New Westminster Secondary School is going global.
The school is hosting a Global Issues Week, which kicked off Tuesday and runs until May 1 at the school's library, where students will hear from a diverse mix of people, including a Holocaust survivor, a First Nations slam poet and a woman who overcame an eating disorder.
"It's a way to get the school community together around the topic of social justice, and a way for students to have dialogue with each other around the common theme," said Lorena Jones, a teacher-librarian at the school and one of the event organizers.
The line-up features a number of individuals who have endured horrific examples of social injustice.
Holocaust survivor Alex Buckman will share his story of being hidden as a child by members of the resistance. He was helped to escape and eventually was raised by relatives because his parents perished in the Holocaust, Jones said.
The week also includes a project related to reconciliation for residential schools.
"It's a project that will commemorate the legacy of residential schools," Jones said.
An elder will come to the school and share his experience of residential schooling. Afterwards, students will paint or draw or do some art on a small tile, which will be sent to various locations, such as the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, where they will be amassed together into a mosaic with other students' work, Jones said.
Other workshops include a film festival from REEL Canada, which will show documentaries with a focus on global issues. First Nations slam poet Zaccheus Jackson will talk to students about finding their own voice through poetry, Jones said.
Acclaimed writer and storyteller Ivan E. Coyote will also speak.
"Her role is to question gender roles, and she also provides true storytelling avenues by which to resist stereotypes, bullying and homophobia," Jones said.
Eating disorder survivor Amy Candido will speak on her journey to overcome bulimia and anorexia.
Out in Schools will also present at the event, which was funded with help from the New Westminster Teachers' union.
Global Issues Week started four years ago, when Jones started working at the school.
"It creates a community feeling around the topic of social awareness and social justice," Jones said about the event.
