UCC marks Genocide Victims Day with Zoryan Institute program led by student Ara Sagharian

L-R: Zoryan executive director, Megan Reid; UCC student, Ara Sagharian; presenter, Lauren Dedewa; program assistant, Semhale Tsehaye. (Photo: Zoryan Institute)

TORONTOHYE—Upper Canada College (UCC) marked the United Nations International Day of the Victims of Genocide on Dec. 9 with a special educational program delivered by the Zoryan Institute. According to a press release issued by the Institute, the event was organized by UCC student Ara Sagharian, an active member of the school's Armenian Club and a descendant of Armenian Genocide survivors.

The UN established December 9 as the International Day of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, the same day the Genocide Convention was adopted. This year, Sagharian approached the Zoryan Institute—the parent organization of the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (IIGHRS)—to bring its high-school program to his campus. The Institute is internationally known for its scholarship and its Genocide and Human Rights University Program, which has trained numerous PhD-level educators.

In the press release, the Institute noted that Sagharian was motivated by both his family history and an awareness that many of his peers, including Armenian, Jewish, Rwandan, and other students, carry inherited or lived experiences shaped by genocide. He aimed to create a space where those histories could be honoured while exploring universal themes, including the dangers of "us versus them" thinking that drives division and dehumanization.

To broaden participation, Sagharian brought together every cultural club at UCC, along with the Truth and Reconciliation group and the school’s Pluralism Council. The collaboration drew students and teachers from diverse backgrounds and aligned with Canada’s broader commitments to equity and human rights.

The Zoryan Institute's session, 'Promoting Equity, Tolerance, Reconciliation, and Awareness Through Genocide Education,' was launched in 2022 with support from the Ontario Ministry of Education and has since been presented in dozens of Ontario schools. At UCC, the program was led by Lauren Fedewa, a University of Toronto PhD candidate and graduate of the Institute's summer university program. Her presentation explored genocide through the testimonies of two teenagers, Anne Frank and Aurora Mardiganian, illuminating both the distinct histories of the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide and the shared human experiences at their core. Students asked probing questions throughout, including about the relevance of cultural genocide in today's legal definitions.

A flyer designed by Sagharian promoted the event in the school's hallways. His efforts, the Institute wrote, have been a source of pride for his family, his school, and the Armenian community. "[Ara] is an inspiring example for youth across Canada, and his initiative underscores the importance of supporting the Zoryan Institute as it continues its vital mission of education and awareness," the Institute wrote in its press release.

Information about arranging this presentation for other schools is available at: https://zoryaninstitute.org/book-a-zi-genocide-education-presentation-at-your-school/.