Canadian First World War
Internment Recognition Fund
Fonds canadien de reconnaissance de l'internement durant
la première guerre mondiale
-
Applying for a Grant
-
Annual ReportsDownload the Reports
from 2009 to 2019. -
Map of Internment CampsDownload the map and list
of internment camps here. -
Request a LectureApply here to
request a lecture.
Welcome to CFWWIRF
The Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund exists to support projects that commemorate and recognize the experiences of all of the ethno-cultural communities affected by Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.
Fonds canadien de reconnaissance de l'internement durant la Première Guerre mondiale a pour but d'appuyer des projets visant à commémorer et à reconnaître les expériences vécues par les communautés ethnoculturelles touchées par la première opération nationale d'internement menée au Canada de 1914 à 1920.
The Camps, Season 2, Episode #15, Ottawa, Ontario
Address delivered by Ivan T. Grbešić, Chair of the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund at the Preview of the
Canadian History Hall at the Canadian Museum of History
on June 12, 2017
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Bonjour mesdames et monsieurs.
Dobar dan, dame i gospodo.
Greetings as well to their Excellences, diplomatic representatives, elected officials of all levels of government, and members of the clergy, who are here with us today, most of whom were introduced.
I would like to thank the Canadian Museum of History and its President and CEO, Mark O’Neill for providing me with the opportunity to address you here today in my capacity as Chair of the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund.
Click here to read the entire address (PDF).
Address delivered by Ivan T. Grbesic, Chair of the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund at the Vernon Pleasant Valley Cemetery Internee Remembrance Ceremony on
Saturday, May 23, 2015.
Good
morning
ladies
and
gentlemen,
Bonjour
mesdames
et
monsieurs,
Dobar
dan,
dame
i
gospodo.
What a beautiful day for such a solemn occasion. While we are honoured to have had in attendance with us today Minister Jason Kenney, it is also great to see and to be able to greet such a large number of elected officials, and members of the clergy, who are here today.
Click here to read the entire address (PDF).
Stamps Commemorating 100th Anniversary of Canada's First Internment Operations Now Available
16 December 2014 - Ottawa - The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) is pleased to announce that a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of Canada's First National Internment Operations is available for purchase.
Click here to read the entire media release.
Address by the Hon. Jason Kenney at the National
Internment Exhibit Official Opening
Slave Labour, in Unthinkable Conditions
Address delivered by the Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism at the Opening Ceremony of the National Internment Exhibit at Cave and Basin National Historic Site, Banff, AB on September 13, 2013.
Dobray Den, na vsa dobra; Dobar dan.
Good afternoon, Bonjour.
Your Grace, Your Excellency, Reverend Fathers.
Member of Parliament, James Bezan, Senator Tannas,
Your Worship, Fellow Canadians, Dear Friends.
Today we realize the sacred duty what the great chronicler of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel said was the most sacred duty that echoes down to us from the bible, the moral duty to remember. "To remember the good of which we have been blessed and the evil that we have suffered."
Click here to read the entire address (PDF).
National Internment Exhibit Opening - Address by
Ivan T. Grbešić, Chair of the CFWWIRF
Photos courtesy of Frank Jankač
Address delivered by Ivan T. Grbešić, Chair of the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund at the Opening Ceremony of the Internment Exhibit at Cave and Basin in Banff, Alberta on September 13, 2013:
Good
afternoon,
ladies
and
gentlemen.
Bonjour
mesdames
et
monsieurs.
Dobar
dan,
dame
i
gospodo.
Greetings
as
well
to
Minister
Kenney,
their
Excellencies,
diplomatic
representatives,
elected
officials
of
all
levels
of
government,
and
members
of
the
clergy,
who
are
here
with
us
today,
most
of
whom
were
introduced.
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
I
want
to
begin
by
first
thanking
Parks
Canada
for
providing
me,
as
Chair
of
the
Endowment
Council
of
the
Canadian
First
World
War
Internment
Recognition
Fund,
with
the
opportunity
to
address
you
here
today.
Click here to read the entire address (PDF).
National Internment Exhibit, Banff, Alberta
June 20, 2013
Kontakt Ukrainian Television Network
In the News
- 21 Strands represents Ukrainian-Canadian history
St. Paul Journal
By Rushanthi Kesunathan, October 2, 2019
2021
Spotlight put on dark internment camp history at Vernon school
Drama class presents Seeds of Hope, tales from Vernon’s own Ukrainian and European camps
Kelowna Capital News & Vernon Morning Star
Jennifer Smith, February 8, 2021
2020
To All Internee Descendants of Canada’s first national internment operations of 1914 to 1920.
The Board of Directors of the Shevchenko Foundation is currently seeking an internee descendant representative for March 2021 to March 2022. This appointment is for a one year fixed term. The submitted names will be considered as potential candidates for the Internee Descendant Endowment Council position. (Non-voting)
We invite you to complete this form along with your resume by January 31, 2021.
For immediate release – November 12, 2020
APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHAIR OF THE ENDOWMENT COUNCIL OF
THE CANADIAN FIRST WORLD WAR INTERNMENT RECOGNITION FUND (CFWWIRF)
The Board of Directors of the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko, Shevchenko Foundation, is pleased to announce the appointment of Borys Sirskyj (Ottawa) as Chair of the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund.
National Internment Education Day
October 28th
October 28th is National Internment Education Day, commemorating Canada’s first national internment operations of 1914-1920.
