By Sepi Saghafi - writer 

The Edmonton Public Library held Edmonton’s first Freedom Ball as a way to celebrate the Freedom to Read Week, last week.

About 200 people gathered on Feb. 27 at the Art Gallery of Alberta for an evening of music, film and intellectual dialogue. 

 “This is a big community event to commemorate freedom,” said Jason Openo, Chair of EPL’s Adult Services Team and a member of the Organizing committee for Edmonton’s Freedom to Read Week.

Openo said when people hear the word ‘ball’ they may think of a fancy gala, but this is really a celebration. That many people who have grown up in Canada or the United States have much more freedom than a person growing up under an oppressed country. 

“We are here in part because we defy complacency and we do not assume that the rights to enjoy section B of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are here tomorrow,” said Toni Samek, Educator and author of books like Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility in American Librarianship.

“Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms thought, belief, opinion, and expression,” states the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

She explained that it’s easy to promote intellectual freedom until it’s questioned.

“Then we need to operate from a position of courage and knowledge, not fear, defensiveness, and most importantly not arrogance because those who question our values do so usually for the protection of children ... and we can’t fault them for that.”

Samek says that librarians work hard to keep intellectual freedom.

The books banned are not always about disapproval over sexual content, but at times challenged over human rights complaints.

According to the EPL’s nationwide list of banned materials, this includes Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird,” which received complaints by parents who argued that the book contained racist language. 

The novel contains the “N” word, which might cause black students to be mocked because of racial stereotyping.

Openo says another very controversial book is J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye because of how raw the language is. “[We] are introduced to ideas that [we] never had ever thought about,” he explained. 

The People’s Poets, an Edmonton based Chilean hip-hop group, entertained the crowd with songs about social justice issues. 

Rapper Rod Loyola said his group’s message is to bring unity, respect and dignity. It’s important for human rights to have a voice and it’s important for people in the community to get involved, he explained.

“If we don’t fight for [freedom] then it might be taken away.”

The evening ended with a 25 minute movie clip of people of all ages in Edmonton being questioned about what freedom means to them. 

One man said freedom for him means that he can have a safe place to live.

Another woman said freedom for her means that she can get an education and also vote. She added that many women around the world don’t have that opportunity.

The City of Edmonton has now recognized Feb. 21-27 as Freedom to Read Week.