Canadian Museum for Human Rights to open exhibit on Armenian Genocide

[MosJan]

Canadian Museum for Human Rights to open exhibit on Armenian Genocide

 

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April 10, 2013 - 13:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Genocide will not be left behind when the Canadian Museum for Human Rights opens, the museum's head of stakeholder relations said, according to Winnipeg Free Press.

"Human rights lessons from the Armenian genocide will be explored in a number of ways in the CMHR, including in an exhibit exploring Raphael Lemkim's work (he coined the term genocide), an exhibit examining the 1948 Genocide Convention, and in a gallery that will explore a cross-section of global mass atrocities, including the five atrocities that the Canadian Parliament has recognized as genocides," Clint Curle said.

Calling the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a genocide may hurt lucrative trade between Canada and Turkey but the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is not about to call the slaughter of an estimated 1.5 million people anything other than genocide, Curle stressed.

Curle said genocide is a timely human rights issue. "Ongoing denial of this historic atrocity, waged in the name of ethnic homogeneity, makes it a contemporary human rights concern." He recently visited Yerevan in Armenia to see the Genocide Museum there and will be working to develop links between it and the human rights museum in Winnipeg.

[Yervant1]

CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM INSTITUTE SIGN MOU

12:26 08.11.2013

Mr. Stuart Murray, President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), and Dr. Hayk Demoyan,
Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute (AGMI) of the
National Academy of Sciences, signed a memorandum of understanding
(MOU) today that will facilitate collaboration for the promotion of
human rights through joint projects and education.

The CMHR and the AGMI will exchange knowledge and expertise,
educational materials, and exhibitions with respect to human rights,
share research and advice, cooperate to advance the academic study of
human rights and reconciliation, the Armenian Genocide and its effects,
and processes seeking justice and reconciliation, and work together
to educate people on issues of human rights, in both national and
global contexts.

"Respect and protection for human rights is hard to build, but easy to
destroy. Every society that embraces human rights has to be continually
vigilant to promote and protect those human rights," Mr.

Murray said. "We are very pleased to be joining hands with the Armenian
Genocide Museum Institute to promote education, awareness and dialogue
about human rights."

The official signing of the MOU between the CMHR and AGMI has been
facilitated by the assistance of the International Institute for
Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A Division of the Zoryan Institute
of Canada) - a Canadian organization which advances scholarship
and public awareness relating to issues of universal human rights,
genocide, and diaspora-homeland relations. Representatives of the
IIGHRS officially witnessed the signing and will serve an ongoing
role as liaison and facilitators.

"The Armenian Genocide is an important human rights story," said Dr.

Demoyan. "The concept of crimes against humanity was developed in
response to this horrific series of violations against the Armenian
people. The intent of the Ottoman Turkish government to annihilate
its Armenian citizens is not only a crime against humanity, but
also genocide. The denial of the genocide by the inheritors of the
perpetrator state and others is itself a violation of the human
rights of the survivors and their descendants. This partnership will
help bring the story of the Armenian Genocide to a wider audience,
to the benefit of generations to come."

During and after the First World War, the leaders of the Ottoman
Empire (the forerunner of the modern-day Republic of Turkey) made a
brutal attempt to destroy the empire's entire Armenian population,
targeting them on ethnic and religious grounds, along with other
Christian subjects-the Assyrians and Greeks. The Genocide began in
1915 with the execution of Armenian leaders. Then authorities rounded
up Armenian men, women and children. The victims were massacred or
forced on death marches through the desert. Many died of starvation.

The perpetrators tried to hide these mass killings from the world.

The first international reaction to the Genocide resulted in a joint
statement by France, Russia and Great Britain, in May 1915, where the
Ottoman Empire atrocities directed against the Armenian people was
defined as "new crimes against humanity and civilization." In 2004,
the Canadian House of Commons passed a resolution to recognize this
genocide.

"By raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide, we hope to remind
people of the importance of breaking the silence on human rights
violations. We look forward to working with the Canadian Museum for
Human Rights on this goal," said AGMI Director Demoyan.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/11/08/canadian-museum-for-human-rights-and-armenian-genocide-museum-institute-sign-memorandum-of-understanding/

[Yervant1]

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Armenian community to work with CMHR staff to tell story of genocide

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 11/7/2013 1:13 PM |

 

 

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Enlarge Image

Harry Garabed (left), with his wife Jean, moved to Canada after surviving the Armenian Genocide.

