by Emmanuel Ikechukwu

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 18, 2009

Call it whatever you choose to call it among its many names but one thing remains clear; it has a worldwide accepted name and that is the Remembrance Day - a day set aside to honor fallen heroes and most especially to commemorate the commitments and sacrifices of the Armed Forces and civilians alike during the war. A day widely known as Poppy Day (a day of poppies as the Canadians would say), Armistice Day (because of the event it commemorates) and the Veteran's Day. It comes up on the 11th of November every year in most countries of the world including Australia, Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom, France and the United States of America to name but a few. The reason is because the First World War ended on that day far back in 1918. The Remembrance Day is a day we witness parades, silences and it is also a day that calls for sober reflections in memory of the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and civilians during the war.

Now let's take a look on how different countries of the world in different continents mark this great historical day.

Canada

Also called the day of poppies (because the poppy to most Canadians signifies a flower of remembrance). The Remembrance Day, observed on the 11th of November every year is a statutory holiday across Canada except in Ontario and Quebec. The day begins with official national ceremonies at the National War Memorial in Ottawa with the Governor General Presiding with support from any members of the Canadian Royal Family, the Prime Minister, top government officials and other dignitaries with the observation of the general public. The day starts with activities such as tolling of the Carillon in the Peace Tower during which serving members of the Canadian forces arrive at the Confederation square followed by other notable personality's, moments before the arrival of the Governor General or the Queen which is promptly announced by a trumpeter, after which the monarch or viceroy is met by the Dominion President of the Royal Canadian Legion and escorted to a dais to receive the Royal or Viceregal salute and then the immediate playing of the national anthem. The period of remembrance then begins with the bugling of "Last Post" immediately at which the gun salute fires and the bells of the Peace Tower toll the Hour (11:00am precisely as it is all over the world where the Remembrance Day is held because of the significance of the hour - note that the World war 1 was formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the

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