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A 10-day experiential program in Belgium and France for youth ages 15 to 17 from Canada, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Recipients study the interwoven First and Second World War history of their respective countries, as well as the environmental and human impacts of the wars, by visiting key historic sites, former battlefields, museums, cemeteries, and memorials in Belgium and France.
Through this immersive experience, recipients gain unique, international perspectives on these global conflicts, and see first-hand their lasting impact on the local environment in Belgium and France today.
Recipients connect with youth across multiple regions and nations, and learn about the sustainable actions being taken by their peers. BVP alumni go on to share their knowledge and fresh perspectives with their schools, and communities. They become ambassadors for the Foundation and continue to interact with their peers through the Vimy Foundation Alumni Council.
Please verify the application status below and read the
Terms and Conditions for program details. Apply using the application form. Contact us at programs@vimyfoundation.ca if you have any questions.
Please fill out the application form before the deadline. The application will include contact information, essay components, your letter of reference and your resume.
A selection committee will review all applications. Select candidates will be contacted for a virtual interview. All applicants will be notified whether they have been selected or not.
Recipients will be notified by email and will have five days to accept the award. Recipients and their parents/guardians will complete the acceptance form.
Meet fellow participants; research your chosen soldier or nurse; work on your group project; and visit First and Second World War sites in Europe!
The program is scheduled from August 1 to 11, 2025. Apply online before March 12, 2025.
Please check back at a later date and see resources below.
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Sponsors
The Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation is located in Montreal, Quebec, and supports selected organizations, predominantly in Eastern Canada, in the areas of education and arts and culture. In 2012 Max Aitken was appointed Chairman and President of the Board of the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation, in addition to being a trustee of the Beaverbrook Foundation and the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.
Lord Beaverbrook was a giant of the British 20th Century political scene. He owned the Daily Express newspaper group and sat on the War Cabinet in both World Wars. The Beaverbrook Foundation supports a variety of causes in the United Kingdom and Canada, including preserving heritage buildings and supporting charitable appeals.
Lord Beaverbrook also established the Canadian War Memorials Fund in 1916 to commission official war artists to paint the Canadian war effort. The official war art programme would eventually employ close to 120 artists, most of them British or Canadian, who created nearly 1,000 works of art. A number of painters were Canadian, including future Group of Seven members A.Y. Jackson, Frederick Varley, and Arthur Lismer. While most of the works depicted the fighting forces and geography overseas, important artists like Mable May and Manly MacDonald painted women in factories and fields in Canada.
The war art had a tumultuous fate: Beaverbrook had hoped that it would be housed in a new national war museum, but successive governments refused to commit funds. The art languished in the basements and vaults of the National Art Gallery, rarely seen by Canadians. Fortunately, in the early 1970s most of the art was transferred to the Canadian War Museum and more recently hundreds of pieces have been restored, displayed in permanent and travelling exhibitions, or loaned to institutions across Canada.
Learn More About Canada’s War Art
The Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation is the generous benefactor of the Vimy Foundation’s flagship student program, the Beaverbrook Vimy Prize, which offers prestigious summer scholarships to youth 15-17 years of age to study the interwoven history of Canada, France and Great Britain during the First and Second World Wars.
Graham & Gayle Cooke provide generous support.
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Ellison Travel & Tours Ltd. is a long-time partner, providing travel and booking support for The Vimy Foundation's overseas education programs.
The Randhawa Group provides support to recipients travelling from more northern or remote communities.
Aeroplan provides travel support for Canadian participants for The Vimy Foundation's overseas programs.
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"The Beaverbrook Vimy Program changed my outlook on the way we perceive and discuss historical events. I had incredible discussions with my peers and learned to question and think about why it is that we emphasize certain historical events over others. Most of all I had so much fun connecting with people with similar interest as myself and having the opportunity to get physically immersed in places with a rich history."
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