On the occasion of 82^nd anniversary of Nanjing Massacre, a series of events including commemorations and symposiums were held in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, calling for remembering history and cherishing peace.

In the afternoon on December 8^th Canadian time, the forum in remembrance of Nanjing Massacre victims from the perspective of history, culture and education was held by Hong Maple Foundation in the Committee Room, North York Civic Center, Toronto. Five scholars specializing in history, society, culture and warfare history respectively gave reports during the forum. Attendants including scholars, professors, people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan took an active part in discussions over Bill 79, an act to proclaim the Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day, and Private Members’ Notice of Motion Number 66.

Yu Chengzhang, chairwoman of Hong Maple Foundation, said that friends from the globe were altruistic in saving the life of many Chinese people during Nanjing Massacre. We now had to try our best in contributing to the world peace and overseas Chinese should also spread the seeds of peace all over the world.

 Presentation by Yu Chengzhang

Zhang Weiguo, professor of Sociology Department in University of Toronto, appealed for enhancement of cooperation, research and communication so as to promote the dissemination of historical truth among Chinese communities, Canadian communities and even the international community. Guan Jianhong, a law practitioner, thought that education was the best measure to prevent repeating same disasters.

Ontario approved Motion Number 66 in 2017 in deciding December 13^th as Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day, becoming the first Western government in setting up such a day in the world. Former senator of Ontario Huang Sumei said that it was of great significance to the next generation. Ontario, with the largest number of Chinese students in Canada, should enable each Education Commission to learn about Nanjing Massacre.

At 12:00 on December 12^th local time in Canada (midnight on 13^th Beijing time), a peace assembly was held in Ontario Legislative Building to commemorate Nanjing Massacre victims.

 Group Photo of Participants

Over one hundred participants came to the commemoration including Huang Sumei, overseas Chinese in Canada, Koreans, Japanese, Dutch and Canadians. From then on, commemoration events would be held in the Asian-Pacific Peace and Education Center (previously Toronto ALPHA) in the Legislative Building with senators coming from other provinces.

Liu Meiling, CEO of the Center, said that it was quite significant to hold commemoration events in the Legislative Building and by this opportunity, Nanjing Massacre history would be brought to all schools in Ontario and all people including Chinese people would be educated. Wang Yujia, founder of the Center, said that to commemorate history did not mean to spread hatred. Instead, it was to treasure peace.

Aris Babikian, an overseas Asian in Armenia, had proposed a bill with the hope of setting up Genocide Awareness, Commemoration, Prevention and Education Month in Ontario. Aris Babikian and Wang Yujia had high expectation over the bill to be approved so that a series of history including Nanjing Massacre could be written into textbooks.

“Other people’s suffering is also our suffering.” Joy Kogawa, a Canadian writer mentioned that some people in the Japanese community denied Nanjing Massacre and that was why he and his friends stepped forward.

Tomer Zaidman was a freshman in University of Toronto. He recalled his memory two years ago when he was in Nanjing to learn about Nanjing Massacre by Japanese invaders. For this purpose, he wrote a guide book helping high school students studying Nanjing Massacre.

 Wang Yujia (2^nd from right), Liu Meiling (1^st from right) and Joy Kogawa (middle)

On the same day, exhibition in commemoration of Nanjing Massacre victims was held in Vancouver with the theme of Remembering History · Cherishing Peace. About 300 people including 60 Chinese and people from all walks of life came to the exhibition.

Toronto senator Jim Karygiannis recalled that he once visited Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders and he shed tears upon seeing the characters inscribed on the wall of catastrophe. He said, “we have to know our history and wherever you are, whatever your color skin is and regardless of your race, we have to join the cause of promoting peace for human kind.”

Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organization and Toronto branch of Canadian Freemasons joined the commemoration event in front of monument for Nanjing Massacre victims in Toronto on December 13^th. That monument was funded by overseas Chinese in Toronto and was unveiled one year ago. Weng Guoning, chairman of the Confederation, believed that peace-loving people would come here on the same day every year in remembrance of history and prayer for peace.

The United States

on December 8^th American local time, an overseas peace assembly Nanjing Ji was held in Chinese Culture Center in China Town, San Francisco. Within the hall hung the black-white elegiac couplet exuding a sense of solemnness.

Five Continents Harbor National Sentiment

Four Oceans Commemorate Chinese Victims

Over one hundred people both Chinese and Americans gathered here to commemorate victims of Nanjing Massacre 82 years ago. Zhang Lanzhen, president of Global Alliance for Preserving the History of World War II in Asia said, “Nanjing Ji has been on for 23 consecutive years for the purpose of educating younger generations to cherish peace and not to forget history.”

Japan

Peace Assembly for the 82^th Anniversary of Nanjing Massacre was hosted by National Liaison Board for 82^nd Anniversary of Nanjing Massacre, a Japanese civil group, in Osaka, Nagoya, Shizuoka and Tokyo from December 7^th to 11^th. Aid Association of Victims in Nanjing during the War of Aggression against China by Japanese Invaders and the assembly organizers jointly organized the testimony assembly and invited Ge Fengjin, son of survivor Ge Dao-rong, and Sun Zhai-wei, a historian, to the assembly in Japans.

On December 8^th, the 2^nd session of the assembly was held in Nagoya. that day was also the birthday of Ono Masami, one of the assembly organizers. He said, “it is the most significant birthday present listening to the testimony from the survivor’s descendant on the assembly.” Being a retired teacher, he had dedicated himself in disseminating the truth of history. He thought that true peace was about human rights being secured and to know the truth of history was of the human rights which should be safeguarded as well.

 Sun Zhaiwei, Ono Masami, Ge Fengjin (from left to right)