Retired General Rick Hillier named Honorary Patron of the Memory Project at
special event in St. John's

Canada's largest veteran speaker's bureau has reached one million students

ST. JOHN'S, Feb. 12 /CNW/ - The Historica-Dominion Institute is proud to announce that former Chief of Defence Staff, and retired General, Rick Hillier has been named Honorary Patron of The Memory Project, Canada's largest veteran speaker's bureau through which thousands of veterans and currently-serving Canadian Forces members share their stories with young people in schools across the country.

"We are thrilled with General Hillier's support of this initative", says Jeremy Diamond, Managing Director of the Historica-Dominion Institute's National Office. "The intergenerational dialogue that happens when our volunteers - both currently serving members and veterans - visit schools through The Memory Project provides a unique opportunity for Canadian history to come alive for our young people."

The announcement came at a special event held on February 10th in St. John's as part of a Memory Project training session to be attended by veterans from the Second World War, Korean War, Peacekeeping operations and currently serving Canadian Forces servicemen and women. Teachers and students were also present. The aim of the event was to bring more awareness to The Memory Project and increase participation among St. John's veteran and military community.

Created in 2001, the Memory Project connects veterans and students online and in classrooms across the country. The more than 1,500 veteran volunteers represent a wide range of conflicts, including the Second World War, Korean War, Peacekeeping Operations and Canadian Forces experiences. This fall, the Memory Project celebrated having reached more than 1 million young people since the program began. Visit www.thememoryproject.com to find out more.

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For further information: Kailee Novikoff, Program Coordinator, 1-866-701-1867, [email protected]