A cultural event co-organized by the Salvadoran Canadian Association and Western University, held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, with the generous financial support of LIUNA Local 183 and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Planning a successful cultural event requires thoughtful preparation and meticulous coordination—and our 2023 Festival was no exception. The planning process began in December 2022 with the securing of a venue at LIUNA Local 183 in Toronto. From there, we developed a detailed calendar outlining key milestones and deadlines leading up to the event. April holds special significance for our community, as it marks Refugee Rights Month and commemorates the assassination of Archbishop Óscar Romero in El Salvador in 1980. In this spirit, the Historical Memory Festival brought together over 500 community members to celebrate and share our heritage.
The event featured live music, traditional dance performances, art exhibitions, and inspiring remarks from sponsors and community representatives. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to LIUNA, Western University, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Carranza LLP, Bellesmere Dental and Law Office of Adela Crossley for their generous financial support. We also acknowledge the dedication of Western University students and the numerous volunteers who played a vital role in organizing and executing this event.Beyond being an evening of celebration, the festival was an essential opportunity to strengthen community bonds and promote cultural understanding. The night concluded with a highlight moment: LIUNA Local 183 and the Ontario Provincial District Council (OPDC) presented a check for $80,000 to the Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador Project. This crucial contribution supported the completion of a memorial park in Las Aradas, Chalatenango—the site of the second-largest massacre of the Salvadoran Civil War