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Enlarge Image

Harry Garabed's passport.

Armenian Canadians signed on with Canadian Museum for Human Rights to share history of their genocide as a way to combat human rights violations in a signing ceremony today.

The event means Armenian-Canadian cultural groups will work with museum staff, exchanging knowledge and expertise to develop educational materials and exhibitions to tell the story of the Armenian genocide.

During and after the First World War, one of the final acts of Ottoman Empire was to target the Armenian population of Turkey for extermination. Some half a million escaped abroad but another one and a half million Armenian Turks were killed.

The genocide is significant not just for the sheer horror of the the genocide but because against persistence denials it happened, a network of Armenian survivors persuaded countries to acknowledge it occurred. That recognition led to the definition of genocide used globally today to define such atrocities.

This is not the first agreement the museum has made to work with cultural groups to highlight human rights abuses.

Two weeks ago the museum made a similar announcement regarding the so-called "Comfort Women" with Chinese and Pilipino Canadians.

Several representatives of the Armenian community in Canada were on hand for the announcement at the downtown offices of the museum, including the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Canada, His Excellency Armen Yeganian and the family of one survivor of the genocide who settled in Canada, Jack and David Garabed, sons of Harry Garabed from Killarney.

[Yervant1]

Canadian Museum of Human Rights, Canada
Nov 15 2013



>From The Ottoman Empire To Killarney, Manitoba: The Story Of An
Armenian Genocide Survivor

POSTED BY: Jack Garabed, Son of an Armenian genocide survivor (Guest
author), , Nov 15, 2013


During and after the First World War, the leaders of the Ottoman
Empire (the forerunner of the modern-day Republic of Turkey) made a
brutal attempt to destroy the empire's entire Armenian population. The
victims were massacred or forced on death marches through the desert.
Approximately one and a half million Armenians perished between 1915
and 1923. Another half million found shelter abroad. Canada opened its
doors to some of the children orphaned in the Armenian genocide. One
of these orphans, Harry Garabed, found himself placed on a farm near
Killarney, Manitoba. Jack Garabed, Harry's son, spoke at a recent news
conference where the CMHR signed an agreement with the Armenian
Genocide Museum Institute. Here is Harry's story, in his son Jack's
words.

Someone asked me once if it means something to me to have the Canadian
Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. The short answer is YES! Last
week, I had the honour of witnessing an important and historic
partnership between the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute of the
National Academy of Sciences and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The Armenian Genocide is an important human rights story and I was
proud to share the story of my father at this event.

I am the son of an Armenian genocide orphan survivor. My father was
born `Garabed Haroutounian' about 1906. His name was later changed to
Harry Garabed, for pronunciation reasons. Unfortunately, I have very
little information about my Dad's early years, just what I remember
him telling me as a young boy, and young man.

Dad talked about how his mom made Turkish rugs. They would bring bags
of wool already weighed, and she would hook them. He helped her after
school. She was allowed to keep a small amount of the wool when the
rug was done.

I remember Dad telling me of his parents' demise, and about his
family. He was the oldest of six. He spoke of my grandfather being
taken away in the night, and murdered. They took Dad away and placed
him in a Turkish orphanage. He believed my grandmother escaped into
Egypt with some of the younger children. He was forced to change
religion against his will. God only knows what happened to my
grandmother and my Dad's five other brothers and sisters.


Dad explained how he had been encouraged to sneak out of the orphanage
one night with an older friend, and how they ran, and then escaped
into the countryside. They existed by their wits, hand to mouth.

Dad was 17 when he started his journey. We really don't know and I
don't think he knew where he was going. My Dad went to England from
Greece and he sailed from Liverpool to Montreal.


The Salvation Army arranged to have three children in the orphanage,
including my father, transported to Canada. Dad left the other two
boys in Montreal and continued on to Manitoba. He was fascinated by
the train ride, and wanted to extend it as far as he could. He had
never seen one, and was intrigued. The train brought him to Winnipeg,
and from there he was placed with farmers in the Killarney area.

