| Time | Theme | Panel of speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 – 9:15 am | Welcome and opening remarks |
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| 9:15 – 10:00 am | Iran's Islamic Revolution and the Baha’isThe 1979 Iranian revolution toppled the Shah and turned Iran into an Islamic Republic. During and after the revolution, Baha’is, the country’s largest religious minority were the targets of persecution by the new state and its agents. Who are the Baha’is? What happened during the revolution? Why were the Baha’is targeted? How did they become refugees? Where were they hosted and eventually resettled? |
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| 10:00 – 10:45 am | Setting the context: Canada’s refugee policy in the 1980sIn the early 1980s, Canada had just resettled unprecedented numbers of Indochinese refugees — many of them through a system of private sponsorship. At the same time, refugee admissions were being reduced from most parts of the world. What was happening inside government in the early 1980s? How was the proposal to admit Baha’i refugees regarded? What actions paved the way for the resettlement of Baha’is? How did the treatment of Baha’is compare with other groups seeking resettlement during this period? |
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| 10:45 – 11:00 am | Break | |
| 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Special measures: Developing the Baha’i refugee programThe Iranian Baha’i refugee program ran from 1981 to 1989, blending private sponsorship and government-assisted resettlement, in a unique model of partnership between government and civil society. Around 2,300 refugees were resettled in about 220 communities across Canada, and Canada’s program was used as a model to open doors to resettlement for some 6,000 more Baha’i refugees in 25 countries around the world. How was the program initiated and how did it evolve? What was the nature of the agreement between the government and the Baha’i community? To what extent did it use elements developed through other refugee programs? What was innovative about the Baha’i program? |
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| 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Lunch | |
| 1:00 – 2:00 pm | In the host countries: Identifying and admitting refugeesMany Baha’i refugees were hosted in Pakistan and Turkey. The agreement between the Canadian government and the Baha’i Community of Canada permitted a Baha’i representative to work directly with both Canadian officials in the field with refugees. How was this process operationalized? What was the role of the Baha’i representative? In what way did this relationship compare with other refugee movements? How did the refugees experience this transition period? |
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| 2:00 – 2:30 pm | Break and Persian musical presentation |
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| 2:30 – 3:45 pm | Joining a new community: Reception and settlement of refugees in CanadaBaha’is arriving in Canada were resettled across the country, primarily away from urban centres. How did these refugees experience their early days in Canadian society? What was the experience of the Canadians who welcomed them? What role did religious belief and community play in the process of settlement? How have the former refugees participated into Canadian society since then? |
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| 3:45 – 4:00 pm | Break | |
| 4:00 – 5:00 pm | Reflecting on the Baha’i refugee programThis symposium has examined the Baha’i refugee movement to Canada during the 1980s through the recollections and analysis of many of the key actors in the program. How is this particular refugee program significant for our understanding of Canadian refugee history? What insights we can gain that are relevant to public policy today? What questions does it present for future research?
Open floor for final thoughts and questions; recommendations for the project going forward. |
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| 5:00 pm | Thank you/close | |