A week-long vigil to honour the 68,000 Canadian soldiers who died during the First World War will be held in Halifax's Grand Parade from Tuesday, Nov. 4 to Nov. 11. Each day, beginning at sunset and ending at sunrise, the names of each of the soldiers who died will be projected on to the facade of St. Paul's church.

The Halifax vigil, one of a number to be held in Canada, along with one to be attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Canada House, in London on Nov. 4, is   
intended to symbolically repatriate the bodies of those who, by law, had to be buried in Europe. 

Fredericton, Toronto, Regina, Edmonton and Ottawa will also hold vigils.  

The Halifax vigil is sponsored by Democracy 250, in conjunction with Canada's National History Society and Veterans Affairs Canada.

The Vigil 1914-1918 project is the brainchild of Canadian actor R.H. Thomson and lighting designer Martin Conboy.

"This vigil is not only an act of remembrance, but also a calling into life again of each of the young men who lost their lives during the horrendous battles of 1914-1918," said Mr. Conboy. These young men are arguably the ones who helped form Canada as an independent nation."

To maximize opportunities for Canadians to see the names of loved ones who died in battle, the Ottawa vigil, from the Canadian National War Memorial, will be broadcast in real-time on www.1914-1918.ca. The website will also provide information on each of the other vigils and a search function to determine the specific time that a soldiers name will appear. 

Visitors to the site can also leave comments and personal reflections about their vigil experience, or post pictures from other vigil sites across the country.  

"This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of parliamentary democracy in Canada," Democracy 250 co-chair Russell MacLellan said. "It is also the 90th anniversary of the end of the Great War. We cannot lose sight, and must never forget, that  democracy exists today  because there were brave, selfless soldiers who stood firm to  defend the cause of freedom at home and abroad.

Media Contact: Moira MacLeod
               Democracy 250
               902-424-1122
               E-mail: macleoml@gov.ns.ca