KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – Honouring all victims of war anywhere – not excluding the military, but very much including civilians, women, children, refugees, hospital workers, animals, and the environment – members of the Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace placed a wreath of white poppies at the Grand Parade cenotaph in Halifax this afternoon.
“The majority of victims of any war are civilians,” said Sandy Greenberg. “And then there is the environmental destruction, the air, the water, the earth, the animals.”
Groups who want to broaden the scope of Remembrance Day use the white poppy as a symbol to express that message.
“We also do this to inspire people to action, to not do things like spend $19 billion on fighter jets,” Kathrin Winkler said.
Last year the group held a city-approved Remembrance Day ceremony at Point Pleasant Park.
However, this year HRM did not grant approval for the brief event, claiming it never allowed any ceremony but the one organized by the Royal Legion at 11 AM.
In stark contrast, the City of Vancouver shows its support for an identical event in that city by waiving event permit fees and by providing a wreath of its own for the ceremony.
Please join the group for song and a virtual Peace Poppy Wreath laying ceremony. People who attend can share thoughts in conversation with speakers Dr. Afua Cooper and Dr. Maya Evans. Register here.
See also: Photo view: Remembering all victims of war at Point Pleasant Park
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Thank you Sandy, Joan and Kathrin for your steadfast work for peace in the good company of all those VOW members. Thinking of Muriel and Betty Pete especially today.