Michelle LevesqueOn August 17, 2019, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will be rededicating the Kandahar Cenotaph at a special ceremony taking place at the Afghanistan Memorial Hall, located at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa. The ceremony will pay tribute to the sacrifices made by soldiers and civilians who died during Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.
There will be seating for 1,500 people, and family members of the fallen soldiers are the first on the invitation list. If there are seats remaining, the invitation will be extended.
Mark Kannon, communications advisor, Canadian Army Public Affairs, said, “if we still have space, we have military members who have asked, who may have served with members who passed away or who have served in Afghanistan, and would like to be part of this.”
The next day, on August 18, 2019, the Memorial will be open to the public for the day, allowing those interested in visiting without first having to schedule a tour.
“The Afghanistan Memorial Hall is a permanent reminder of the bravery, dedication, and sacrifice made by all Canadian Armed Forces members, United States forces serving under Canadian command and Canadian civilians who contributed to the Afghanistan mission. It pays tribute to the soldiers, aviators, sailors and civilians who lost their lives during this mission. It also serves as a reminder of those who returned home with physical and invisible wounds,” General Jonathan H. Vance, chief of the defence staff
Kannon said that it will be open doors from 10 am until 7 pm. Visitors will have to go through a security gate, but then will be able to visit the hall.
During the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan, 158 Canadian Armed Forces personnel, a Canadian diplomat, a DND contractor, a Canadian journalist who was embedded with the Canadian Armed Forces, and 43 United States armed forces members who were under Canadian command, were killed.
The Kandahar Cenotaph was created to honour those military and civilian personnel who died during Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. In 2011, the Cenotaph was transported to Canada and now rests in Afghanistan Memorial Hall at NDHQ.
“The Afghanistan Memorial Hall is a permanent reminder of the bravery, dedication, and sacrifice made by all Canadian Armed Forces members, United States forces serving under Canadian command and Canadian civilians who contributed to the Afghanistan mission. It pays tribute to the soldiers, aviators, sailors and civilians who lost their lives during this mission. It also serves as a reminder of those who returned home with physical and invisible wounds,” said General Jonathan H. Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff. “I am pleased to see the Memorial Hall is being visited by families of the fallen and is now open to the public. And I look forward to officially re-dedicating this memorial alongside families of the fallen to remember their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for us in Afghanistan.”
CAF members and veterans can visit the Cenotaph during regular business hours or during a public tour. Since late May, families have been able to make special visits to the Cenotaph, and these visits continue under special arrangements.
For more information on how to arrange a visit to the Cenotaph on a day other than the open house on August 18, visit their website.
