News release details

Navigating life as a Ukrainian newcomer to Canada, displaced by the ongoing war. Fighting for freedom of speech in North Korea. Resisting discrimination against 2SLGBTQ+ people in Egypt. Securing safe reproductive health care for all Canadians.

Twenty‐three projects by Manitoba students on pressing human rights issues such as these will be on display during the Be an Upstander Showcase tomorrow at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR).

To take part, students must go beyond researching their topic and presenting their findings: they must demonstrate the tangible steps they have taken to make a positive impact. The results range from artwork, performances, videos, board games, video games and more.

This approach is based on the CMHR’s Be an Upstander teacher resource, which is used in classrooms across Canada to help students transform their knowledge about an issue into action to create change – to go from “bystanders” to “upstanders”. A similar showcase of student projects created with the Upstander teacher resource was held in Edmonton in April.

Students will share their projects with visitors tomorrow in the Level 5 gallery (see details below). Media are welcome to attend and interview students about their work. Teachers and Museum staff will also be available for comment.

As part of the Museum’s Free Friday Nights promotion, gallery admission is free after 5:00 p.m.

WHAT: Be an Upstander student showcase  

WHEN: In‐gallery presentations on Friday, May 12, from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Free admission for all visitors on Friday, May 12, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: CMHR, 85 Israel Asper Way

Students from Niverville High School, Strathcona School, Gordon Bell High School, John Pritchard School, Nelson McIntyre Collegiate and Oak Park High School will be present.