Picturing the Rohingya Genocide: Kitchener Photo Exhibit Commemorates the Sixth Anniversary of the Rohingya Genocide

"Picturing the Rohingya Genocide" will pay tribute to victims through survivor testimonies, cultural performances, keynote discussions and a powerful photo exhibit curated in collaboration with Rohingyatographer Magazine, Rohingya photographers and artists and renowned Canadian documentary photographer Greg Constantine.

Event Details

Date: Friday, August 25, Saturday, August 26th, Sunday, August 27th, 2023
Location: Rohingya Centre of Canada, 226-283 Duke Street West, Kitchener, ON

The Rohingya crisis is a harrowing saga of human suffering spanning back to the atrocities committed in 2017 by the Myanmar military junta. The brutal campaign led to widespread crimes against humanity, displacement, loss of life, and untold suffering within the Rohingya community. An estimated 730,000 Rohingya were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring countries. According to Human Rights Watch, the United Nations Security Council's failure to hold Myanmar's generals accountable for these crimes against humanity and genocide has left the Rohingya community stranded in a state of hopelessness.

Today, over one million Rohingya refugees reside in Bangladesh, enduring overcrowded camps, growing restrictions, natural disasters and escalating violence. While nearly 600,000 Rohingya remain in Myanmar, they continue to be subjected to apartheid-like conditions and denied basic rights and justice. Ongoing violence, restricted access to education and work, and aid cutbacks have cast a shadow over their future. Picturing the Rohingya Genocide serves to highlight these stark realities by providing a visual narrative of the Rohingya's plight, capturing their resilience and courage in the face of adversity. "In remembering the Rohingya genocide, we not only honour the lives lost but stand vigilant against the darkness of intolerance, ensuring that history's mistakes are never repeated. This day is a beacon of our shared humanity” said Saifullah Muhammad, the managing director of Rohingya Centre of Canada.

About the Rohingya Centre of Canada: The Rohingya Centre of Canada is a non-profit organization that works to promote the rights and well-being of the Rohingya people. The RCC provides support to Rohingya refugees in Canada, advocates for the Rohingya community in Canada and abroad, and raises awareness about the Rohingya genocide.

Event sponsors and partners. The Region of Waterloo, Justice For All Canada, Waterloo Region Community Foundation, KW - Multicultural Centre, Immigration Partnership Waterloo Region, Reception House Waterloo Region, Upstream Fund, Manmar Culture Club at the University of Toronto, United Way, Muslim Social Services (MSS), Somali Canadian Association of Waterloo Region, Karen Community of Canada (KCC), ARSPH and Conflict and Resilience Research Institute Canada (CRRIC).