TORONTO, ONTARIO – The Central and Eastern European Council of Canada, representing nearly 4 million Canadians of European heritage, have announced plans to commemorate National Black Ribbon Day on August 23rd, 2011 in cities across Canada.

Evening ecumenical services are planned in [b]Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal. [b] In each city, all communities will be invited to a central place of worship. The Toronto Black Ribbon Day memorial service will be held at the[b] St Maximilian Kolbe Church in Mississauga. [b] Details regarding services in other locations will be released in the coming weeks.

In November 2009, a resolution declaring Black Ribbon Day, August 23, an annual day of remembrance for the victims of Communism and Nazism in Europe was unanimously passed Canada’s Parliament.

Black Ribbon Day historically commemorates the anniversary of the infamous Molotov- Ribbentrop pact, a sinister partnership treaty between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia that allowed each to violently and illegally seize the lands and peoples situated between them. Twenty Five years ago, Canada’s Central and Eastern European communities, by initiating Black Ribbon Day, were instrumental in bringing international attention and understanding of the plight of their heritage nations. This Canadian initiative organized demonstrations in 21 cities on both sides of the Iron Curtain. In 1989 close to 2 million people formed a human chain across the Baltic republics and by 1991, demonstrations were held in 56 cities on three continents.

Coinciding with the Church memorials is a conference co-sponsored the CEEC and the Black Ribbon Day Foundation (location TBD). The conference has attracted leading historical political and historic academic figures. The conference will examine current historical issues and historical and current energy security issues in Europe. Information about the conference will be released at a later date.

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