Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Wheresuccessbegins Wheresuccessbegins Wheresuccessbegins Wheresuccessbegins ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca ustboniface.ca 0 4 C a n a d i a n M u s e u M f o r H u M a n r i g H t s - s u p p l e M e n t t o t H e W i n n i p e g f r e e p r e s s - s a t u r d a y, s e p t e M b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 cmu.ca ����������������������� ������������������ Faith-filledCommunity DiscovertheAlternative CANADIANMENNONITEUNIVERSITY the promise of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Stuart Murray PHOtO By Mike LatScHiSLaw ➤ The following is an excerpt of the remarks delivered by Stuart Murray, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, at its official opening ceremonies on Sept. 19, 2014. If ever there is question whether Canada is a nation of big ideas and big dreams, let this achievement before us be our answer. This noble Canadian experiment honours the best of who we are as a people, and stands as a first — both for this country and for the world. Today, as we gather to celebrate this distinctly Canadian accomplishment, we pause to wonder how our own lives would be different if not for the courage, the perseverance and the sheer humanity of those whose stories we are privileged to tell. We wonder how our lives, and the lives of those we love, might be different if it weren't for a Canadian woman born in Chatsworth, Ontario, who could neither go to school or even read until she was 10, but nonetheless grew up to become one of the greatest advocates for women's rights our country has known — winning the right to vote first in this province and causing barriers to fall in every part of Canada. Her name was Nellie McClung. We wonder how our lives and our country might be different if not for an ambitious businesswoman in Nova Scotia who was harassed and eventually arrested after refusing to give up her seat in the "white" section of a movie theatre when she herself was black. She fought tirelessly against the charges, rallied others in the name of equality, and challenged the practices of segregation that existed — yes — right here in Canada. Her name was Viola Desmond. We wonder how our lives might be different had a bright scholar in Montreal not authored the very first draft of a document that we still celebrate today — a document known around the world as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. His name was John Peters Humphrey. Today, we open the doors to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. We open these doors not only to tell the stories of human rights defenders from Canada and around the world, but also so that we may be inspired by people who were neither born heroes nor sought recognition or glory, but whose acts of courage changed lives and changed the course of history. We open these doors so that all who enter will be reminded of a simple but profound truth, which is this: We can all make a difference in this world. We will shed light in dark places. We will show how people have resisted oppression and triumphed over adversity. We will do this through discussion, dialogue, personal stories, stunning architecture, and educational programs. We can and we will break the barriers that still block the path of human progress. We can and we will start right now, and we will make a difference in our time. If there is one unifying lesson in the many hundreds of stories told in the museum, it is this: Taking up the cause of human rights requires no special training. It demands no formal study or special skill. The agents of change are those with which we are already endowed — understanding, respect, courage and an open mind. Each of us already has the tools we need. The museum we open today stands as the beacon that reminds us to use them. The great promise of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is that it will inspire a new generation of human rights defenders. It will challenge us to consider new perspectives, to reflect on the experiences of others, to engage in challenging conversations and to consider our own biases and prejudices. Today, we open a place and a space to share our stories and learn from each other. Today, in Canada's name, we open wide the doors to a new era of human rights discussion and dialogue. We invite you to join this conversation. I can promise that it will be full of opportunity and possibility, the promise of a brighter future, and the hope of a better world. We open these doors so that all who enter will be reminded of a simple but profound truth, which is this: We can all make a difference in this world. "This noble Canadian experiment honours the best of who we are as a people, and stands as a first — both for this country and for the world." Stuart Murray, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Congratulationstothe CanadianMuseumforHumanRights Everydaywehelpdonorsmake adifferenceinthelivesofothers. Letushelpyoureachyourphilanthropicgoals. 800.772.3257 MennoFoundation.ca

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