hong Kong and Niigata Japan. Mr. Lee Naylor has always been interested in the history of warfare. As the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association Education Chair for the BC Region he has reached out to hundreds of students, teachers and adults at various venues in the lower mainland and Vancouver Island.

Workshop 3.  Human Experimentations & Biochemical Warfare of Dr. Josef Mengele & Dr. Shiro Ishii - Role & Ethics of Medical Personnel and Scientists

This workshop will present a comparative historical and ethical study of human medical and biochemical warfare research conducted by Dr. Josef Mengele and Nazi scientists at Auschwitz and by Dr. Shiro Ishii and Imperial Japanese scientists in China.   

Presenters:

Dale Martelli, Vancouver Technical Secondary School, Vancouver

Mr. Martelli visited the Unit 731 Museum in Harbin, in north eastern China, during the summer of 2008.  Unit 731 was the biological and chemical warfare unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during 1932 – 1945.  In collaboration with King David High School, students from Van Tech collaborated with students from King David High School on a comparative genocide project between Shoah and Asian Genocide.  This project culminated in a presentation on Yom Ha’Shoah, the Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day, in March 2009. Mr. Martelli also attended the Yad Yashem International School for Holocaust Studies in Israel In the summer of 2009.

Workshop 4. Rescuers and Global Citizenship in the Rape of Nanking

A group of over twenty foreigners (mostly American, but also some German, Danish, and Russian) established a neutral area in Nanking called the International Safety Zone to shelter Chinese refugees whose lives had been threatened by the invading Japanese soldiers.  The committee members of the Safety Zone toiled to provide refugees with basic needs, and more importantly, to protect them from atrocities; often risking their own lives.  This workshop helps students to understand the spirit of global citizenship and the roles played by individuals in times of crisis: Perpetrator, Victim, Bystander, or Rescuer.  Through an examination of individuals and events in the International Safety Zone, students will connect with history, develop an awareness of the personal strength and qualities demonstrated by the committee members, and investigate what can be learned from their courage.

Presenter: Derek Smith, Mount Boucherie Secondary School, West Kelowna

In the summer of 2008, Mr. Smith personally met with survivors of the Rape of Nanking and visited the Memorial Museum for the Victims of the Nanking Massacre.  He also visited the former residence of John Rabe, now a Memorial Museum.  Rabe was the Chair of the International Safety Zone in Nanking during the massacre.  Mr. Smith and a colleague won the 2009 Kron Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education for a lesson that looked at the roles of Rescuers (including Rabe), both in historic and contemporary contexts.

Workshop 5.  Forgotten Holocaust – Atrocious Human Rights Violation and its Impact on Victims Now and Then

This workshop features the video documentary, Forgotten Holocaust which contains the stories of Nanking Massacre, “Comfort Station” and Forced Labour during the Asia-Pacific War.  Through examples in the documentary, presenters will help students to examine immediate and lingering impacts of atrocious human rights violations on victims.

Co-Presenters:

Pat Parungao, Gladstone Secondary School, Vancouver

Ms. Parungao was a participant of the Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour for Canadian Educators in 2006.  As a teacher Librarian, she prepared a comprehensive bibliography related to the Asian Holocaust history for educators’ use.

Carla McIvor, Burnaby School District, Burnaby

Ms. Carla McIvor was also a participant of the 2006 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour for Canadian Educators during which the documentary, Forgotten Holocaust was recorded. Ms. McIvor has been using the materials and information from the Study Tour in educating her students about the Asian Holocaust after returning to Canada. Prior to her teaching career, Carla worked on the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Marie-Josée Beaulieu, Moscrop Secondary, Burnaby

Ms. Beaulieu is an Executive Member of the BC Social Studies Teachers’ Association. She participated in the 2010 Forgotten Voices, Living History – International Conference for Educators on the WWII History in Asia and the 2011 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour for Educator. She personally met with survivors of the Asian Holocaust in both of these events.

Brent Schieve, Guildford Park Secondary, Surrey

Mr. Schieve is the Social Studies Department Head of Guildford Park Secondary. He led students to various study tours to visit battlefields and historical sites. He participated in the 2011 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour for Educator during which he personally met with survivors of the Asian Holocaust.

Workshop 6. Iris Chang - An Upstander for The Rape of Nanking, A Public Intellectual, Scholar Activist and Ongoing Inspiration

In this workshop we will examine Iris Chang’s determination to expose a forgotten chapter of history – The Rape of Nanking, her advocacy to raise awareness and pursue compensatory justice, and the ongoing social justice works that her work spurred and continues to inspire. We will examine some literature, media, and research materials that have followed the vein of Iris Chang’s work to determine how they are spurring further dialogue, understanding, activism, research and critical reflection. This activity will demonstrate how the work of Iris Chang continues to raise awareness; promote further advocacy, research, and understanding; and fosters intercultural, intergenerational and global dialogue.

Presenter: Louise Gonsalvez, Sparwood Secondary School, Sparwood

Ms. Gonsalvez is a high school teacher and PhD student. Her major interests lay in the area of social justice, policy writing and active citizenship. She is a co-author of the BC Ministry of Education Social Justice 12 course and her social justice interests have taken her to such places as South Africa, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and China. She was a participant of the 2007 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour for Canadian Educators. She has a continuing interest in the life, legacy, and the line of investigation she pursued.

Workshop 7. Up Close with Survivor

Participants will have a chance to interact with survivor of WWII Atrocities to learn about their stories in details including their surviving skills during and after the war, the impacts of the atrocities on their life and their resilience etc.

Survivor:

Tony Cowling (Dec 8^th)

Marius van Dijk van Nooten (Dec 9^th)

Facilitator:

Thekla Lit, President of BC ALPHA (Dec 8^th)

James Knihniski, Southridge School, Surrey (Dec 9^th)

11:40 – 12:25      LUNCH BREAK (Students are expected to bring their own lunch.  Juice and cookies will be provided.)

* Exhibits on Canadian Hong Kong Veterans will be displayed

12:25 – 14:00      Afternoon Workshop Session (Repeat of the workshops as listed in Morning Workshop Session.   Participants will attend a different workshop as assigned and indicated on their name tag.)

14:00 – 14:15      Student Reflection

　

14:15 – 14:45      Closing Plenary - Towards Peace & Reconciliation – Joy Kogawa

Joy Kogawa, born in Vancouver B.C., in 1935, is a writer living in Toronto. She is best known for her novel "Obasan." Her most recent book is a children's story, "Naomi's Tree." Her present work-in-progress is entitled, "Gently to Nagasaki." She is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia and has been awarded seven honorary doctorates and numerous prizes for her writing.

14:45 - 15:00       Closing Remarks - Thekla Lit, President of BC ALPHA