CREDIT: LAM LE
Wearing a poppy close to your heart is one way to honour veterans on Nov. 11.

On Monday Nov. 11 many people across Canada will be gathering around to celebrate Remembrance Day. This year, Fanshawe College will be holding a Remembrance Day Ceremony at 10:45 AM in J Gym 3. The College has been unable to honour the day as it has fallen on a weekend in the previous two years.

Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth. This was to remember the brave armed forces who had fallen during the First World War. Its original name was “Armistice Day” to commemorate the armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Nov. 11, 1918 at 11 a.m.

This year the ceremony at the College will have 12 veterans present. According to Elaine Gamble, senior manager of Fanshawe’s corporate communications, among them will be a veteran from World War II.


The College has also invited Girl Guides and Boy Scouts to attend.

Fanshawe’s president Peter Devlin will be giving a speech welcoming everyone to the ceremony. The master of ceremonies will be one of the veterans. There will also be a bugler and a piper to mark the occasion.

There will be two minutes of silence observed shortly after 11 a.m.

Remembrance Day is important because it is a way to remember and honour the members of the armed forces who had died in the line of duty. People are also reminded to wear a poppy as a symbol of remembrance for those who have fought and helped in the war.

Gamble said the event is open to all Fanshawe students and staff.

Did you know the poppy became a powerful symbol of remembrance? It is the principle emblem of the Royal Canadian Legion. Each year the Royal Canadian Legion distributes millions to be worn by Canadians.

The poppy was made popular by poet and veteran John McCrae, who wrote the poem In Flanders Fields. The poppy should be worn with respect and on the left side of your chest close to your heart.

The national ceremony is held in Canada’s capital on Parliament Hill. Here in London, there will be a ceremony at the Victoria Park Cenotaph from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.