Refugee Symposium: Let them Land, Let Them Stay Theglobalrefugeepopulationhasexceeded60millionsforthefirsttimesinceWWIIandtoday1inevery122peopleonearthisnowarefugee–TheUnitedNations.Friday,March3rdShareyourthoughts#SMURefugeeSymposium10am11am

FeatureSpeaker:KatieTinker-HalifaxRefugeeClinic:AssistingRefugeeClaimantsThroughCanada’sRefugeeDeterminationProcess

Abstract:KatieTinker,LegalCaseManagerattheHalifaxRefugeeClinic,willgiveapresentationabouttheworkofherorganizationanditsroleinassistingclientsthroughCanada’srefugeedeterminationprocedure.ThetalkwillgooversomebasicfactsaboutthelawsandprocessesgoverningrefugeesandrefugeeclaimantsinCanada,beforefocusingontheparticularchallengesandexperiencesof

thosewhocometothiscountryinsearchofasylum.Ms.Tinkerwillinvitetheaudiencetoreflectonwaysinwhichimmigrationstatuscansignificantlyaffectotherareasoflife,fromhealthandwellnesstotheabilitytoparticipatefullyinsociety.ThispresentationwillhighlighttheimportantrolegrassrootsorganizationscanplayinfillingsomeofthelegalandservicegapsfacedbyrefugeeclaimantsandotherswhoseektogainpermanentresidenceinCanada.ItwillalsoaddresssomecurrentconcernssurroundingCanada’srefugeelawsinlightofrecentworldevents,includingabriefdiscussionoftheSafeThirdCountryagreementbetweenCanadaandtheUnitedStates,whichsomenowargueshouldbesuspendedorterminated.

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11am12noon

FeatureSpeaker:Dr.RohiniBannerjee–FromJahabhiBhaitoJews:TheRefugeeStoriesofMauritius

Abstract:AsFrancophoneMauritianwriterAnandaDevistates,"nousavonsbesoindupassépoursavoirquenoussommes."Themulti-facetedandcomplicatedhistoryofMauritiusisonethatfirstlytellsthestoryofindenturedmalemigrantsfromIndia,jahabhibhaiwhowereconvincedthatboardingshipstocrosstheKalaPani(IndianOcean)toworktemporarilyonMauritiansugarplantationswouldleadtoaprosperouslivebackhome.Littledidtheyknowtheywouldgofrombeingwillingpassengerstoforcedexiles.Secondly,wewillexplorethelittleknownhistoryofdeportedandincarceratedJewsinMauritiusduringtheShoahofWWII,refugeesfleeingnotonlythegaschambersofNaziGermany,buttherestrictive

immigrationpoliciesofBritish-governedEretzPalestine.Speaker’sBio: Recipientofthe2012SaintMary’sUniversityStudentAssociationAwardforOverallExcellenceintheFieldofEducation,Dr.RohiniBannerjeeistheChairpersonoftheDepartmentofModernLanguages&ClassicswheresheisalsoAssociateProfessorofFrenchandFrancophoneStudies.SheisalsoaFacultymemberoftheAsianStudies,InternationalDevelopmentStudiesandGraduateWomenandGenderStudiesprogramsatSaintMary’sUniversity.BornandraisedinDartmouth,NS,Dr.BannerjeejoinedSaintMary'sUniversityin2007afterearningherDoctorateinFrenchStudiesfromWesternUniversityin2006.HerprimaryareaofresearchisintheFrancophoneLiteraturesandCulturesoftheIndianOcean.

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12noon1pm

FilmLuncheon:FeatureDocumentary:AfterSpring–AdocumentarythatfocusesontheSyrianrefugeecrisis.

Synopsis:TheUnitedNationshasstatedthattheSyrianCrisisisthebiggesthumanitarianemergencyofourera.WiththeSyrianconflictnowonitssixthyear,millionsofpeoplecontinuetobedisplaced.AfterSpringisthestoryofwhathappensnext.Byfollowingtworefugeefamiliesintransitionandaidworkersfightingtokeepthecamprunning,viewerswillexperiencewhatitisliketoliveinZaatari,thelargestcampforSyrianrefugees.Withnoendinsightfortheconflictorthisrefugeecrisis,everyonemustdecideiftheycanrebuildtheirlivesinaplacethatwasnevermeanttobepermanent.

