Spotlight on women and the effects of conflict at the Canadian War Museum

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

Ottawa, Ontario, March 8, 2016 — As we celebrate International Women’s Day and as the highly successful exhibition World War Women enters its final weeks, the Canadian War Museum is pleased to announce the creation of Women and Conflict, a new research initiative dedicated to the roles and impact of women during conflict, both at home and on the world stage.

“Despite the importance of women’s experiences in times of war, the impact of conflict on their lives has never been comprehensively studied within a Canadian museum setting,” said Stephen Quick, Director General of the Canadian War Museum. “Starting in 2017, the Women and Conflict initiative will delve into new subjects and areas of research to further our understanding of the contribution of women during times of conflict.”

The War Museum continually breaks new ground with its exhibitions exploring the evolving roles of women and conflict. In 2007, War Brides presented the poignant stories and impact of the nearly 50,000 war brides who came to Canada during and following the Second World War. In 2013, Eleven Women Facing War showcased the searing experiences of women in recent conflicts ranging from Afghanistan to Sierra Leone. Currently, World War Women, which looks at the many roles of women during the Second World War, is not only a critical and popular success, but also reinforces the need to explore and share the stories of women more comprehensively.

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Paul Kavanagh, founder of Operation Veteran and long-time supporter of the Museum, fundraising for the new Women and Conflict research initiative has already surpassed $100,000 and is ongoing. When the initiative begins in 2017, it will build upon current research, while mining outstanding collections that include works by Canada’s official women war artists, artifacts associated with women from Canada’s earliest Indigenous history to the present day, and extensive archival resources. To donate to this initiative, visit warmuseum.ca/donate and select Women and Conflict under How Your Gift Will Be Used, or donate by telephone by calling 1-800-256-6031.

The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national, and international dimensions. Work of the Canadian War Museum is made possible, in part, with financial support from the Government of Canada.

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Media contacts:
Yasmine Mingay
Director, Public Affairs
Canadian War Museum
Telephone: 819-776-8608
Email: yasmine.mingay@warmuseum.ca

Avra Gibbs Lamey
Senior Communications and Media Relations Officer, Canadian War Museum
Telephone: 819-776-8607
Email: avra.gibbs-lamey@warmuseum.ca

For more information visit warmuseum.ca. Follow us on twitter.com/CanWarMuseum or facebook.com/warmuseum.