He told me how wonderful the people were to him, as he spoke almost no
English. He found out later they taught him cuss words, as it was
funny to hear them with his accent! He was very happy in his early
years in Canada. He never spoke of being lonely, or about the old
country, as he made so many new friends. He told me how he had made a
comb out of nails, in the early years, as he had no money, and his
hair was long. He worked hard, and eventually bought his own land and
farmed.


He served in the Canadian Army, overseas, for six years. Afterwards,
he was a local, respected politician for 30-plus years.

Dad fathered five children, one of whom is deceased. There are
numerous grandchildren, great, and great-great grandchildren - 65 in
total. Quite a dynasty from one little Armenian orphan! Most of us
still live in Killarney and southwestern Manitoba.

As he grew older, Dad always said he was so grateful to have been
blessed with coming to a free country like Canada. To his dying day,
he thanked God for the Salvation Army, his wonderful family, and for
Canada!


http://museumforhumanrights.ca/explore/blog/ottoman-empire-killarney-manitoba-story-armenian-genocide-survivor#.UofFycTI11Z

[Yervant1]

FROM THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE TO KILLARNEY, MANITOBA

Manitoba Co-operator, Canada
Jan 13 2014

by Daniel Winters, in Country Crossroads

For Australians and New Zealanders, April 25, 1915 is Anzac Day.

Almost everyone is familiar with the 1981 film "Gallipoli," which
starred Mel Gibson as a soldier in the ill-fated attempt by the French
and British to take Constantinople, now Istanbul, via a sea-based
invasion during the early days of the First World War.

But the events of the day before, are much less well known, except
to members of the Armenian disapora, who mark it as the start of the
"Great Crime."

Historians pinpoint April 24, 1915, as the beginning of the Armenian
genocide. The government of the crumbling Ottoman Empire, which
later became modern-day Turkey, arrested and executed 250 Armenian
intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople - a move
that later sparked the wholesale extermination and expulsion of
the country's restive Christian minorities, including two million
Armenians.

Enraged by the mass expulsions of Muslim refugees from European
countries in the Balkan wars that started in 1912 as a prelude to
the Great War, Wikipedia states that the "Young Turks" embarked on
a systematic campaign of revenge and property confiscation that led
to the deaths of as many as 1.5 million Armenians.

Men of military age were killed immediately, while the elderly, women
and small children were marched off into the Syrian desert where most
of them died.

The significance of the recently announced partnership between the
Canadian Museum of Human Rights and the Armenian Genocide Museum
Institute of the National Academy of Sciences may be lost on some,
but not to Dave Garabed, a retired farmer who now lives on the shore
of Killarney Lake.

He and his brother Jack are familiar with some of the details of what
many historians now call the first genocide of the modern era because
their father, Harry, survived it by escaping to Canada.

Harry Garabed, born Garabed Hartounian in 1906, was living in Kayseri,
a small town in what is now northeastern Turkey. When the genocide
started, he was about 10 years old.

"He watched them hang his father, right out in the street," said Dave.

His mother and six siblings were taken away on a death march that
may have taken them to Egypt - if they survived.

Apparently, the Turkish authorities spared Harry's life because
they hoped to convert him to Islam. He was taken to an orphanage in
Istanbul, where he was beaten, forcibly circumcised and held under
appalling conditions until he escaped into the countryside.

Dave said that his father, who passed away about 15 years ago, coped
with his traumatic experiences the old-fashioned way.

"If you got a few drinks into Dad, he would tell stories, but he
didn't talk about it much," said Dave.

"I remember him telling me a story of how they got cheese that was
all full of maggots, so they found a piece of tin and put it in the
sun to cook the maggots out," said Dave.

After about six years, some of it spent in the orphanage and on the
run, he was rescued by the Salvation Army and brought first to Greece,
then Britain, and then Canada. From Montreal, he was taken by train
to Winnipeg.

An Aug. 8, 1923 story discovered in the archives of the Winnipeg
Evening Tribune, described Harry and two other Armenian boys as
"thickset, strongly built lads" ready for work after partaking in a
two-month Salvation Army farm training course in Britain.

"They took very readily to the work and are at present keen to settle
down," it added.

