Montreal is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in North America: multicultural and diverse, this city has become home to people from all over the world since the first contact with local indigenous populations more than 400 years ago. According to the 2001 census, a large percentage of Montreal’s population is composed of people displaced by political violence, social upheaval, war, genocide, and other human rights violations. These individuals retain memories of their displacement, survival, and courage: their living histories need to be told.

Teesri Duniya Theatre is conducting interviews with individuals currently living in Montreal who have first-hand experience with forced migration – or whose parents /grandparents had such experiences. At present we are gathering stories from peoples indigenous to this region and people with origins in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Armenia, and the countries of Latin America. This material will inspire the production of new cultural representations to promote intercultural dialogue amongst school-aged youth, young adult and adult audiences.

All stories will be collected according to Canadian ethical standards: personal information about the storytellers will not be revealed without their expressed written consent. Untold Histories story gatherers are trained in accordance with the Life Stories CURA project guidelines and are representative of the cultural communities involved in this project.