Canada Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canada Memorial |
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Canada Memorial
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| For 113,663 members of the Canadian Forces killed during the First and Second World Wars. | |
| Unveiled | 1994 |
| Location | 51°30′10″N 0°08′33″W / 51.5029°N 0.1426°W London, SW1
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| Designed by | Pierre Granche |
The Canada Memorial is a special monument in Green Park, London, United Kingdom. It honors the many brave members of the Canadian Forces who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. The memorial was designed by a Canadian artist named Pierre Granche. It was put in place in 1992 and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994.
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About the Canada Memorial
Pierre Granche, a very important sculptor from Canada, won a competition to design this memorial. He created it using red granite, a strong type of stone. The memorial is split into two parts by a walkway. These two parts show how Britain and Canada worked together in both World War I and World War II.
Design and Meaning
The memorial's sloped surface has 506 bronze maple leaves set into it. The maple leaf is a famous symbol of Canada. You can also see Canada's coat of arms on the memorial. Water gently flows over the sloped surface, making the bronze leaves look like they are floating.
In the middle of the memorial, there is an important message carved into the stone. It says: "In two world wars one million Canadians came to Britain and joined the fight for freedom. From danger shared, our friendship prospers."
Keeping the Memorial Safe
For a while, the memorial needed some repairs. But in 2008, the Canadian Government decided to take care of it. They announced that they would make sure the Canada Memorial always looks its best. This is to honor the "truest heroes" of their nation. After some work to fix pipes and other parts, the memorial is now fully working again.
Canada Memorial Foundation
Around the same time the memorial was built, a group of people started something called the Canada Memorial Foundation. This foundation helps British students go to Canadian universities for advanced studies. It is run by volunteers and is completely separate from the memorial in Green Park. However, the Foundation also aims to strengthen the connections and cooperation between Britain and Canada.
