NEWS RELEASE WELLINGTON COUNTY MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
ABOYNE, ONT – Wellington County Museum and Archives (WCMA) is proud to present Refuge Canada, a powerful exhibition created by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, opening on May 31.
Refuge Canada explores Canada’s place in the global refugee crisis. Refugees often face fear, shattered lives, and dangerous voyages in search of refuge. Canada has provided sanctuary for many. However, over the course of the twentieth century, Canada has responded generously to some refugees while overlooking others.
“As Canadians become increasingly aware of the current global refugee crisis, Refuge Canada provides crucial historical context while challenging and inspiring visitors on a journey from darkness to hope, always questioning preconceptions about what it means to be a refugee,” said Hailey Johnston, curator. “We’re proud to welcome this traveling exhibit, which celebrates stories of success and contributions made by people who came to Canada as refugees.”
Through compelling images, immersive soundscapes, first-person accounts, and authentic artifacts, this moving exhibition begins with a powerful premise: No one wants to be a refugee, anyone could become a refugee.
Visitors will journey through five thematic areas:
- Life Before
- Fear
- Displacement
- Refuge
- Life in Canada
The exhibition offers hands-on opportunities to connect with refugee experiences, including crawling inside a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) tent. Visitors can look out a plane window as the shores of Canada approach and listen to refugees tell their stories throughout the exhibit.
Moving through major waves of arrival from the Second World War era to present day, Refuge Canada does not shy away from portraying the darker chapters of history. Hopeful stories of optimism and success are balanced by moving accounts of shattered lives, fear, and examples of Canada’s mixed record in welcoming refugees.
Refuge Canada runs from May 31 until Sept. 14.
