HIGHLIGHTS
With guidance from Liberation Route Europe, VVV (Dutch Tourist Information), KWBN (Dutch Walking League), battlefield tour guides, and the Canadian Embassy in The Netherlands, IOFF highlights include:
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A 60 km pilgrimage (over 3 days) along routes taken by the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Canadian Divisions
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Guidance from professional battlefield guides
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Flower Ceremony at Groesbeek Cemetery
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Candlelight Vigil
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Nijmegen Sunset March
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NL Remembrance Day Ceremony at Holten Cemetery
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Liberation Day Party in Almen
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Apeldoorn Liberation Festivities
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Canadian Camp at the Royal Family’s Palace (Het Loo)
TESTIMONIALS ABOUT IOFF 2022
"A four star once-in-a-lifetime experience!"
“This trip has been transformational. It opened my heart and
gave me a better understanding of sacrifice.”
- Rose Elliott, Edmonton, AB
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“A fantastic pilgrimage … it brought history to life, for sure.”
- Andre Fournier, Ottawa, ON
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“I will forever cherish the connections we’ve made with the Dutch villages where my father fought and some of his friends died. This is a legacy I will pass on to my son and my granddaughter.”
- Laird Niven, Dartmouth, NS
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“What started as a journey to learn more about my dad’s wartime
experience has turned into a memory not to be forgotten.
My Dad would be proud that I participated in IOFF.”
- Joanne Edey-Nicoll, Langley, BC
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“This trip brought ‘alive’ the depth and vastness of the Dutch liberation.”
- Susan Stahl, Cochrane, AB
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“This journey provided us with a precious opportunity to learn much
from our fellow travellers, about my father’s war experience, and about
the sacrifices made by all who served.”
- Ivan Sereda, Calgary AB
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“We will never forget this trip.”
- Linda, Julian, and Helen Webb
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“This has been an unforgettable experience. One seed has made an
incredible garden grow.”
- Susan Brown, Toronto
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“This trip greatly surpassed my hopes and expectations.
I had hoped to make connections to my dad’s war experience—and I did—
but I had no idea thatI would be so touched by the heartfelt gratitude expressed by the Dutch people.”
- Jane Fleetwood Morrow, Collingwood
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“This trip has been a deeply moving experience allowing me
some insights into my father’s wartime life.”
- Patricia Minnes, Kingston
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"What an indescribable event you started and delivered with your friends
and compatriots. Truly extraordinary. You guys ‘kicked ass’."
- Jean Gallop
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"Warm thanks for everything you did to create such a wonderful experience.
It was a really unforgettable trip!"
- Elizabeth Wensley
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This trip was “a trip of a lifetime” for me and I will be forever grateful to all of you for all the hours and hours and hours of planning, work, and dedication!
- Susan Stahl
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I am still in awe. When I tell my friends about what you did and our experiences they find it hard to believe. I hope that the videos on Dispatch #12 stay on Youtube as I play them often. Many thanks!
- Marilyn Moen