The Endowment Council is pleased to offer its newest project, “Discovering Canadian WW1 Internment”, an augmented reality digital map to educate Canadians about this tragic page in Canada’s history, to schools, educators and museums across Canada.
This project has delivered an immersive, accessible Augmented Reality (AR) exhibit that brings to life the history of Canada’s first national internment operations. 360 Story Lab has created an AR map of Canada printed on heavy vinyl. The map includes small visual icons, or “targets” that are recognized by the AR software program and activate the AR experience.
To obtain the vinyl AR Map in English or French, please contact the CFWWIRF Program Manager, Andrea Malysh.
NEW MEMBERS APPOINTED TO THE CFWWIRF ENDOWMENT COUNCIL
AUGUST 5, 2020
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
The Shevchenko Foundation is currently calling for submission for the position of Chair of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund
The Board of Directors of the Shevchenko Foundation is currently seeking a representative from the affected communities.
Lubomyr Luciuk looks back at the 100 year anniversary of Canada’s first internment operations
Global News - July 3, 2020
100 Objects of Interest
Royal BC Museum,
June 20, 2020
A forgotten piece of Canadian history
By Peter J. Manastyrsky, Winnipeg Sun, June 20, 2020
The Hon. Andrew Scheer, Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and of the Official Opposition, issues statement to mark 100 years since the end of Canada’s first national internment operations during the First World War
June 20, 2020
Internment camp at Fort Henry once little-known local history
By
Lubomyr Luciuk, The Kingston Whig-Standard
June 19, 2020
Queen's University graduate student Kassandra Luciuk explains the history that informs her graphic novel on the internment of Ukrainians in Canada called 'Enemy Alien: A True Story of Life Behind Barbed Wire'.
Ontario Morning from CBC Radio with Wei Chen
June 19, 2020
Разследване за интернирани в Канада българи ще има тук и в България
Проучването за задържаните в лагери наши сънародници в периода 1914-1920 г. е в основата на научен проект
By Bulgarian Horizons, Canadian Bulgarian Newspaper, June 15, 2020
Internment centenary provides lessons for today
By New Pathway, June 8, 2020
100 years since Vernon internment camp was shut down: Vernon's internment history
By John Lawless,
Castanet News, June 8, 2020
Salmon Arm Observer, June 7, 2020
Enemy Alien
Among books on Canada's History's 2020 Summer Reading Guide
By Kassandra Luciuk, May 22, 2020
Vernon part of end of internment camp ceremonies
June 2020 marks 100 years since the end of Canada’s first internment camps, including one in Vernon
Morning Star Staff, February 24, 2020
For immediate release
Commemorating 100 Years of the end of Canada’s First National Internment Operations, 1914 to 1920.
(Winnipeg) – June 20, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of Canada’s first national internment operations of 1914 to 1920.
Enemy Alien
A True Story of Life behind Barbed Wire
By Kassandra Luciuk and Nicole Marie Burton
It happened, son of interned Ukrainian says
St.Albert Today
By Scott Hayes, January 10, 2020
2019
Film looks at Canadian Internment Camps
Ukrainian immigrants among those impacted between between 1914 - 1920
Yorkton This Week
By Calvin Daniels, November 16, 2019
A congratulatory video from Minister Glavine on behalf of the Premier for the Grand Opening of Enemy Aliens Exhibit at Amherst, NS.
Remembering a ‘static and silent’ part of Canadian history
Amherst News
By Darrell Cole, July 28, 2019
Amherst museum gets exhibit about First World War internment camps
The Chronicle Herald
July 22, 2019
For immediate release – July 8, 2019
ENDOWMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN FIRST WORLD WAR INTERNMENT RECOGNITION FUND MEET IN TORONTO, ONTARIO TO APPROVE GRANTS
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW CHAIR TO THE ENDOWMENT COUNCIL OF THE CANADIAN FIRST WORLD WAR INTERNMENT RECOGNITION FUND
About CFWWIRF
The Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund was established to support projects that commemorate and recognize the experiences of all of the ethno-cultural communities affected by Canada’s first national internment operations of 1914 to 1920.
For more information on the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund contact the Program Manager, Andrea Malysh, at [email protected] or toll free at 1-866-288-7931.
Looking back at escape attempts from Amherst's WW1 internment camp
Amherst News
June 11, 2019
For immediate release
Save the Date: Opening Ceremony of Parks Canada’s Exhibit of Canada’s First World War Internment Operations, 1914 to 1920
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – June 4, 2019 – The Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund (CFWWIRF) Parks Canada, and The Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association encourage you to save the date to attend the opening ceremony for Parks Canada’s Exhibit of Canada’s First World War Internment Operations 1914-1920.
This event will take place on Saturday June 22 at 1:00 p.m. MDT near the Natural Bridge in Yoho National Park, BC.
For immediate release – May 10, 2019
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE APPOINTMENT OF NEW INTERNEE DESCENDANT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ENDOWMENT COUNCIL OF THE CANADIAN FIRST WORLD WAR INTERNMENT RECOGNITION FUND
The Shevchenko Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Loughery to the Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund.
'The Stories Were Not Told: Canada's First World War Internment Camps' author Sandra Semchuk
February 7, 2019
From 1914 to 1920, thousands of men who immigrated to Canada from Europe were called 'enemy aliens' and sent to internment camps during the First World War. Some families were imprisoned as well. Sandra Semchuk explores that dark period in our history in her new book, 'The Stories Were Not Told: Canada's First World War Internment Camps' -- inspired by a stop at Castle Mountain near Banff. Sandra joined host Doug Dirks in studio.
For immediate release - February 1, 2019