Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1540856
PASSING THE TORCH OF THE FRANCO- CANADIAN FRIENDSHIP In late October, beneath a canopy of autumn coloured leaves, a group of Junior and Senior School students walked from TFS Toronto campus to the nearby Sunnybrook Veterans Centre. Well attired in First Dress, their shirts tucked and ties neatly in place, the students proudly represented TFS for the launch of the 2024 Ontario Poppy Campaign. For many, it was their first direct encounter with someone who had lived through war. As they took to the stage to sing a few songs and recite "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae and "Liberté" by Paul Éluard, it served as a real-world moment that marked what remembrance is: a sense of civic responsibility that stays with students for years to come. That sense deepens as students move through the school. In Grade 5 at the Junior School, students take part in La Route du souvenir, a new initiative that brings history to life through a journey across key Franco-Canadian historical sites, such as Vimy Ridge, Juno Beach and landmarks across Paris. "Behind La Route du Souvenir, there is this idea that remembrance education is part of the TFS fabric, not only limited to an assembly commemoration once a year. Our students become aware and are involved in the concept of remembrance from a young age and with this trip we wanted to make sure they live it through an authentic experiential learning experience," explains Aurélie Lossouarn, Executive Director of Citizenship and Global Education. That breadth of experience culminated in a particularly moving moment that helped cement their year-long study of the First and Second World Wars: the participation in a flame-rekindling ceremony beneath the Arc de Triomphe. La Route du souvenir quickly expanded beyond its original vision and soon attracted diplomatic attention. Invitations came from the municipality of Dieppe and from the Embassy of Canada in Paris, with receptions held both in Dieppe and at the embassy in honour of the students, as well as from the Maison des Canadiens in Bernières-sur-Mer in Normandy, the first house to be liberated by Canadian forces. It is now a symbol of remembrance and our duty to remember. These connections were only made possible through TFS' deep involvement in Amicitia France- Canada, a group of citizens from both countries determined to preserve the legacy and nurture the friendship between France and Canada. Upon return, an invitation came from the French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, just south of Newfoundland, whose representatives welcomed TFS students to participate in Victory in Europe Day commemorations. These islands were the first territory to rally behind Général de Gaulle's Free French movement after the fall of France in 1940. For the inhabitants, the act of joining Free France against Vichy control became a symbol of resistance and independence from the occupation of metropolitan France. During the visit in May 2025, students laid wreaths, met with dignitaries and cheered on a hockey team of their peers in the Match de l'amitié Franco-Canadienne, a symbolic game celebrating the friendship between France and Canada. Dr. Walter Dorn '79, Professor of Defence Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada and the Canadian Forces College participating in the 2024 Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Senior School. 28 ENTRE NOUS