Today, Tour for Humanity made its first stop in Bracebridge at a Secondary School where Grades 10 - 12 classes participated in workshops. The Grade 10 classes all saw the Canadian Experience workshop. In this workshop, students learn about a variety of difficult topics in Canadian history including slavery, the Indian Residential Schools System, the voyage of the SS St. Louis and the systemic internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. Following a review of the past, current issues including cyber bullying and modern-day examples of intolerance are examined and discussed. The Grades 11 and 12 saw the Global Perspectives workshop. This workshop begins with a screening of a three-part documentary series produced by FSWC entitled The Holocaust, Universal Genocide and Real World Heroes. The Ten Stages of Genocide are then discussed in relation to the Holocaust and other world genocides, including Rwanda, Cambodia and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine and throughout Eastern Europe under Joseph Stalin’s reign.

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) Educator Daniella was very pleased with both Grade 10 classes because the students were so willing to share answers and opinions. They even asked questions regarding Simon Wiesenthal's career as a Nazi hunter. The classes were quite surprised that Nazis are still being brought to trial even now, so Daniella was also able to tie in Holocaust survivor Max Eisen's story to the material. The students were also very surprised by the current hate crime statistics, especially hearing that antisemitism is still a problem. It was good to be able to share issues with students that were happening outside of their own immediate communities.