Even though his father spoke no English, the local farmers were
happy to have him help out, and his first job was stooking sheaves
at harvest time.

The two other boys headed back east to rejoin the growing Armenian
community there, but Harry stayed with a local family for a few years.

He later bought a seed-cleaning outfit, and then got into trucking
before finally buying a farm in the Ninette area.

He served in the Second World War as a medic and cook, and later
got involved in local politics as a councillor and reeve for the RM
of Riverside.

Dave said that his father was grateful to Canada and the local
community for accepting him as one of their own, but he was especially
careful to remember the Salvation Army's role in rescuing him.

"He'd never walk past a Salvation Army box without dropping something
in it," said Dave.

Jack and Dave attended the Armenian genocide partnership announcement
at the CMHR in Winnipeg earlier this fall. As a practical farmer,
he questions the elaborate structure's $351-million cost, but not
its value for teaching future generations the most important lessons
of history.

"I think it's worth having a museum, because if we don't tell our
kids about it, they're never going to know what happened," said Dave.

"I think Dad would be proud that Canadians have at least recognized
the genocide."

http://www.manitobacooperator.ca/2014/01/13/from-the-ottoman-empire-to-killarney-manitoba/

[Yervant1]

Horizon Weekly

October 7, 2014

The Armenian Genocide immortalized in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR)

The Armenian Genocide immortalized in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) -

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HORIZON - Shahen Mirakian, member of the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), was one of the Armenians present at the formal opening ceremonies of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In addition to Mr. Mirakian, His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Armen Yeganian attended the CMHR’s opening.

The ANCC has closely been collaborating with the CMHR for over 10 years to ensure that the Armenian Genocide is properly represented in the museum alongside the. other four genocides officially recognized by the Canadian government (the Holocaust, the Holodomor, Rwanda and Srebrenica).

We sat down with Mr. Mirakian and asked him for his impressions of CMHR and it’s Armenian content.

Horizon (H) : Please tell us what you felt like as you saw the CMHR upon your arrival in Winnipeg.

Shahen Mirakian (SM) : Well, honestly, it was an architectural jewel. To imagine that there would be a permanent exhibit on the Armenian Genocide in such a unique architectural marvel was truly moving. The grandeur of the place attests to how important it is to remember these instances of horror and insanity that humanity has gone through in the past century.

H: How did it feel being one of the first Armenians to see the Armenian Genocide artifacts there?

SM: Let’s just say that I was impressed with the museum’s unique approach. What I was expecting and what was before me were two completely different things.

H: What do you mean exactly?

SM: The museum has a very modern approach to its displays. Rather than present enormous amounts of information or have exhibits based around a particular artifact or document as you would see in a traditional museum, CMHR’s exhibits are designed to start a discussion and to convey an impression. The Armenian Genocide display like the display of the other genocides is presented from a Canadian perspective. The gallery where the most information about the Armenian Genocide is contained is called “Breaking the Silence” and discusses the work involved in overcoming Turkey’s denial in order for Canada to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The traditional Armenian Genocide display is accompanied by information in digital form both on an interactive table and through computer terminals.

H: What are the more traditional – as you call them items that are displayed there?

SM: Well as I mentioned earlier there are pictures, including a large one of a famished woman and children (of the sort that we have come to associate so closely with the Armenian Genocide). There are also five smaller pictures, one of Canadian nurse Sara Corning who worked in Armenia to save orphans, one of Atom Egoyan promoting his film “Ararat”, one of a Montreal demonstration for genocide recognition from La Presse, another from an Ottawa demonstration from 2004 from Horizon’s archives and yet another depicting the unveiling of the Georgetown Boys farm plaque. There are also supposed to be two physical artifacts exhibited (these were not yet present when I attended) a replica of Armin Wenger’s camera and a copy of his book of photographs of the Armenian Genocide.

There is also going to be a film produced by CMHR for the 100thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide which will be shown in a theatre in the Breaking the Silence gallery. We will be working together with the museum over the next year to assist with the preparation of this film.

H: What about the presence of the Armenian Genocide in other galleries?

