Halifax exhibit commemorates 25 years since the arrival of refugees from the war in Kosovo

CBC
·2 min read
A Red Cross volunteer welcomes a recently arrived Kosovar refugee family awaiting immigration and medical screening at CFB Trenton in 1999. (Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Collection (D2017.635.61) - image credit)
A Red Cross volunteer welcomes a recently arrived Kosovar refugee family awaiting immigration and medical screening at CFB Trenton in 1999. (Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Collection (D2017.635.61) - image credit)

A new exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 marks 25 years since Kosovar refugees fleeing war arrived in Canada.

The exhibit holds special significance for Arta Rexhepi of Dartmouth, N.S. She was 13 when she came to Canada as a Kosovar refugee.

Rexhepi has created a documentary about the refugee experience that will be screened at the exhibit and made available on YouTube.

About 7,000 refugees came to Canada through a relief effort dubbed Operation Parasol.

More than a million ethnic Albanians were displaced during the Kosovo War (1998-99).

Kosovar refugees disembark from their Royal Airlines charter flight, CFB Trenton, 1999
Kosovar refugees disembark from their Royal Airlines charter flight, CFB Trenton, 1999

Kosovar refugees disembark at CFB Trenton in 1999. (Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Collection (D2017.827.11))

Rekhepi told CBC Radio's Information Morning Nova Scotia the events of that period are still vivid in the memory of the refugees and the Canadians who helped them.

She said the exhibit reminds her of the risk that Canada took on Kosovar refugees and the "leap of faith" that refugees took.

"I remember the first days in Canada ... those are the best days of my life in Canada," Rexhepi said.

"Even though they were difficult, we were surrounded by so much love around us, with so much support by all the Canadians."

After their arrival in Canada, Rexhepi and her 11-year-old brother continued to sleep with their clothes on. That was how they did it in Kosovo, knowing they might have to flee at any time.

She said it took them two weeks to get comfortable enough to wear pyjamas again, knowing that they were not going to be bombed.

Jan Raska, Pier 21's acting manager of research, said the exhibit features photos of Kosovar refugee families and individuals searching for a safe haven in another country.

The photos show the daily lives of the refugees in the time leading up to their departure.

Kosovar refugee children pose for a photograph in front of “sustainment site” facilities, Camp Argonaut (now Argonaut Cadet Training Centre), CFB Gagetown, 1999
Kosovar refugee children pose for a photograph in front of “sustainment site” facilities, Camp Argonaut (now Argonaut Cadet Training Centre), CFB Gagetown, 1999

Kosovar refugee children pose for a photograph at CFB Gagetown in 1999. ( Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Collection (D2017.635.35))

Raska said the exhibit also shows the lives of refugees as they were relocated to camps, called sustainment sites, in Canada.

"I think it speaks to Canada's commitment to international humanitarianism," he said.

"And certainly, with Operation Parasol, it speaks to how the Canadian government and society essentially deals with sudden crises that happen on the other side of the world."

The exhibit runs at Pier 21 until June 28.

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