Design Competition for National Memorial to the Victims of Communism Launched

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 1, 2014) - Department of Canadian Heritage

Today, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Shelly Glover, along with Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney, announced the launch of the design competition for the Canadian Memorial to the Victims of Communism.

Teams of professional artists, architects, landscape architects and other urban design professionals are invited to submit their credentials and examples of previous work for the first stage of a two-phase competition. The first phase will evaluate qualifications and shortlist approximately six teams; the second phase will invite finalists to develop concepts.

This new Capital landmark will recognize the role Canada has played in offering refuge to the millions that left behind torment and oppression under Communist regimes for new beginnings in a free and democratic country. It will also serve to raise Canadian and international awareness of the ravages of Communist regimes and remind visitors of the core Canadian values that unite us and must be protected.

The monument, to be unveiled in late summer 2015, will be prominently located on Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa, between the Library and Archives Canada building and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quick Facts

• Over 100 million people worldwide have perished or suffered under Communist tyranny; hundreds of millions more have suffered and continue to suffer its oppression.

• More than 8 million Canadians trace their roots to countries that lived or live under Communism.

• The deadline for receipt of submissions is 2:00 p.m. (Ottawa time) on May 2, 2014.

• The Department of Canadian Heritage is managing this monument project in partnership with the National Capital Commission, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Public Works and Government Services Canada, on behalf of Tribute to Liberty.

• Tribute to Liberty, established in 2008, is a Canadian charity whose mission is to establish a Canadian memorial to commemorate the victims of communism.

Quotes

"This monument will be a lasting symbol of the hardship endured by millions under Communist rule and a tribute to those who risked so much to reach the safety of Canada, where freedom, democracy and the rule of law are cherished."

- Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

"This memorial will also serve as a reminder to all Canadians that glorifying Communist symbols insults the memory of these victims, and that we must never take for granted our core values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

- Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

"We are excited to see this project-originally proposed by Canada's cultural communities and represented by Tribute to Liberty-moving forward with the Government of Canada's strong support. We appreciate the engagement of Ministers Glover and Kenney, who have worked closely with Tribute to Liberty to bring this project to fruition."

- Ludwik Klimkowski, Chair of Tribute to Liberty

Related Products

Request for qualifications: Memorial to the Victims of Communism - Canada, a Land of Refuge

Associated Links

Government of Canada supports memorial project to commemorate victims of Communism

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter @CdnHeritage, YouTube, Facebook, and Flickr.