Afghanistan mission monument to be place of healing, reflection for Canadians
by carly_mchugh | 24 July 2023 4:46 pm
The government of Canada recently revealed the design for the new National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan. It was chosen among five final proposals, reviewed by more than 10,000 Canadians.
Designed by Team Stimson—which includes visual artist Adrian Stimson—the monument will be erected across the street from the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. It will recognize the commitment and sacrifice of the Canadians who served in Afghanistan, as well as the support provided to them by those at home.
Stimson is a member of the Siksika (Blackfoot) First Nation in southern Alberta and a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. He was part of the Katimavik Military option and served at CFB Esquimalt. Stimson has been to Afghanistan and uses his art to show what he and many other Canadians experienced there.
The team’s concept draws on elements of healing from the Medicine Wheel and takes the form of a circular, sacred safe space. Envisioned as a “home base” of reflection, memory, and contemplation, it is made up of four portals, with an interior area intended as a sanctuary to remember the fallen. On the walls of three of the quadrants, their names are inscribed in a row, along with maple leaves. The fourth southeast quadrant wall, which faces the direction of Afghanistan, is dedicated to fallen Afghan Allies. In the centre, four bronze flak jackets are draped on crosses, as reminders of protection.
The monument creates a powerful opportunity for all Canadians to honour, reflect, and seek balance and healing. Throughout the project, the federal government has engaged and consulted with a cross-section of stakeholders, including veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, police services members, and others who participated in the whole‑of‑government mission, as well as families and Indigenous groups. Additionally, veterans, their families, and others who served on the mission represent the majority of the people who participated in the design selection process.
With the concept now finalized, the next steps are detailed development, followed by the monument’s construction.
“The National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan will forever pay tribute to the courageous Canadians who served in Afghanistan,” says Lawrence MacAulay, minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence. “Canadians will always remember those who served, their families, and those who died during this very important chapter of our military and diplomatic history. Team Stimson’s design captures the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of war, from both Canadian and Afghan perspectives.”
Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/afghanistan-mission-monument-to-be-place-of-healing-reflection-for-canadians/