Keeping our Promise to Children: the Relevance of Korczak’s Legacy for Children Today

Lecture Abstract: The gap between all the frameworks, action plans, strategies, policies, and legislation that we use to write our promises to children and the lived experience of children – is a chasm. Perhaps there is no greater example of this chasm than the lived experience of children and youth growing up in state care. Their voices fill that void and the echo of Janusz Korczak can be heard clearly in their call to action. “It’s not rocket science” they have said, “just hard to do.”  The key is listening and relationship.

Keynote Speaker: Mr. Irwin Elman, Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth of Ontario and President, Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates.

Panelists: Members of Youth in Care Canada, Canada’s national youth in care network. All will bring their lived experience in the Child Welfare system to the conversation.

Moderator: Dr. Charles Ungerleider, Director of Research and Managing Partner of Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group, LLP.

Registration: For more information and to register, please visit jklectures.educ.ubc.ca.  This event is free of charge.

This Centennial Session lecture is the first of six in the “How to Love a Child”, the Janusz Korczak Lecture Series which is devoted to key issues crucial to the well-being and rights of children and young people today.  The goal of the lecture series is to foster conversations among academics, professionals and child advocates from diverse fields concerned with the welfare of the child.

All lectures are free of charge and will be held at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, 6163 University Blvd.  Registration is required.

• Tuesday, September 29, 2015, 7:00pm
  Keeping our Promise to Children: the Relevance of Korczak’s Legacy for Children Today
  Keynote Speaker: Mr. Irwin Elman, Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth of Ontario, President, Canadian Council of Child and Youth Advocates

• Thursday, October 29, 2015, 7:00pm
  Janusz Korczak and the Importance of Listening to Children’s Voices in Education: Theory, Research, and Practical Strategies
  Keynote Speaker: Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, Professor, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia

• Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 7:00pm
  The Evolution, Current Status and Future of the “Best Interests of the Child” Principle in the Protection of Children’s Rights
  Keynote Speaker: Ann Cools, Senator for Toronto Centre-York

• Thursday, January 21, 2016, 7:00pm
  The Human Rights of Aboriginal Children
  Keynote Speakers: Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond , BC Representative for Children and Youth, and Dr. Michael DeGagné, President and Vice-Chancellor of Nipissing University

• Thursday, February 18, 2016, 7:00pm
  Janusz Korczak’s Enduring Legacy: Social Paediatrics in Canada and Vancouver
  Keynote Speakers: Dr. Gilles Julien, Social paediatrician, president and founder of the Fondation du Dr Julien, Mrs. Hélène Sioui Trudel, Mediator, Health and Law Alliance, and Dr. Christine Loock, Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia and Social Paediatrics RICHER Program leader

• Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 7:00pm
  Summary Lecture
  Keynote Speaker: Dr. James Anglin, Professor, School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria

Janusz Korczak (1879 – 1942) was born in Poland and was one of the world’s first child rights advocates; he must also be considered one of the greatest.  His influence on our contemporary thinking and discourse about childhood and childcare places him in the ranks of such luminaries as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Heinrich Pestalozzi and Maria Montessori and his impact on international child rights policies, laws and practices is unparalleled.

In addition, he was a brilliant doctor and superb writer of books for adults and young people, who during his life and since has inspired millions in his native country, across Europe and around the world.