HomePage / Your Government / News & Events / Dutch WWII remembrance service recognized by the City of Nanaimo

Dutch WWII remembrance service recognized by the City of Nanaimo

City sends pins to Dutch children lighting candles on Canadian war graves

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed December 16, 2014 11:30 AM

Summary

Following a Christmas Eve ceremony started in 1991 which sees Dutch children from the community of Holten, Netherlands place candles on the graves of Canadian soldiers killed during the liberation of their country during WWII, the City of Nanaimo will continue a gesture of recognition started by the City of Kingston of providing each participating child with a city pin acknowledging their touching remembrance of Canada's war dead. A total of 350 City of Nanaimo pins have been sent to the town of Holten in support of this year's Christmas Eve Ceremony.

Link to Strategic Plan: N/A

Key Points

  • The City of Nanaimo will provide 350 pins to Holten children who place wind and rain resistant candles at the headstones of Canadian soldiers resting in "their" care.
  • On each Christmas Eve, approximately 1,500 Holten locals, including 300 schoolchildren, congregate at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery, the second largest of its kind in the Netherlands.
  • A total of 1355 Canadian soldiers are interred in the Holten Canadian War Cemetery.

Quotes

Bill McKay

"I am pleased the City of Nanaimo was approached to continue a new tradition started by the City of Kingston. The annual Christmas Eve ceremony held each year at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, Netherlands is a touching and memorable act of remembrance. This pin initiative is intended to acknowledge this ceremony and the Dutch children that come forward each year to remember Canada's fallen soldiers during the liberation of Holland."

Bill McKay
Mayor
City of Nanaimo

Quick Facts

  • The "Mark Garretson Pin Project", named after the former Mayor of Kingston (Mark Garretson 2010-2014), was devised with the thought that cities across Canada would be challenged to carry on the tradition started by Kingston.

Videos

1400 candles
1400 candles
Candles placed on the graves of the Canadian soldiers, Holten, NL.
-30-

Contact:

Bill McKay
Mayor
City of Nanaimo
250-755-4400
Philip Cooper
Communication Manager
City of Nanaimo
250-755-4532

Print News Release

Is there anything wrong with this page?

Help us improve our website

Don't include private or financial information in this form.
Collection and use of your personal information

Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA. Questions about the collection of your personal information may be referred to the Legislative Services Department at 250-755-4405, or via email at foi@nanaimo.ca. Please also see our Privacy Policy.