Recognizing our veterans

During November 8th to November 11, 2023, we will remember and honour those who served to preserve freedom for all Canadians. To acknowledge the importance of such sacrifices, an important week of remembering will take place across School District No. 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap) schools and facilities where flags will be lowered from November 8-14, 2023.

The week of remembering lives lost will begin on November 8, 2023, which is National Aboriginal Veterans Day and will extend through to Remembrance Day on November 11th as we honour and acknowledge all veterans and those who lost loved ones in the World Wars or other battles.

National Indigenous Veterans’ Day, which was first recognized in 1994, takes place on November 8 and recognizes the innumerable contributions by First Nations, Inuit and Métis soldiers and veterans.

Remembrance Day, originally known as Armistice Day, was first observed in 1919. It marks when the ceasefire on November 11, 1918 went into effect, after the Armistice agreement was signed earlier that day ending the First World War. It was the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

Two schools, Highland Park Elementary in Armstrong and Bastion Elementary in Salmon Arm, will also have students taking part in the No Stone Left Alone program. Students will go to their local cemetery and put poppies on the headstones of all veterans. This program is dedicated to honouring and remembering Canada’s veterans. It also provides students and youth with an authentic experience that creates knowledge, understanding and appreciation of those who serve and of the sacrifice of Canada’s fallen. In 2022 a total of 9,778 students from 168 Canadian communities honoured 79,896 veterans in 226 events.

As Remembrance Day falling on a Saturday, schools in SD83 will be closed on Friday, Nov. 10 as a day in lieu of the statutory holiday.