There’s a belief out there that as each Remembrance Day passes, the gap in understanding what it means grows larger. After all, 2010 marks 96 years since the start of World War I, and 65 years since the end of World War II. Each year, the number of people left among us who remember those monumental conflicts becomes smaller.
The challenge, then, is for organizations like the Royal Canadian Legion and Veterans Affairs Canada to perpetuate remembrance; to educate new generations on what Remembrance Day means and why it’s important.
The Legion has been dedicated to this challenge for many years. They maintain a continual presence within our communities by supporting local youth organizations, and use that rapport to help reinforce the message of remembrance as Nov. 11 draws near.
Veterans Affairs has also taken steps recently to modernize the Remembrance Day message. This year they launched an effective TV ad campaign, reminding Canadians that all who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces in some fashion are veterans, too. They’ve also embraced social media like Facebook and YouTube to reach out to a younger demographic.
Only time will tell if these efforts will ultimately be successful, but the early indication seems good, at least locally. Both the Athabasca and Boyle Remembrance Day ceremonies were well attended, with respectable numbers of young people in mix.
It’s those young Canadians who are vital to the cause of keeping Remembrance Day significant.
