SYDNEY, N.S. — An international effort to remember those who died in the First World War will begin at Cape Breton University on Friday.
It’s called “The World Remembers” and the local launch will begin at the Cape Breton University Library lounge at noon.
“The World Remembers” is a software program that displays the names of all the people who lost their lives as a result of the First World War. Although the project can officially run from Sept. 11 to Nov. 11, CBU adjunct professor Sean Howard says it was decided to start it on Sept. 21 at Cape Breton University.
“There was a big launch in Ottawa on Sept. 11 but we decided that the software is adaptable so you can decide how long you’re going to do it so we decided to wait until Sept. 21 because it’s the UN’s International Day of Peace and we felt that put it into a profound contemporary context,” said Howard.
The idea for the project came from the celebrated Canadian actor and producer RH Thomson.
“He approached me earlier this year to ask if there was anyone in Cape Breton who would be interested in taking part and I was happy to take it to the university and they were happy to take it on,” said Howard, adding that Peace Quest Cape Breton, a local citizen’s group around since 2002, is also involved.
“It’s trying to convey the full global extent of the horror and the death and the disaster that befell the world during those years.”
The program, which displays the names of everyone who died in the war, is a combined database of all the war dead from 16 countries. Because millions died during the war’s entirety, each year commemorates the dead of the centenary.
“This year we’re looking back at 1918 which happens to be the bloodiest year where well over one million men and women from these 16 countries died,” says Howard.
Over the seven-week period, the names of more than 1,003,000 who died will be display on a screen in the CBU library, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Nov. 9, the last weekday before Remembrance Day on Sunday, Nov. 11. This will include names from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, the United States, Turkey, Belgium, Australia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Africa, Italy, New Zealand, Slovenia, China and the former British Indian Army. The 2018 display will also include the names of those who died of war-related causes in the years 1919, 1920, 1921 and 1922.
“We’re not just looking back but we’re also thinking about where the world is today in terms of war and peace and where it can be moving forward,” says Howard.
“It’s a question of looking back and looking forward.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: “The World Remembers”
WHERE: CBU Library
WHEN: It’s being launched Friday, Sept. 21, noon, in the lounge area.
AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING: Weekdays until Friday, Nov. 9, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
