The Government of Canada recently broke ground on the monument to recognize the commitment and sacrifice of Canadians who served in Afghanistan following the 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

On May 4, work began on the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan in Lebreton Flats, near the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ont.

The design was developed by Team Stimson. Led by Indigenous artist and veteran Adrian Stimson, it reflects themes of healing inspired by the Medicine Wheel, an Indigenous symbol that represents the cyclical nature of existence. A “home base” sits at the centre of the monument, inviting reflection, remembrance, and contemplation. Four bronze flak jackets draped on crosses form portals around it. The walls of three quadrants display the names of the fallen. The fourth quadrant faces Afghanistan and honours the Afghan people. 

The Monument will be open to the public once completed in late 2028. It will honour the more than 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members, hundreds of civilians, and government officials who supported the mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014.

The mission claimed the lives of 158 Canadian Armed Forces members, a diplomat, four aid workers, a government contractor, and a journalist.