Vigil of Rememberance
150 SCHOOLS ACROSS CANADA TO JOIN NATIONAL PUBLIC
VIGIL OF REMEMBERANCE
CANADA 1914-1918 YPRES A WEEK-LONG
TRIBUTE TO CANADA’S WORLD WAR ONE WAR DEAD—
(November 1st, 2010) For seven days, from November 4 until November 11, Canadian schools, from the Yukon to Newfoundland and the EU, will project the names of the 68,000 Canadians soldiers, sailors, airmen, nurses, doctors and merchant seamen who died in the First World War. A project of this kind has never been created before.
“CANADA 1914-1918 YPRES will take place in 150 schools in every region of Canada. Students and staff in each of these schools has gone to enormous efforts to make this bold project a success,” confirmed R. H. Thomson one of the producers of the vigil project. “We had hoped for a national response to this idea. We are over the hill that schools have responded with such enthusiasm.”
“The last living Canadian veteran of the First World War, Mr. Babcock, died last winter,” noted Martin Conboy, co-producer for the Vigil. “We wanted a special tribute to Canadians who died in that awful time. The technical and logistic challenges of this project were daunting. It would not have happened but for the enthusiasm and hard work of hundreds and hundreds of people in the schools.”
The vigil will also take place simultaneously in Ieper (Ypres) Belgium. 500,000 were killed in the Ypres area in WWI. The names of 6,940 Canadians whose bodies were never found or who could not be identified are engraved in the stone of the Menin Gate in Ypres. The producers thought it important that students understand the link. We encourage students to ask about their own family history to see if their family lost someone in WWI.
“The Vigil Ypres project in its various manifestations is the convergence of historical remembrance, educational innovation and effective use of technology to ignite our imaginations — bringing the past to the present for a whole new generation. A big thanks to Canadians and Belgians alike for making this happen.” explained Michel Blondeau, CEO of Ecentricarts, developers of both the digital presentations and the website.
Canadians can participate in the Vigil at www.1914-1918.ca, either by watching the vigil streamed live from Belgium or by using the ‘Search The Names’ function to find the exact time a particular name will appear.
“The Churchill Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy and International Churchill Society Canada are proud to be presenting partners of this remarkable Vigil, remembering and honoring the Canadians who died in service from 1914 to 1918. Winston Churchill once paid tribute to the men and women who fought to preserve democracy as follows: “Never has so much been owed by so many to so few”. For the more than 68,000 Canadians who surrendered their lives, their legacy of advancing freedom and democracy lives on and endures.” added Robert O’Brien speaking on behalf of the Churchill societies.
Veterans Affairs Canada has generously contributed to the cost of production. Funding was completed with contributions from private donors, the Rotary Club Toronto, schools donations and 4 wonderful Vigil Patrons who have guaranteed the project. The donors have a deep interest in Canada’s history and know the importance of keeping our history alive especially when it involves the extraordinary loss to Canadian families that happened in WWI.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
| BRITISH COLUMBIA Collingwood School Lambrick Park Secondary School George M. Dawson Secondary School École Robb Road, Meadowridge School Kwalikum Secondary School Clarence Fulton Secondary School Mount Douglas Secondary School Charles Hays Secondary School South Kamloops Secondary School D.P. Todd Secondary School North Peace Secondary School Alberni District Secondary School West Point Grey Academy St. Michael’s University School South Peace Secondary School Southridge School Northern BC Distance Education School ALBERTA SASKATCHEWAN MANITOBA NEW BRUNSWICK NOVA SCOTIA PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND YUKON TERRITORY |
ONTARIO Bishop Strachan School Elmwood School Hillfield Strathallan College Holy Trinity School Kingsway College School Malvern Collegiate Institute Matthews Hall Northmount School Pickering College Ridley College Royal St. George’s College Trafalgar Castle School Ashbury College Greenwood College School St. Clement’s School Appleby College Preston High School Huron Park Secondary School St. Paul Secondary School St. Augustine Secondary School St Martin Secondary School Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School St. Roch Catholic Secondary School Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute Notre Dame Secondary School St. Joseph Secondary School Oakville Trafalgar High School Sterling Hall School King George School Perth and District Collegiate Institute Pauline Johnson Collegiate Upper Canada College Westlane Secondary School Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School North Park Collegiate and Vocational School Sir John A. MacDonald Secondary School Kempenfelt Bay School Victoria Park Collegiate Beaver Brae Secondary School Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School Timmins High and Vocational School St. Joseph College Lisgar Collegiate Institute Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute Parry Sound High School Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School Frontenac Secondary School Woodland Park Public School Port Rowan Public School Eastview Secondary School Trinity College School Fellowes High School St. Mary’s Secondary School All Saints Catholic School QUEBEC NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR NUNAVUT SWITZERLAND |
For more information contact:
Margaret McKay
CANADA 1914-1918 YPRES
CO ORDINATOR
email vigilcanada@gmail.com to arrange a phone call