Curatorial independence in focus
Workers at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg have reaffirmed their support for the exhibit Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present, rejecting what they describe as a political pressure campaign. The exhibit explores the historical and contemporary experiences of Palestinians and was developed by museum staff as part of their professional mandate.
The Union of National Employees (UNE) local representing the staff said members voted overwhelmingly to defend the exhibit and the integrity of the museum's leadership. Krysty Thomas, regional executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada's Prairies region, said the union stands with members on this issue.
Pushback against outside influence
Béla Gyarmati, chief shop steward for UNE Local 50773, said the museum and its employees have faced sustained pressure from elected officials and international advocacy groups calling for the exhibit to be changed, condemned, or removed. He described the campaign as an attempt to silence Palestinian Canadian voices and discredit the exhibit.
An open letter signed by dozens of human rights and civil society organizations, including UNE and Jewish groups like Independent Jewish Voices and Rabbis for Ceasefire, affirmed the need to respect the museum's curatorial independence. It rejected attempts to politicize the work of public servants in the museum's exhibition process.
A stand for public service and education
Alex Silas, national executive vice-president of PSAC and UNE Trustee, said the union supports its members' work to advance human rights through education and honest dialogue. He emphasized the importance of museums in holding complex histories and the need for their freedom from interference.
The museum's staff, according to Silas, are public service workers entrusted with difficult but important work. Their efforts to highlight different realities and lived experiences, he said, reflect the core purpose of a human rights museum.