On this day in 1974, nine Canadian peacekeepers were shot down and killed while flying over Syria, the largest number of Canadian peacekeepers killed while doing their important work. Since then, 9 August has been designated “Peacekeepers’ Day” in Canada, usually observed on the closest Sunday to this date.
In an earlier time, a WWI British soldier converted a brass artillery shell into a lovely photo frame (shown above)—perhaps a souvenir of a life-changing experience, perhaps a gift to a loved one back home. The war may be over, and the soldier may be gone, but the piece lives-on, a small testament of “swords into ploughshares.”
Thank you, dear neighbors to the North, for reminding us of the dangerous—and essential—work of those who struggle for peace.