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| Alpha education.png | |
| Formation | 1997 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-Profit Organization |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Canada |
Founder | Dr. Joseph Yu Kai Wong |
| Website | www |
ALPHA Education (formerly the Toronto Association for Learning and Preserving the History of World War II in Asia or Toronto ALPHA) is a Toronto-based NGO that focuses on educating individuals on the overlooked events of World War II in Asia. In particular, ALPHA emphasizes the values of justice, peace, and reconciliation with respect to the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army during the time. The organization fulfils its mission through its "four directions": educating educators and students, empowering youth, supporting research, and connecting with the community[1].
History
[edit]Dr.Joseph Wong, founder and chair of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, founded ALPHA Education in 1997 with a mandate to seek justice and foster education. Wong’s education at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a Jewish medical school[2] in New York, inspired him to start ALPHA, after he saw the relentless effort that the Jewish community put into remembering the horrors of the Holocaust. Wong looked to his own Chinese ancestry and was appalled by the lack of information and knowledge on World War II in the East[3].
Milestones
[edit]Parliamentary Motion on Comfort Women
[edit]
On November 28th, 2007, members of federal parties in Ottawa unanimously passed a motion to recognize Japan’s use of sex slaves during World War II. The motion, which pressed Tokyo to apologize for its actions in World War II, was spearheaded by NDP member Olivia Chow and former Parliamentary Secretary Jason Kenney[4]. ALPHA drove the motion by forming a coalition with Canadian-Filipino and Canadian-Korean groups to collect over 50,000 signatures for a petition. ALPHA also posted a full-page appeal in The Globe and Mail, lobbied Canadians MPs, and invited four surviving comfort women to Canada to speak at Parliament Hill[5].
Rape of Nanking Docudrama
[edit]Also in 2007, ALPHA helped produce a docudrama version of Iris Chang's the Rape of Nanking[6]. The docudrama used Hollywood actors, such as Woody Harrelson and Mariel Hemingway, to read the diaries and testimonies of individuals who were part of the Nanking Massacre. The film also showed interviews with surviving victims, which provided the “most heart-wrenching moments”. The Rape of Nanking docudrama premiered in January of 2007 and was met with rave reviews[7].
Memorandum of Understandings (MOU)
[edit]In 2013, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and ALPHA Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together in supporting educators in bringing a more inclusive world history curriculum, which includes the atrocities of World War II in Asia. The MOU promised collaboration on programming, development of the TDSB Asian history curriculum, and implementation of educational programs for teachers[8]. In 2015, a similar MOU was signed between ALPHA and the Toronto District Catholic School Board[9].
Bill 79
[edit]In late 2016, MPP Soo Wong brought forth her Private Member's Bill #79, An Act to proclaim the Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day. The bill proposed that December 13th of every year, in Ontario, be a day of commemoration for the Nanking Massacre. The first reading of this bill occurred on December 5th, 2016, and the second reading occurred on December 8th, 2016; both readings were carried[10]. In Soo Wong's address in Legislature, she acknowledges ALPHA's support of her bill and quotes several ALPHA members on the importance of remembering the history of the Nanking Massacre[11].
For the third reading of Bill #79, ALPHA Education spearheaded a campaign to gather 100,000 Ontarian signatures to support the bill[12].
On-going Projects
[edit]Digital Archive Project
[edit]ALPHA and its volunteers are currently sorting, transcribing, analyzing, and annotating a large collection of primary sources related to World War II in Asia, and material includes images, videos, interviews, and official documents. ALPHA believes that these documents provide “a unique and intimate window into the lives of civilians, soldiers, and leaders during this time of unrest”. The information and analysis of these documents will help construct a digital library that can be used as a resource for students, scholars, and peace advocates doing research on the Asia-Pacific war. The project is led by ALPHA’s Education Director, Dr. Sarah Lynn Kleeb[13].
ALPHA Education University Chapters
[edit]To extend ALPHA’s mission across Ontario, chapters of the organization have spread to various universities in the province, which include the University of Toronto - St. George campus, Western University, Waterloo University, and McMaster University. These chapters help educate the respective student populations through panel discussions with professors and activists, fundraisers, film screenings, and awareness booths[14].
See Also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Our Mission & Vision". alphaeducation. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ "For Jewish Doctors, A 'Relatively' Welcome School". Jewish Week. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
- ^ "Board of Directors". alphaeducation. Retrieved 2017-03-17.
- ^ "MPs want Japan to apologize over World War II sex slaves | Toronto Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ "Our Impact". alphaeducation. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ "History/Milestones". alphaeducation. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ "Documentary on Rape of Nanking disturbing for the filmmakers". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ "Press Release: Toronto ALPHA and Toronto District School Board sign Memorandum of Understanding" (PDF). www.ALPHAeducation.org.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Toronto Catholic District School Board & ALPHA Education Sign Memorandum of Understanding" (PDF). ALPHA Education.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Bill 79, Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day Act, 2016 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario | Bills & Lawmaking | Current Parliament". www.ontla.on.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ SooWongMPP (2016-12-13), Soo Wong re Bill 79 - Nanjing Massacre Private Member's Bill, retrieved 2017-03-18
- ^ "Bill 79". alphaeducation. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
- ^ Kleeb, Sarah. "Volunteer Opportunity" (PDF). www.ALPHAeducation.org.
- ^ "ALPHA Chapters on University Campuses". alphaeducation. Retrieved 2017-03-18.