Remembrance Day is more than wearing a poppy
If you were asked to drop everything and enlist to fight in a war overseas, would you do it?
While most of you reading that have the privilege to answer with “no way” or “definitely not,” hundreds of thousands of young Canadians, just like you and I, were left without the comfort of that option and had no choice but to sacrifice their lives to fight for their country during the world wars.
Remembrance Day, observed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, is seen by most as a day to pause and remember the Canadians who died for our country. We are usually asked to participate in two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. in honour of the guns finally falling silent on the Western Front after more than four years of continuous warfare in 1918. After those two minutes, most people go about the rest of their day just like any other. Is that really all we should be doing to honour those who have fallen for us?
On Remembrance Day, it is our turn as the next generation to take on the important responsibility of affirming that the lives lost in the war will always continue to have meaning, and there are many ways we can do this.
In an age where these wars that once occurred may seem distant and impersonal to young people, one of the most poignant ways to commemorate those who have served in past wars is by speaking to people that have experienced it in some way or another.
Whether it is a grandfather who fought for the Canadian Corps, or a grandmother who volunteered as a mechanic or nurse – you may have grandparents, great grandparents or other distant relatives that carry the weight of real and lived war experiences, whether they were Canadian or not. It is important to ensure that veterans’ stories and memories of the wars are kept documented in order to bridge generations and keep that rich heritage alive.
As someone who has a late great grandfather that fought for the Italian military in World War II, and who lived through all of the hardships it brought forth, hearing personal testimonies from him has allowed me to further understand that behind every statistic is a face, a family, and a sacrifice –that behind every veteran is a legacy and history that deserves to be shared. I believe that hearing and having these family narratives passed down through generations helps us remember the people that gave us the freedoms we have today.
Another way to commemorate this day of reflection is to engage in university-wide Remembrance Day services that take place on campus. As university students, we have the unique opportunity to celebrate this special day with a collective spirit, transforming it into a meaningful experience that resonates with students across campus.
On Nov. 8, the University of Guelph community takes part in acknowledging Indigenous Veterans Day and the sacrifices that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people made for Canada in the wars. This event takes place at the flagpole at the corner of College Avenue And Gordon Street At 9 – 9:15 a.m., and involves the lowering of the Canadian flag, formal remarks, a moment of silence, and a last lament.
Another service taking place at the university is the annual Remembrance Day Service on Nov. 11 from 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. at Branion Plaza. This service takes place to honour those who have served in the wars, and includes formal remarks in Branion Plaza, a community ceremony where wreaths are laid on the steps of War Memorial Hall, music by Gryphon Singers, the playing of “The Last Post,” and a moment of silence.
Participating in such events are crucial for young people and students at the university to understand those times of conflict and what had to be lost for all of us to be here today.
For us young people, engaging in Remembrance Day is not only about honouring the past but also about guiding us to understand the present and form the future. By talking with family about how previous wars have shaped your family history and by attending and participating in Remembrance Day services such as the ones hosted by our university, we can foster a much deeper connection to the values of unity, tolerance, and empathy.
Since we are the generation of tomorrow, it is crucial for us to make sure that the courage and legacy of those who came before us lives on.