A student from Princess Margaret Secondary is on his way to Vimy Ridge as one of this year’s recipients of the Beaverbrook Vimy Prize, an annual award for outstanding youth age 15 to 17.
Haardik Garg is one of 14 students from Canada, France and the United Kingdom selected by the Vimy Foundation for the immersive learning experience. The trip takes students to sites of historical significance throughout France and Belgium to study global and Canadian themes from the First and Second World Wars. From Aug. 11 to 20, students will tour museums, cemeteries and battlefields to gain firsthand knowledge of war history through this unique educational program.
“By putting ourselves in the shoes of those who lived through war’s horrors, we can create a more personal connection to their stories and sacrifices,” said Garg. “This way of commemoration helps us today by keeping these events relevant in a way that continues to connect with contemporary people and encourages a world full of kindness.”
This year’s itinerary features site visits in:
- Ypres, Belgium, including the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, dedicated to British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient in the First World War;
- the Somme region of Northern France, including the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, a war memorial to 72,337 missing British and South African servicemen who died in the Battles of the Somme between 1915 and 1918;
- Arras, France, including the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, situated on a portion of the ground where the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place, in recognition of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War;
- the coast of France, including Dieppe, the site of Operation Jubilee (a.k.a. the Dieppe Raid) where more than 900 Canadian soldiers lost their lives in an attempt to take over the then-German occupied seaport;
- Normandy, France, including the Juno Beach Centre, a museum located behind the beach codenamed Juno where 14,000 Canadian troops landed on D-Day on June 6, 1944.
“By walking the same grounds where soldiers once stood, students gain a profound appreciation for the sacrifices made and the enduring lessons from these pivotal moments in history,” said the foundation.
The application process required students to submit a research paper with citations, a short essay on a specified work of art, a resumé, a personal statement video and a letter of reference from a teacher, guidance counsellor, principal or representative of a service club, community or provincial or federal organization.
The prize includes air or train travel to Europe, accommodations, meals, transportation for scheduled activities, museum access and other educational visits, and emergency medical travel insurance.