Note:Alightlunchwillbeprovided(vegetarianoptionswillbeavailable).Ifyouhaveanydietaryneeds,pleaseemailusatinternational.centre@smu.caandwewilldoourbesttoaccommodateyou.

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1:00pm2:00pm

FeatureSpeaker:Dr.CatherineBaillieAbidi–Resilience,Relationshipand(Re)Settlement:WomenSpeakingThroughPhotographyCollective

Abstract:InthistalkthespeakerswillprovideabriefcontemporarycontextforrefugeesandrefugeeclaimantsinAtlanticCanada.Thespeakerswillalsosharephoto-storiesofyoungwomenwhocametotheAtlanticCanadianregionasrefugeeclaimantsandrefugees,highlightingthethemesoftransnationalrelationshipsandlifelonglearning.Thewomendemonstratethatthereisnotasingularrefugeestory,rather

eachnarrativecontributestothelargersocialanalysisofwhatitistobearefugeewomaninAtlanticCanada.Speaker’sBio: CatherineBaillieAbidiisascholarlypractitionerwhobridgescommunityandacademia,withaninterestinadulteducation,peacebuildingeducation,andmigrationandsettlement.Catherinehasbeenworkingintheareaofforcedmigrationfornearlytwodecades,manyoftheseyearswiththeCanadianRedCross,andhasfacilitatednumerouscommunity-basedresearchandeducationalprogramsorientedtofosteringwelcomingandinclusivecommunities.

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2:00pm3:00pm

FeatureSpeaker:RussellDaye,SeniorMinister,St.Andrew’sUnitedChurch:TheHalifax-MinyaraRefugeePartnership

Abstract:RussDayewilldiscussthepartnershipbetweenSt.Andrew’sUnitedChurchHalifaxandThePresbyterianChurchofMinyara,Lebanon.ThispartnershipsustainsaschoolforrefugeechildrenandamedicalclinicforrefugeesandlocalpoorinAkaar,thepoorestregionofLebanon,whosepopulationhasdoubledwiththeswellofrefugeesfromSyria.RusswillalsoreportonhisvisitstorefugeecampsalongtheLebanon-Syriaborderin2015and2016.

Speaker’sBio:RussDayehasservedchurchesinQuebecandoutportNewfoundland,taughtatseveraltheologicalcollegesanduniversities,workedonpeacebuildinginFiji,writtenaPh.D.dissertationonSouthAfrica’stransitiontodemocracy,andrecentlyvisitedrefugeecampsandcommunitiesintheMiddleEast.HehasbeeninvolvedwithtruthandreconciliationprocessesinAfrica,theSouthPacific,andCanada.Presentation:TheHalifax-MinyaraRefugeePartnership.RussDayewilldiscussthepartnershipbetweenSt.Andrew’sUnitedChurchHalifaxandThePresbyterianChurchofMinyara,Lebanon.ThispartnershipsustainsaschoolforrefugeechildrenandamedicalclinicforrefugeesandlocalpoorinAkaar,thepoorestregionofLebanon,whosepopulationhasdoubledwiththeswellofrefugeesfromSyria.RusswillalsoreportonhisvisitstorefugeecampsalongtheLebanon-Syria

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8:00pm1:00am

FeatureEvent:ClashforRefugees-BattleoftheDJsJoinusforanightofgreatinternationalmusic.FiveDJswillbecompetingandbringingyoutheiramazingmusicfromaroundtheglobe.EnjoyNorthAmerican,LatinAmerican,African,Chinese,CaribbeanandBangladeshi/IndianBollywoodmusic.Havefun,makeadifferenceandhelpsupportarefugeestudent.Cover$5HostedbySMUandtheMountWUSCRefugeeCommittees.

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Shareyourthoughts#SMURefugeeSymposium