國殤紀念日 Remembrance Day
國殤紀念日
每年11月11日早上11時, 是一個紀念在第一次世界大戰、第二次世界大戰和其他戰爭中犧牲的軍人與平民的紀念日子。第一個國殤日於1919年在整個英聯邦舉行，紀念第一次世界大戰於1918年11月11日上午11時結束。每年在加拿大首都渥太華及各大城市，加拿大人都會聚集一起，肅然靜默紀念無數為維護和平服務國家而捐軀的愛國軍人。過往的日子，參軍人數超過一百五十萬人，而超過十萬人賠上自己的生命及他們的將來，好讓我們在和平的環境中生活。
加拿大的價值觀及機制、參與文化及政治活動的自由、及居住在我們所選屬政府的權利，我們都會看作是理所當然的。其實，是這些遠赴遙遠地方參戰的加拿大軍人深信加拿大人所享有的價值及信念備受威脅。他們深深的相信” 沒有自由就無法保證有和平，而沒有和平就無法保證自由” 的這個信念下，而願意擺上自己生命及一切。我們要向他們致敬！
藉著記念他們對國家人民的服務及犧牲，我們便認知這些軍人艱苦爭取所保存的傳統自由。他們深信他們現今所作的行動，會對將來產生一個重大的改變，但決擇於我們是否願意去保證他們這個對和平夢想的實現。在國殤紀念日，我們確認他們服務國家的勇敢精神及犧牲，並且確認我們對爭取和平的責任，就是他們艱苦戰鬥所達成而來的和平。
在1915年的第一次世界戰伇中，一名加拿大的軍醫John McCrae在悼念戰友時，見到墓旁週邊長滿了罌粟花而啟發所寫成的一首詩《在法蘭德斯戰場》（In Flanders field），這首詩讓我們更明白為國捐軀者的情操，而配帶罌粟花也成為世界各地國殤紀念日作為對捐軀者的尊敬記念。
A Day of Remembrance
Every year on November 11 at 11 hour, Canadians pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. We honour those who fought for Canada in the First World War (1914-1918), the Second World War (1939-1945), and the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as those who have served since then. More than 1,500,000 Canadians have served our country in this way, and more than 100,000 have died. They gave their lives and their futures so that we may live in peace.
We often take for granted our Canadian values and institutions, our freedom to participate in cultural and political events, and our right to live under a government of our choice. The Canadians who went off to war in distant lands went in the belief that the values and beliefs enjoyed by Canadians were being threatened. They truly believed that “Without freedom there can be no ensuring peace and without peace no enduring freedom.”
By remembering their service and their sacrifice, we recognize the tradition of freedom these men and women fought to preserve. They believed that their actions in the present would make a significant difference for the future, but it is up to us to ensure that their dream of peace is realized. On Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served their country and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve.
During the Battle of Ypres in 1915, Canadian Lt.-Col. John McCrae was inspired to write the poem In Flanders Fields on sighting the poppies growing beside a grave of a close friend who had died in battle. The poem was a great inspiration in adopting the poppy as the Flower of Remembrance in Canada, France, the U.S, Britain and Commonwealth countries.
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