The Tour for Humanity finished off 2 weeks in the Thames Valley District School Board today at a secondary school in London. Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) Educator Elena taught 4 workshops in total, 3 of Global Perspectives on Genocide and 1 Canadian Experience. It was an excellent way to finish off the week; there were students in each workshop who asked thoughtful questions or made insightful comments which meant all students were more willing to contribute.

One of the standout conversations of the day began in the 3rd workshop when one young man expressed frustration about the lack of action on the part of the United Nations in Rwanda and other situations. Another student commented that most governments don't address human rights issues within their own borders either and gave the examples of police brutality and missing Indigenous women. A third student wanted to know how we can each take action given the lack of action from the top levels of the government. Elena responded that it can seem overwhelming when we look at so many different forms of injustice but we need to remember that in a democracy it is the responsibility of all citizens to pressure leadership to take action and that the first step to being an active citizen is to be informed. Anger and frustration are normal reactions to learning about human rights abuses and we can use those feelings as fuel to help make positive change.