Tour for Humanity was at a public school in North York today. Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) Educator Elena taught 6 workshops throughout the day. All of the students were in Grades 5 and 6 and had requested the Simon's Story workshop combined with a brief discussion of Residential Schools at the principal's request. This tied in very nicely with commemorating International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The students at the school were very well-prepared and consequently a pleasure to work with. There was a lot of curiosity about World War II and the Holocaust and some very astute questions. 

One Grade 5 student really impressed Elena while she discussed the pursuit of Nazis after the war and the war crimes trial. He wanted to know if any Americans went on trial for bombing Japan with two atom bombs. Elena acknowledged the devastation of the bombs dropped and the fact that many thousands of people were killed but also pointed out the refusal of Japan to admit defeat before the bombs were dropped. Elena also shared with the students the expression: "History is written by the victors." Another powerful moment from the day came from one Grade 6 students who shared that he was born in the Cayman Islands and moved to Canada when he was two years old.  He asked what the word "refugee" meant and said that his friend had made fun of him by calling him a refugee. Elena explained the definition of a refugee vs an immigrant. She also said that being a refugee is not a shameful thing at all and that his friend probably didn't really know what he was talking about.