Royal City residents are invited to hear about war and conflict from people who have lived through it.
The Human Library gives residents a chance to meet people who have lived through war and conflict and ask questions about their experiences. The all-ages event is taking place at Anvil Centre on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 1 to 3 p.m.
At the Human Library, residents will have a chance to chat with people who lived in Saigon during the Vietnam War, others who grew up during two wars in Iran and more.
Joey Le, a former oncologist and owner of Joey’s Video Stop on 12th Street, was just three years old when the Viet Cong attacked Saigon for the first time. On the eve of a designated ceasefire in respect of Chinese New Year, he remembers explosions, power outages, neighbours screaming and finding comfort in his grandmother’s arms.
“Years of bombings and military attacks convinced his family to move from Saigon, but they were too late,” said a press release about the event. “It was in the moment when he could hear the sound of tanks rolling down the street that Joey felt the fear of what the future would be and what would happen to his family. His family remained under Communist rule for seven years until his brother escaped to Canada and was able to sponsor his family to move.”
New Westminster resident Eileen Glavin lived in England during the Second World War and worked as a wireless operator, intercepting messages from U-Boats, planes and different countries. She was sworn to secrecy about her job, and her parents died without ever knowing what work she did in the war.
Le and Glavin are among 11 residents, most from New West, who will tell their stories and answer questions at the Human Library. The event, held in partnership with The Memory Project and facilitated by Historica Canada, is a way to highlight some of the experiences of local residents and give younger residents a chance to hear their firsthand accounts of their stories.
For more information and to register, call the New Westminster Museum and Archives at 604-527-4640.
