I wear my red poppy in remembrance and hope

This year I, along with millions of other Canadians, will take two minutes of silence to honour and remember the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, Canada during times of war, conflict and peace. I will remember members of my own family who died in the two world wars, along with the other 118,000 Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice, so that we may live in peace. I will give thanks to God for our success and pray that this would never happen again as many hoped when we commemorated that first day of remembrance, known then as Armistice Day, on Nov. 11, 1919.

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I will also express my dismay that the hope and belief in 1918 that war would never happen again was tragically optimistic. Just 20 years after that first day of remembrance, the world was plunged back into an even more destructive conflict, followed by Korea, Vietnam, Bosnian, Kosovo, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq and many other regional conflicts. It was and remains a disappointment that the First World War did not end war. But I am grateful that this event laid a foundation for the future United Nations. Although the League of Nations failed to promote international co-operation and achieve peace and security, the ideals inspiring this body gave birth to the United Nations.

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Instead of allowing nations to opt out, this time it was decided that all countries needed to be a member, no exceptions. It was also hoped that if the four super powers of the day — United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom and China — were given the authority, they would be able to resolve all major world problems at the powerful Security Council. Although the veto power of the Soviet Union has largely paralyzed the United Nations, its aims and activities have made this international body an important institution. It has flaws, but what other international body can unite diverse nations as we face the impact of climate change and wars. I say this for two reasons. First of all, as Pope Paul VI described the United Nations in 1965, it is an institution created to be against war and for peace. A place that is a school of education, where members “become a pupil and also a teacher in the art of building peace.” Secondly, the United Nations was established “to support the development of friendly relations among nations.” As Pope Francis would later explain, “In a world suffering from a famine of fraternity, this organization has a responsibility to promote fraternity and peace for the entire planet.” (June 23, 2023).

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With the assault on Israel and nearly 20 months of war inflicted on the people of Ukraine, we may wonder whether it is possible to achieve worldwide fraternity and peace. I believe it is. It may not seem much, but there are times when nations ignore what divides them and act as one human family. One obvious example of this unity is Remembrance Day. A day when 53-plus nations pause once a year for a few brief moments to remember those who gave their lives so we can live in peace. Although many nations commemorate this day on Nov. 11, others have chosen a different date. For example, Russia chose Aug. 1, since this date commemorates the day Germany invaded it in 1914. Despite these differences, they all agree on the importance to remember the fallen.

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Another example grew out of the 2019 joint declaration on human fraternity and peace composed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb. These two religious leaders hoped their declaration would prompt all nations to adopt a culture of dialogue as the path of peace. They were not disappointed. One year later, the United Nations decided to dedicate one day a year, Feb. 4, as “The International Day of Human Fraternity.” Speaking on this resolution, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “In a world beset by conflict and intolerance, it is imperative that we double our efforts to spread the message of good neighbourliness based on our common humanity, a message shared by all faith traditions.” (21 Dec 2020). These examples may seem insignificant. But as Desmond Tutu once said: “It’s those little bits of good put together that can overwhelm the world.”

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As a Canadian, I proudly wear my red poppy and remember all those who have served, are serving and especially those who sacrificed their lives so we may live in peace. From the stories veterans have shared with me, I know better than to romanticize war. For me, it is not about glorifying war, rather it represents, as British historian Catriona Pennell wrote in the Western Morning News on Nov. 11, 2011: “How, as a community of human beings, we can strive towards a more peaceful world where war and violence has no place.” So I am hoping, as we recall the sacrifice so many have made, we will build on our shared memory of men and women who lost their lives to write that “new chapter of peace in history.” There is still time, as Pope Francis told the United Nations in his June 2023 speech.

Bill Gervais is a spiritual director who helps others to connect their faith with everyday life.

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