Today Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) had another group of Grade 10 English students participate in our Roots of Hate and Intolerance workshop. Students today showed genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for the material that was presented, in both the European and Canadian experiences. FSWC Educator Emily was impressed with the level of background knowledge that some students shared right at the beginning of the workshop, which certainly made it easier for her to delve into some of the finer points of Holocaust history.

While covering some examples of discrimination in Canada’s history with the S.S. St. Louis, one of the students asked about the purpose of apologies so long after the event occurred. This led to a good discussion about taking responsibility for past misdeeds, the need for recognition of the families affected by those acts of discrimination, and the constant reminder of “Never Again.”