58 Ramona Blvd., Markham, Ontario L3P 2K3 Tel: 647-221-4757
email: rizalfederation@live.com www.rizalcanada.org
April 6, 2008
Dear Brother Knight and fellow Rizalist,
We both know that Dr. Jose Rizal transcended more than just the racial divide. To him the cause for humanity was far too important to allow minor differences to come in between like-minded people. We can deduce that if he were alive today he would not care at all whether one is a member of this Rizalist organization or that faction or some other group with a completely different name altogether. As long as we all have the same basic goal and objectives. And as long as we share the same spirit.
It is therefore in the name of and in the spirit of Rizal himself that I am reaching out to you to put aside what may differentiate us like such mundane thing as color of uniform, or whether one is a federalist or not and let us come together to celebrate the legacy of Rizal and learn together how best to apply what principles he has taught us. I would like to invite you to join a number of fellow Rizalists from various organizations around the world at the International Conference on Rizal to be held in Toronto, Canada on September 11-13, 2008.
On this special occasion we will have the honor of learning from the featured speaker Prof. Jean Quintero Hall of Western New Mexico University about her 25 years of deep study and research on Rizal. Although not a member of any Rizalist organization, if her work does not qualify her to be considered a “true Rizalist” I don’t know what does any one of us! So much so her scholarly achievements earned her such honors as one of the “Notable Women of America” and one of the “Most Outstanding Scholars of the 20th Century”.
As if that is not enough, at this conference we shall also be given the privilege of witnessing the highlight which is: an exhibit of some of the rarest photos of unpublished sketches made by Rizal discovered by a brother Knight Sir Lucien Spittael of Belgium. Like Prof. Hall we shall also learn from Sir Lucien what drove him to perform extensive work on Rizal’s life in order to possess almost all of Rizalian books, visit almost all the places Rizal had been to, made the same train and boat trips Rizal did in Europe, climbed all church towers Rizal climbed, and collect over 1,000 old pictures of places and buildings Rizal described in his reminiscences from hundreds of archives.
And if that still is not enough, we shall be favored with the additional input, information and insight from such illustrious personalities as Sir Don Brennock of Ireland, Sir Voltaire de Leon of the Rizal Society of Ontario and Sir Bobby Reyes of the International Society of Rizal Advocates (ISRA). For obvious reasons it would be prudent on my part not to divulge any more than I have already. You will have to find out the rest when you come. And come you must, miss it you must not!
To top off this once-in-a-lifetime gathering the cost is incredibly low: For the three day meeting (with a let-loose party squeezed in between) the all-inclusive cost with a three night ccommodation double occupancy is only Cdn$390.00 per person and Cdn$350.00 per person for a quad occupancy. All meals and sightseeing are included and all you have to look after is your airfare to Toronto. You will be happy to know too that you can register now and safely pay electronically through PayPal by accessing our website (www.rizalcanada.org) or via email. One way or the other please do let us know as soon as possible if you plan to attend. It will help us tremendously in our preparations.
We look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you so very much.
Fraternally in Rizal,
(SGD) Sir Jun Zerrudo,
IFKOR
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