Check out the press release and take action below! Start by sending a letter to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to show your support:

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 19, 2025

Palestinian Canadian Congress Welcomes National Nakba Exhibit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver

The Palestinian Canadian Congress welcomes the Canadian Museum for Human Rights announcement that the exhibit Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present will open in June 2026. This exhibit has been more than ten years in the making and marks a long overdue step toward truthful public education about Palestinian history in Canada.

The Nakba is a defining chapter of Palestinian history. It marked the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948 and continues to shape the lives and identities of Palestinians in Palestine and across the global diaspora. Memorializing the Nakba is not only about documenting the past, it is a human rights obligation. It helps the public understand how historic injustices continue today and why recognition, memory, and accountability matter.

This exhibit also comes at a critical moment. Palestinian culture, traditions, and history continue to face attempts at erasure by those who would rather see Palestinian life pushed out of public view or eliminated altogether. Presenting this history in a national human rights institution affirms that the Palestinian story has a rightful and permanent place in Canada’s public memory.

“We are at a time when the truth matters more than ever,” said James Kafieh, Vice President of the Palestinian Canadian Congress. “For decades, Palestinians have worked to have our history recognized with accuracy and dignity. This exhibit signals that our story will no longer be erased or sidelined. It affirms that Palestinian experiences, culture, and memory belong in Canada’s public narrative.”

Rana Abdulla is a Canadian Palestinian CPA, human rights advocate, artist, and community leader. A Human Rights Award recipient, she has spent decades supporting newcomers, preserving Palestinian heritage, and curating projects such as The Land Remembers. Her work protects the stories and memories of displaced communities and keeps Palestinian history alive for future generations.

“This exhibit is not only about the past, it is about protecting the future,” said Rana Abdulla. “Our stories have been carried in our families, our art, and our memories. Bringing them into a national museum ensures they cannot be erased. It honors those who were displaced and protects the history that future generations deserve to know.”

We thank the Palestinian Content Advisory Network for their central role in making this exhibit possible and acknowledge Rana Abdulla’s leadership in bringing this vision to life. A full biography will be shared in the coming days.

The Palestinian Canadian Congress encourages institutions, educators, and community members to support the exhibit and engage with its content with honesty and care. Understanding the Nakba is a necessary part of understanding human rights, displacement, and justice today.

Media inquiries:
media@palcancongress.ca

Take Action

As shared by the Palestinian Canadian Congress:

For the past ten years, the Palestinian Canadian Congress has worked to bring a national Nakba exhibit to life. With the support and expertise of the Palestinian Content Advisory Network, this vision has finally become a reality. The exhibit, Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present, is now set to be presented at a national human rights institution following the public announcement by the Director of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights on November 19th, confirming an opening date of June 2026. This is a major step forward and something our community has long fought for.

We welcome this exhibit. It is long overdue. The Nakba is one of the most important events in modern history. It shaped every part of Palestinian life, culture, identity, and struggle. Its impact continues to this day, felt across generations both in Palestine and in the global diaspora.

Honest education about the Nakba is essential for any meaningful understanding of human rights. It allows the public to understand how displacement, loss, and ongoing injustice have shaped an entire people. It helps counter the silencing and denial that Palestinians face in public life. And it affirms that Palestinian history belongs in national institutions.

This exhibit matters. It deserves strong public support and a commitment that it will not be weakened, shortened, or undermined.

This letter is one way to make that clear. We invite you to sign and help protect this important step toward truthful public education in Canada.