The Will to Remember

“To you from failing hands/ we throw the torch/ be yours to hold it high.”

90 years after the end of the First World War, only one Canadian veteran remains alive, and with him, the war will pass from living memory. Monuments, plaques and literature have already been created to ensure the veterans of the Great War are not forgotten in the physical world. But as the event fades further into the past, it becomes our responsibility to preserve their memory in our present and future consciousness by engaging with history and in active remembrance. Now, it is our turn.

War is a horrible thing, but remembrance cannot be clouded by contemporary interpretations of contemporary wars. Concepts of honour, courage, liberty, truth and justice are tainted by post-modern cynicism, but to past generations, these values were real and they were everything worth fighting for, worth dying for. Part of remembrance is accepting the truth of the past, even if it does not exist the same way in the present. Knowledge of the war that defended and preserved the civilization we know today and of the beliefs that forged nations and led people to fight, deeply enrich our modern existence and provide a constructive reminder of the capabilities of human good and evil.

In the now, it is essential that people understand that supporting our troops and veterans does not mean supporting war, and that the meaning of remembrance should not be distorted through a modern looking glass. Future generations need to be told about our history and the events that shaped our nation. They should know about the sacrifice made by so many Canadians and about the unimaginable impact of total war. They should know to be thankful for their freedoms, for their youth, and for the opportunities of their future. They should know it is a luxury to be able to take these things for granted, to expect them. They should know that history has not been as kind to past generations, and they should know that through remembrance, we have the chance to say thank you.

They had the courage to sacrifice their lives, so we must have the will to Remember.