Ottawa, July 22, 2026 — Over seventy human rights, labour, faith, legal, and other civil society organizations from across Canada are speaking out in defence of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, its leadership, and its curatorial independence amidst organized pressure campaigns surrounding its exhibition Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present.

The signatories include the Union of National Employees, representing staff at the CMHR; the Visual Arts Alliance, whose members include the Canadian Museums Association; Amnesty International Canada; the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts; the United Church of Canada; the National Council of Canadian Muslims; the Jewish Faculty Network; and other organizations.

In an open letter published this morning, the organizations describe the exhibition as an important contribution to public understanding of Palestinian history and the continuing realities of displacement and dispossession.

The letter raises concern about campaigns seeking political intervention and institutional consequences for the museum and its leadership, including CEO Isha Khan. It also pushes back against commentary from elected officials, namely Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Marc Miller, regarding the exhibition’s content, and emphasizes that political leaders must respect the independence of Canada’s arms-length public museums.

“The independence of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights cannot depend on whether politicians or advocacy organizations agree with every exhibition it presents,” said Nir Hagigi, a spokesperson for Independent Jewish Voices. “Protecting curatorial independence means defending it precisely when the history being presented is difficult, politically contested, or unfamiliar to some audiences.”

The organizations are calling on elected officials, community leaders, and members of the public to respect the institutional independence of the Museum. They are calling on the museum to remain steadfast in its commitment to independent, evidence-based curation. The letter ends by encouraging Canadians to visit the exhibition in a spirit of learning, reflection, and respectful dialogue.

“The Nakba is a foundational part of Palestinian history, and its past and present continues to shape Palestinian lives today,” said James Kafieh, Vice President of the Palestinian Canadian Congress. “Canadians should visit this exhibition, engage with the evidence and lived experiences it presents, and approach it with openness and a willingness to learn.”

“Canada’s human rights museum must be empowered to tell human rights stories without the threat of political interference,” said Michael Bueckert, Vice President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME). “Palestine Uprooted is an excellent resource that will introduce the Canadian public to an urgent and longstanding human rights issue that has rarely been given a chance to be heard.” 

The complete statement and list of signatories are available at https://www.ijvcanada.org/defend-cmhr 

Open Letter: Human Rights and Civil Society Organizations Support the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Its Curatorial Independence

We, the undersigned human rights and civil society organizations, write to express our support for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), its leadership, and the curatorial independence that is essential to the integrity of all public museums.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights was established to advance understanding of human rights through education and dialogue. That mission depends on the freedom to present complex histories honestly, thoughtfully, and without political interference.

The opening of Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present marks an important contribution to public understanding in Canada about a history that has profoundly shaped the lives of Palestinian Canadians as well as millions of Palestinians globally. As publicly funded institutions governed by the public interest, museums dedicated to human rights have a responsibility to confront difficult, contested, and often painful histories. This exhibition reflects that responsibility.

Since its opening, the exhibition has been the subject of organized campaigns calling for political intervention, public condemnation, and institutional consequences for the museum and its leadership, including against its CEO, Isha Khan. We are deeply concerned by efforts to pressure the CMHR to alter, discredit, or distance itself from a professionally curated exhibition through political and public pressure rather than through established scholarly and curatorial processes.

We are particularly concerned that calls for political intervention have, in some instances, extended beyond public advocacy into commentary from elected officials regarding the content of the exhibition. Regardless of the issue at hand, political leaders should respect the independence of Canada's public museums and refrain from influencing or appearing to influence curatorial decisions.

The principles at stake extend well beyond this exhibition and are fundamental to the independence of all public museums. We urge elected officials, community leaders, and the public to respect the CMHR's institutional independence. We also express our appreciation to the museum staff, leadership, advisory members, and all those who contributed their expertise and lived experience to this exhibition.

We call on the museum to remain steadfast in its commitment to independent, evidence-based curation and encourage all Canadians to engage with and visit the exhibition in the spirit of learning, reflection, and respectful dialogue.

Add your name

Curatorial independence is essential to the ability of public museums to present difficult and contested histories. Help demonstrate broad public support for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the independence of Canada’s cultural institutions.

Are you signing on behalf of an organization?
Complete the organizational endorsement form: https://forms.gle/K19qf2H9PkNZjcFS8

Are you signing as an individual?
Complete the individual sign-on form: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/defend-cmhr/