UBC honours Japanese Canadian students of 1942
The treatment of Japanese Canadians and Japanese nationals during the Second World War is a dark period of Canadian history – a period few Canadians fully understand or want to discuss. In 1942, 21,000 Japanese Canadians were forced to leave the west coast and their homes and were sent to internment camps. Now, 70 years later, UBC will honour 76 students who were unable to complete their university studies or missed their graduation ceremonies when they were sent away in 1942 with a Honorary Degree Ceremony on May 30, 2012.
http://japanese-canadian-student-tribute.ubc.ca/
St. John’s College welcomed the students to a luncheon prior to the ceremony and it was the start of an emotional and poignant day.
70 years later: Ceremony of Japanese Canadian students of 1942 – thoughts and reactions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGdwFXXioFA
On March 21, 2012, the symposium, Addressing injustice: UBC’s Response to the internment of Japanese Canadians Students – Then and Now sought to answer questions about what happened 70 years ago and address about UBC’s responsibility. Participants examined related ethical issues that still resonate today.
Symposium speakers included:
Mary Kitagawa, an active member of the Japanese Canadian community who led the campaign for UBC honorary degrees, who spoke of the journey of the honorary ceremony
Stan Fukawa, community historian , who spoke about what life was like at UBC for Japanese Canadian students before the war
John Price, University of Victoria history professor, who spoke about the larger contexts for the forced removal of Japanese Canadians in 1942
Henry Yu, UBC history professor, and St. John’s College Principal, addressed issues of justice and responsibility both in the past and present and why an awareness of history is a crucial element of citizenship and civic participation for all Canadians
A 15-20 minute video featuring the stories of six Japanese Canadians who were UBC students in 1942 was shown as part of the program:
A Degree of Justice: Japanese Canadian Students of 1942
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8jGdYMmwfQ&feature=relmfu
33 minutes. Funded by the UBC Library.
Directed: Alejandro Yoshizawa
Production Coordinator: Elena Kusaka
Produced: Mary Kitagawa, Tosh Kitagawa, Henry Yu, and Shirin Eshghi.
Watch the symposium: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKkR4PSs4WU
Download poster: