Backgrounder - Voices of Refugees

In recognition of World Refugee Day, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is pleased to introduce Voices of Refugees.

This unique presentation combines beautiful portraits with videos of refugees telling their stories and offers the audience a rare insight into the life of someone who has had to flee persecution.

The brainchild of Sherry Tompalski (artist) and Graham Thompson (videographer), this presentation captures the voices and stories of refugees. The presentation also highlights this year’s World Refugee Day theme of Real People, Real Needs.

Support for this project was provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canadian Council for the Arts, and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Voices of Refugees reminds us of the importance of maintaining and improving Canada’s commitment to refugee protection and that there are still millions of refugees in need of the world’s protection. Most importantly, the presentation highlights the remarkable bravery of these individuals and the important contributions they are making to Canadian society. 

The following is a brief description of some of the refugees profiled in this exhibit.

Hawa is a refugee from Guinea, West Africa. She was jailed when she was 15 for requesting a passport because she was trying to escape the dictatorial regime of Ahmed Sékou Touré, which killed an estimated 50,000 people from 1958 to 1984.

Tito, a refugee from Guatemala, found his voice as a revolutionary singer/songwriter in the streets of Guatemala City during the turbulent national protests of the early ‘70s. His passionate songs cry out for justice in solidarity with the struggles of his countrymen.

Victor is a refugee from El Salvador. Through his music, art, and social activism, Victor has helped rebuild communities in his homeland which have struggled to overcome the hardships of a civil war that lasted from 1980 and 1992.

Martin is a refugee from Congo. A graduate of the School of Arts and Trades in Giheta Burundi, Martin was Director of the Centre Artistique de Gitega Burundi and an advisor to the Culture and Art Centre of Bukavo Congo.

Hamid, a refugee from Sudan, is a graduate from the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the Sudan University of Sciences and Technology. Hamid has exhibited in Sudan, Niger, France, Holland, England, the United States and Canada.