Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program

We are pleased to report that MARL has completed the fifth year of participation in an outstanding human rights education program. Titled The Asper Foundation Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program, this educational project is funded by both The Winnipeg Foundation and the Asper Foundation. Working together with the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada (JHC) as program administrators, MARL is the home base for the program coordinator for grade nine students who enroll in the program through their schools.

Creation of this program originated with the JHC where a Holocaust study program for the Jewish community began six years ago. In 2001 the program was implemented to include the broader community and general human rights issues and MARL was brought onboard as an administrator. In 2003 the two programs were merged to create a fully integrated program for human rights and holocaust education. We just completed the third year of the integrated program with 115 students traveling to Washington in April and graduation at the end of May.

Over the years MARL has brought the program to 17 high schools including 255 students. Teachers and parents report that the impact of the program has been profound. After completing 20 hours of education over 9 weeks and the 4-day trip to Washington DC, students are forming human rights clubs, holding genocide awareness week, organizing other activities to share what they've learned and making a difference in their schools and communities.

Although this year's trip was afflicted with the Norwalk virus, the lasting impact on students is their educational experience. As they tell us at graduation, " We are now witnesses. We are now part of the solution to hate and genocide."