EF Educational Tours Canada Sends More than 1,200 Students, Teachers, and Community Leaders from Schools Representing Five Provinces to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion at Juno Beach in Normandy, France

May 29, 2024, Toronto, Ontario -- EF Educational Tours Canada, a leader in experiential learning through travel, today announced that more than 1,200 students, teachers, and community leaders from dozens of schools across five provinces will participate in the June 6 ceremonies to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of more than 14,000 Canadian soldiers who stormed Juno Beach in the Normandy region of France during the Second World War.

“The 80th anniversary of D-Day comes at a point in history when we are losing veterans of the Second World War to time, which is why it is our goal at EF Educational Tours Canada to keep these acts of heroism alive through the descendants of soldiers who visit these hallowed grounds in France and across Europe,” said Alison Hickey, President, EF Educational Tours Canada, “We know the education and experience these student travellers have on tour will be life changing, ensuring every Canadian at these celebrations learn about our history so we can plan for a better future.”

EF Educational Tours in Canada is offering nine separately curated tours where students can learn about the D-Day invasion, with highlights that can include:

• Visiting iconic locations in the Normandy region, including the Caen Memorial, the Bény-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Arromanches and walking the beaches of Normandy where Allied troops landed during the invasion in 1944

• Participating in the official Veterans Affairs Canada D-Day 80th Anniversary Ceremony on Juno Beach, and 

• Students will take part in a silent march from Juno Beach to a site in Courseulles-sur-Mer where they will participate in exclusive EF educational programming

Our Veteran’s Legacies

More than one million Canadians served in the Second World War. More than 45,000 died and another 55,000 were wounded. By the end of 2023, Veterans Affairs Canada says there were just over 9,000 veterans of the Second World War and Korean War who were still alive in Canada. As this greatest of generations passes on, EF Tours Canada is working with local school districts to ensure students know the stories and journeys of local veterans who sacrificed and served during the Second World War.

“We will keep the legacy of Canadian veterans alive through future generations when we combine the experiences of our D-Day tours with the classroom learning that teaches students how to research and develop historical accounts that detail the lives of local heroes,” said Hickey.

Students will also benefit from an exclusive partnership with EF when they visit the Juno Beach Centre, Canada’s Second World War Museum and cultural centre located in Normandy, France. The Centre pays homage to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the War, of which 5,500 were killed during the Battle of Normandy and 381 on D-Day. The museum was opened to the public in 2003 by veterans and volunteers with a vision to create a permanent memorial to all Canadians who served during the Second World War, with a mandate to preserve this legacy for future generations through education and remembrance.

In partnership with the Juno Beach Centre and experienced history educators, EF has developed educator resources that teachers can use with their students pre- and post-tour. The 'EF Military Personnel Research Guide' gives helpful guidance on how students can perform in-depth research on a Canadian who served in the Second World War and who is buried at a commonwealth war graves cemetery in Normandy. EF's 'D-Day 80 Legacy Project' resource, guides educators on how to inspire student-led Legacy Projects in their own communities to reflect upon, share, and memorialize their experiences at D-day 80 events in Normandy when they get home.