Loyalist College would like to invite members of the public to join students in its Justice Studies program for a presentation by author and public speaker, Eva Olsson, a survivor of the concentration camps. Ms. Olsson will be presenting on bullying and the importance of not being a bystander to injustice. She uses her life experiences, primarily in the Holocaust, to illustrate the power of hate and the importance of standing up against forces of racism, bigotry and intolerance.
“When people ask me how long I intend to do this important work, I remind them that bullying and genocide are still happening in many parts of the world,” explains Ms. Olsson on her website: www.evaolsson.ca. “Unfortunately, because these problems – caused by hate and intolerance – will always be with us, I’m going to keep speaking as long as I can. Then I can honestly say to the millions of people whose voices were so cruelly silenced by the Nazis, “You have not been forgotten.”
| What: | Eva Olsson’s presentation uses the Holocaust and her experiences in it as a springboard to discuss key issues. |
| When: | Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 10:30 a.m. Students and members of the public to arrive 11:00 a.m. Presentation begins 12:00 p.m. Q&A |
| Where: | Loyalist College Gymnasium Wallbridge-Loyalist Road Belleville, Ontario |
For more than a decade, Eva has spoken to over one million people, including a presentation earlier this year to Loyalist College Justice Studies students. Eva’s powerful PowerPoint presentation contains pictures from the Holocaust as well as pictures taken when she retraced her life in 2007, visiting her birthplace as well as three concentration camps.
Eva Olsson was born on October 28, 1924 in Szatmar, Hungary (now Satu Mare, Romania), one of six children in a poor Hasidic family. On May 15, 1944, she and her family were taken away in boxcars to Auschwitz-Birkenau, part of what we now know as the Holocaust, Hitler’s attempt to exterminate all the Jews of Europe. Eva’s autobiography, Unlocking the Doors: A Woman’s Struggle Against Intolerance, published in 2001, describes her life before, during, and after these events. On January 24, 2008, Ms. Olsson was inducted into the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest official honour.
Ms. Olsson’s message resonates deeply with a wide variety of audiences. The presentation is particularly valuable to students in the Community and Justice Services program at Loyalist College who are preparing for careers working with youth and/or adults at risk in both the community and inside residential and/or custodial facilities. Loyalist graduates work in a vast range of settings including: youth custody facilities, child welfare homes, federal and provincial correctional facilities, attendance centres, community justice agencies, victim support agencies, and a variety of residential facilities for people at risk.
Loyalist College prepares students for a rewarding career by combining rigorous academic standards with hands-on training from industry experts. Programs range from apprenticeships and certificates to diplomas and post-graduate studies. Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs and 77 university transfer agreements around the world. The best testament to the College’s value is from students, 97 percent of whom say they would recommend Loyalist to a friend. Loyalist is committed to helping students find great jobs, as well as supporting and enhancing the economic and social development of all individuals in its communities.
– 30 –
Kerry Lorimer, Manager, Corporate Communications and Media Relations, Loyalist College, klorimer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2536