SM: There is a separate gallery on the Holocaust and in that gallery there is a feature on Raphael Lemkin and the definition of genocide. In that particular exhibit, the Armenian Genocide is used to discuss the biological aspects of genocide particularly on Armenian women (how women were kidnapped and forced to take on a Muslim identity). There are pictures of Armenian women marked with tattoos according to Turkish tradition.

There is also a gallery which was not open when I attended which is intended for younger children which will feature a story about the Georgetown Boys. I look forward to seeing exactly what is in this gallery next time I visit.

H: So your overall impressions are positive?

SM: I believe this museum is a testament to the fact that the Armenian Genocide has now become common knowledge for any Canadian. We have reached the public through non Armenian institutions and the museum will stand for many years and educated many generations of Canadians. We would like to see a more prominent role for the Armenian Genocide as a prototype for all the genocides which followed and as an example of the consequences when justice is not served for a genocide. We will work with CMHR to make sure this happens.

[Yervant1]

CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TO PRODUCE A FILM FOR 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

12:31, 10 Oct 2014

Shahen Mirakian, member of the Armenian National Committee of Canada
(ANCC), was one of the Armenians present at the formal opening
ceremonies of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg,
Manitoba. In addition to Mr. Mirakian, His Excellency Ambassador Mr.

Armen Yeganian attended the CMHR's opening.

The ANCC has closely been collaborating with the CMHR for over 10
years to ensure that the Armenian Genocide is properly represented in
the museum alongside the other four genocides officially recognized
by the Canadian government (the Holocaust, the Holodomor, Rwanda
and Srebrenica).

"To imagine that there would be a permanent exhibit on the Armenian
Genocide in such a unique architectural marvel was truly moving. The
grandeur of the place attests to how important it is to remember these
instances of horror and insanity that humanity has gone through in
the past century," Shahen Mirakian said in an interview with Horizon
Weekly.

He said the museum has a very modern approach to its displays. "Rather
than present enormous amounts of information or have exhibits
based around a particular artifact or document as you would see
in a traditional museum, CMHR's exhibits are designed to start
a discussion and to convey an impression. The Armenian Genocide
display like the display of the other genocides is presented from a
Canadian perspective. The gallery where the most information about
the Armenian Genocide is contained is called "Breaking the Silence"
and discusses the work involved in overcoming Turkey's denial in
order for Canada to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The traditional
Armenian Genocide display is accompanied by information in digital
form both on an interactive table and through computer terminals,"
Shahen Mirakian said.

"There are pictures, including a large one of a famished woman and
children (of the sort that we have come to associate so closely with
the Armenian Genocide). There are also five smaller pictures, one of
Canadian nurse Sara Corning who worked in Armenia to save orphans,
one of Atom Egoyan promoting his film "Ararat", one of a Montreal
demonstration for genocide recognition from La Presse, another from an
Ottawa demonstration from 2004 from Horizon's archives and yet another
depicting the unveiling of the Georgetown Boys farm plaque. There
are also supposed to be two physical artifacts exhibited (these were
not yet present when I attended) a replica of Armin Wenger's camera
and a copy of his book of photographs of the Armenian Genocide,"
Mirakian said.

He informed that there is also going to be a film produced by CMHR
for the 100thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide which will be
shown in a theatre in the Breaking the Silence gallery. We will be
working together with the museum over the next year to assist with
the preparation of this film.

"There is a separate gallery on the Holocaust and in that gallery
there is a feature on Raphael Lemkin and the definition of genocide.

In that particular exhibit, the Armenian Genocide is used to discuss
the biological aspects of genocide particularly on Armenian women (how
women were kidnapped and forced to take on a Muslim identity). There
are pictures of Armenian women marked with tattoos according to
Turkish tradition," Shahen Mirakian added.

He said "this museum is a testament to the fact that the Armenian
Genocide has now become common knowledge for any Canadian." "We have
reached the public through non Armenian institutions and the museum
will stand for many years and educated many generations of Canadians.

We would like to see a more prominent role for the Armenian Genocide
as a prototype for all the genocides which followed and as an example
of the consequences when justice is not served for a genocide. We
will work with CMHR to make sure this happens," he concluded.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/10/10/canadian-museum-for-human-rights-to-produce-a-film-for-100th-anniversary-of-the-armenian-genocide/