Mr Don Tow, President of the New Jersey-Alliance for Learning and Preserving the History of WWII in Asia, visited our Director of Education’s office on July 11, 2017. Mr Tow and Mr Simon Li had exchanged different ideas on pedagogies of teaching the Second World War history in Asia and the educational tour that NJ-ALPHA organised.
In South Korea, the co-director of the War & Women’s Human Rights Museum Ms Mee-hyang Yoon and HKHTC Director of Education Simon Li met to exchange ideas on how South Korea and Hong Kong teach our students about the wartime history of sex slaves. The War and Women’s Human Rights Museum is an open space to remember comfort women’s history, to educate students as well as the public, and to tackle the Japanese military sexual slavery issue. It is also an active museum that attempts to make the world a place without war and violence against women by collaborating in solidarity with other organisations.
In Beijing, HKHTC Director of Education Simon Li interviewed Mr Gao Xiongfei, who lost his arm during the Japanese military’s indiscriminate bombing of Yongan City. He also listened to the painful stories of the 92-year-old Mr Li Liangjie and the 87-year-old Mr Zhao Zongren, two Chinese slave labourers who were sent to Japan during WWII. The Japanese soldiers hunted for labourers throughout China and forced them into service. Statistics show that from 1931 to 1945, the Japanese soldiers enslaved more than 10 million Chinese labourers. These labourers were forced to be engaged in military project construction, road building, mining, reclaiming farmland and large-scale civil engineering projects. A large number of them were later killed. Mr Li talked to a number of survivors this summer.
Director of Education Simon Li visited the John Rabe House in Nanjing and met with the House’s director Mr Yang Shangyou. They had a fruitful discussion on pedagogical approaches to teaching about the rescuers during World War II in Asia such as John Rabe.
In Nanjing this summer, HKHTC Director of Education Simon Li interviewed one of the few remaining Nanjing Massacre survivors Ms Ai Yiying (艾義英), who witnessed the bloody atrocities in her village when she was 9. Since experiencing the atrocities in her childhood, she had nightmares about being chased by Japanese soldiers and got nowhere to hide. She still has wartime nightmares today 80 years later. There are now less than 100 registered Nanjing Massacre survivors today. Ai Yiying is one of them.
HKHTC Director of Education Simon Li recently visited an elderly hospital in Quzhou, China to meet with Mr and Mrs Fang, victims of the Japanese germ warfare, to discuss their painful experiences during the anthrax attack by the Japanese soldiers in Quzhou.
Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, is observed every year. It is a day of commemoration of the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust as a result of actions carried out by Nazi Germany. On April 24, HKHTC was honored to host the annual Yom Hashoah ceremony, which was held at the Jewish Community Centre, in remembrance of the millions of Jewish lives that perished in the Holocaust.
This year’s theme was “Never Again”. Members from all of Hong Kong’s Jewish congregations were represented.In addition, representatives from many consulates joined the evening’s gathering and other multi-faith leaders.In attendance was Sagi Karni, Consul General of Israel to Hong Kong, who gave an address. Opening remarks were read by Glen Steinman, HKHTC Director. The evening programme included a moving and graphic video documentary entitled Sgt. Howard Cwick, Jewish Liberator: Eyewitness to History.
In late May 2017, HKHTC’s Director of Education Simon Li and the Director of European Association of History Educators (EUROCLIO) Jonathan Evan-Zohar met together in The Hague to discuss strategies that can help history educators in Asia to develop meaningful and effective ways to enhance classroom teaching on the Holocaust and related WWII topics. Mr Li and Mr Evan-Zohar also discussed prospects of future collaboration between the two organisations.
EUROCLIO is an organisation that was established in 1992 at the request of the Council of Europe. It aims to foster the development of innovative and responsible history, heritage history and citizenship through developing critical thinking, incorporating diverse perspectives and worldview, as well as creating a community of mutual respect.
In May 2017, HKHTC Director of Education Simon Li and the Director of the Humanity House Ms Lisette Mattaar had a fruitful meeting in The Hague to discuss peace education in East Asia and the prospects of collaboration on multiple educational projects between HKHTC and the Humanity House.
The Humanity House is a museum that was founded in 2010 that provides a unique experience for visitors to explore what it’s like to live through a conflict or disaster as well as prominent related themes through contemporary exhibitions. In addition, the museum provides various educational programmes as well as public lectures and discussions to raise awareness on the importance of humanitarian themes which include but are not limited to the freedom of speech, security of food and human rights. The museum also acts as a platform for organisations, agencies and individuals to discuss and debate on humanitarian themes.
Director of Education Simon Li gave a sharing session on The Diary of Anne Frank and our centre’s work for different members of Hong Kong’s faith communities this spring.
