Summary of Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan
Transcript
The Kandahar Cenotaph was built by Canadian Armed Forces members during Canada's mission in Afghanistan as a battlefield memorial to honour the military and civilian personnel who died in the Afghanistan Joint Theatre of Operations.
Canada's combat mission in Afghanistan started in 2001 and ended in 2011.
Then, from 2011-2014, Canada conducted a non-combative, mentoring mission in Kabul that involved investing in the future of Afghan children and youth as well as training the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police.
The cenotaph was dismantled and transported to Canada in late 2011.
204 personnel were killed in Afghanistan while under Canadian command – 158 Canadian Armed Forces personnel, a diplomat, a Department of National Defence contractor and a journalist embedded with the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as 42 United States armed forces personnel and an American civilian employee.
In 2014, the cenotaph and plaques of the Fallen were displayed across Canada and in Washington, D.C. during the Afghanistan Memorial Vigil to allow both Canadians and Americans to reflect and pay tribute to the Fallen.
The Kandahar Cenotaph is a permanent reminder of the valour, dedication and sacrifice made by all Canadian and American military and civilian personnel who contributed to Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
The cenotaph's final resting place is the Afghanistan Memorial Hall, a purpose-built pavilion located at the National Defence Headquarters (Carling), in Ottawa.