Portraits of Honour is a 10 foot by 40 foot mural painted by Toronto artist Dave Sopha. It depicts the 156 Canadian soldiers, sailors and air crew personnel who have been killed in Afghanistan. The mural is Sopha’s way of ensuring that these men and women will not be forgotten. As a mother of one of those depicted on the mural has said:
"The mural is a tribute, a memorial and a place for people to connect.”
The mural features the faces of all of those killed with a red poppy background; an index listing all of the names can be downloaded from the Portraits of Honour website.
The tour was organized by Kin Canada as a way of raising money for the Military Family Fund which helps the families of those service people who have been killed and those military personnel who have been injured. The goal of the tour is to raise $1.5 million dollars for the fund. It is slated to run through December.
The Portraits of Honour tour is an important event that should not be missed; it is a way to pay tribute to those who lost their lives serving others.