Sir: At this moment in time, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to my experience with the Vimy Pilgrimage Award (“Local lad heads to Vimy” in April 6 edition of The Chatham Voice).
I am touched by the countless people who showed me so much support and kindness throughout this journey.
It was a privilege to be alongside the numerous individuals, especially my fellow Canadians, in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
I never imagined that winning such an honour would be a reality for me. I had assumed my essay and reference letters would remain on some stranger’s desk in perpetual limbo, if it even made it that far. So it was with reason that I was overcome with shock and delight when I learned that out of the hundreds of students that had applied, I was chosen to represent Canada alongside a select group of students that would venture throughout
Europe. All of us had been given the opportunity of a lifetime to discover a part of Canada that remained overseas.
It is said that a hundred years ago, Vimy Ridge served as the setting of Canada’s rebirth; where a battle fought in unity marked the resurgence of a nation. Canada underwent a period self-discovery and self-identity, in which it emerged a global leader.
As youth, we face a similar challenge of finding our place in the world, of discovering who we are, and all that we can be.
Today, towering over the surrounding landscape, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial emanates the values of strength, sacrifice, and peace. It stands in the shadows of those who served, forever cementing their place in history.
Never will they be forgotten. Never will their sacrifice have been in vain.
It was here that I learned that history books do not do history justice, for there are times where you cannot describe your senses. Where you witness beauty and treachery while seemingly incapacitated, and endure hope and fear in complete and utter disbelief.
The plethora of various museums, memorials, and cemeteries that we visited served as a reminder of just how important it is to remember our past and preserve our history.
I give my deepest gratitude to the Vimy Foundation who made this journey possible. My return from this pilgrimage brings about a message of peace and diplomacy while retaining the atrocious facets of war. We must continue to explore, learn, and inspire; values that I will certainly embrace with my recent appointment to the Minister’s Student Advisory Council for Ontario’s Ministry of Education.
In recent times, we have seen the dangerous ideas of fear, isolation, and segregation reemerge. I cannot say that this is the right choice for a progressive future.
The recipients of this year’s Vimy Pilgrimage Award were a collection of students from all across Canada, with all different backgrounds and different stories. It is this diversity that sets the groundwork for advancement. We only become more resilient when we celebrate our shared differences, and this was further emphasized with our collective of European students that joined us for the first time in the history of the award.
As young Canadians, we have a duty to actively improve upon our community. We cannot let fear consume us and mislead us. Instead, we must have the courage to work together and welcome innovation, creativity, and change. Learning from our past is the only way we can create a better, brighter future.
Raymond Yang
Wallaceburg
