“It is extremely meaningful to have been able to design and realize this monument with an incredible team,” said Libeskind. Surrounding the monument, a rocky landscape dotted with coniferous trees will evolve as the structure ages, representing the passing of time and the contribution of Canadian survivors to the culture and society of modern-day Canada. Gesturing towards the nearby Parliament Buildings, the “Stair of Hope” takes visitors from the central gathering space to the upper plaza. Burtynsky’s photographs appear on the walls of each triangular space, transporting visitors to the haunting landscapes of Holocaust sites. Within the six concrete triangles are specific areas, including an educational interpretation space describing the history of Canada and the Holocaust, three individual spaces for contemplation, a central gathering space and the cathedral-like “Sky Void,” which contains the eternally burning Flame of Remembrance. “The star remains the visual symbol of the Holocaust – a symbol that millions of Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis to identify them as Jews, exclude them from humanity and mark them for extermination,” explained Libeskind. Titled Landscape of Loss, Memory and Survival, the design features six triangular concrete structures that create the points of a star. In May 2014, a selection jury awarded design of the monument to a team led by Lord Cultural Resources of Toronto, which included architect Daniel Libeskind, landscape architect Claude Cormier, photographer Edward Burtynsky and University of Toronto historian Doris Bergen. The Government of Canada committed to matching these funds to a maximum of another $4 million, as well as providing the land for the monument. The Council, made up of five volunteers from across Canada, was given the mandate to raise $4.5 million. The following year, the National Holocaust Monument Development Council was appointed by then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. Bill C-442 – an Act to Establish a National Holocaust Monument – was signed into law by the Governor General on May 25, 2011. Finally, with the direct support from then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Bill C-442 was passed – a private member’s bill introduced by Tim Uppal, Conservative representative for Edmonton. Armed with images of memorials from around the world, statistics about Holocaust education and great determination, she spent three years knocking on government doors. Laura Grosman, then an 18-year-old student at the University of Ottawa, learned that Canada was the only Second World War ally that did not have a national Holocaust monument in its capital. To fully understand how and why this landmark was created, we need to rewind to 2007.
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