Throughout history, artifacts have been instrumental in helping us uncover our past. A photograph, a journal, or a piece of clothing all have told us stories of how people lived, what they endured and has helped us understand life in places far beyond our reach.
For decades, Tamils have been subjected to a genocidal program under the Sri Lankan Government; some of these victims have been granted refuge in other countries, including Canada.
According to the Canadian Centre for International Justice (CCIJ), there are more than one million people living in Canada that have experienced torture and war trauma. Human rights abuses have been committed in Argentina, Bosnia, Burma, Chile, Iran, Iraq, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka – just to name a few. CCIJ is involved in working with survivors of genocide, torture and other atrocities; they advocate for bringing the perpetrators of genocidal crimes to justice and works to assist individuals who have lost close family and friends as a result of human rights violations.
On October 2, 2010, CCIJ will be having a contemporary art installation, Fragments as part of this year’s Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. The purpose of this Exhibit is to raise public awareness of significant events that many Canadians have experienced in their lives.
The Human Rights Advocacy Council of Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance (CTYA) is working in partnership with several community organizations and CCIJ in obtaining a collection of artifacts that represent the experiences of the victims. Similar to the mission of CCIJ, the Human Rights Advocacy Council aims to educate youth and the broader Canadian society about the ongoing plight of Tamil people.
Survivors and families of victims are invited to submit up to five objects that represents their past experiences.
Some examples of items that can be contributed to this exhibit include;
- Clothing that was worn during an incident.
- Photographs of relatives or friends that have passed away.
- If your house was attacked, photographs of your house before and after the attack.
- Photographs of scars that resulted from torture.
- Objects that were presented to you by someone who has died as a result of torture.
Objects and photographs can either be donated or loaned. Loaned objects will be handled with great care and will be returned upon the completion of the Exhibition. Along with the artifacts, you may also include a story about the significance of the object. Objects that are too sentimental to be loaned can be photographed by the exhibits photographers and the picture will be displayed at the event.
For more information about Fragments, please visit www.ccij.ca/nuit-blanche.
Contact us regarding Fragments at humanrights@ctya.org
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