Those who visit Auburn Drive High School in Nova Scotia this spring will be greeted by Liberation75 tulips
This past year, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands partnered with WorldStrides Explorica, among others, to send 100,000 tulip bulbs across Canada to 1,100 schools. These schools were sent unique Liberation75 tulips specifically to honour the Canadians who took part in the Second World War effort. The schools also received an educational guide to contextualize the historical significance of Canada’s role in liberating the Netherlands and providing the Royal Family with a safe haven. This educational guide is freely accessible to everybody and can be found at www.liberation75.ca/education.
The Dutch Royal Family’s gift of 100,000 tulips was a thank you to the city of Ottawa, as Canada’s capital and the city that offered the family refuge during the war. Decades later, the annual blooming of the tulips has become known as the Canadian Tulip Festival, which was founded in 1953. In honour of this special anniversary, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has repeated this 1945 post-war gift from the Dutch Royal Family of 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada, yet again honouring Canada’s involvement in the liberation.
Students at Sir John A. Macdonald School in Calgary planting the Liberation75 bulbs this fall.
Last May, a year before the 75th anniversary, 1,100 schools were notified to keep an eye on their mailboxes for a special message from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In June, each school received a letter from His Excellency Henk van der Zwan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Canada. The letter outlined that these schools would be receiving the special Liberation75 tulip bulbs, along with an educational guide in time for the beginning of the school year. The letter also invited the schools to plant a liberation garden and welcome local veterans, students, teachers, and community members to attend the planting ceremonies to honour our nations’ shared history.
A few students from Fenelon Falls Secondary School in Ontario have a personal connection to the Canadian WWII effort
As schools received their letters, emails, and tulips, we received an outpouring of support and excitement. You may have seen photos from planting ceremonies across the country shared on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, or by following the hashtag #Liberation75. For future posts, photos from blooming ceremonies in the spring, and updates from our travellers visiting the Netherlands on May 5th, 2020, be sure to follow us on social media!