Construction of Canada's human rights museum

A recent sod-turning ceremony, attended by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and federal Heritage Minister James Moore, initiated the construction of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), which will begin construction in Winnipeg, Manitoba this March.

Scheduled to open in 2012, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights will be Canada's first national museum to be located outside the nation's capital, and the first one to be built in more than 40 years.

With a $265-million investment, the CMHR is envisioned to be the largest human rights museum in the world.  According to organizers, it will be "a community-government partnership initiative centering on a national student education and travel program".  The museum aims to be a "life-changing experience" that will "inspire learning, hope, and action toward upholding human rights".

It is the first time that a Canadian national cultural institution will be created with the financial backing of all three levels of government and the private sector.