Marking Vietnamese Journey to Freedom Day and Education Week

Dozens of members of the Vietnamese community sat in the public gallery of the Alberta legislature Monday, smiling and waving flags as April 30 was declared Journey to Freedom Day.

The motion was tabled by United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney. It passed with unanimous support from all sides of the political divide.

April 30 is referred to by many displaced Vietnamese people and their families in Canada as “Black April Day ” or “Journey to Freedom Day.” It’s a chance to remember and commemorate the lives lost and the suffering experienced during the exodus of Vietnamese people from their home after the Vietnam War in 1975.

It also marks the acceptance of Vietnamese refugees and their contributions to Alberta and Canada. Monday’s move reflects a similar declaration made by the federal government in 2015.

GET YOUR LEARNIN’ ON

As well as a fully fledged entry to spring (crosses fingers), this week marks Education Week in Alberta.

This year’s theme — Learning is a Journey — acknowledges the role education plays in innovative learning opportunities while also preparing students for careers in a diversified economy.

The government is using Education Week as an opportunity to pat itself on the back for the announcement of 20 new schools being built across the province, expansion of the school nutrition program to around 30,000 students, and full enrolment funding for the fourth straight year.

But Education Week also means activities.

On May 2, participating schools will relax their hat rules so students can take part in a provincewide initiative to wear a hat and to raise awareness of the importance of mental health.

Two day later, the Minister’s Youth Council will gather in Edmonton to discuss educational issues that matter to students.