New Canadian War Museum exhibit.

[John McGillivray]

New war museum exhibit examines Canadians in Afghanistan
Last Updated: Thursday, February 8, 2007 | 12:33 PM ET
CBC Arts
The Canadian War Museum is set to offer an eye-opening look into Canada's military presence in Afghanistan with a new exhibition opening Friday.
Afghanistan: A Glimpse of War is primarily based on material from Stephen Thorne and Garth Pritchard, two journalists who have covered the conflict, as well as interviews with soldiers and artifacts from the Ottawa museum's collections.
"[Thorne and Pritchard] brought to us essentially hundreds of photographs and scores of hours of video footage that covered all manner of Canadian involvement, and Afghan stories as well, from the conflict," Dean Oliver, the museum's research and exhibitions director, told CBC News on Thursday.
The new exhibition begins with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and continues through Canada's current involvement in Afghanistan.
"It is neither meant as a condemnation or tribute, it's meant simply as a look at an ongoing conflict mainly through the eyes of those who witnessed it," Oliver said.
In addition to about 70-100 photos and an hour's worth of video footage, the display includes the remains of a Canadian military vehicle that was destroyed by an improvised bomb, a piece of aircraft wreckage from the World Trade Center attacks, material from the Afghan national election and children's schoolbooks the Taliban set aflame.
'I think it is utterly unique'
Oliver added that he expects Afghanistan: A Glimpse of War to provoke a strong emotional reaction from visitors, as it did from those who created the exhibition.
"I think it is utterly unique in anything that a military museum has done in Canada and it is one that, I know, for those of us who made it couldn't watch even in its draft stages without becoming deeply moved by what's there."
Thorne, a journalist for the Canadian Press, said that his time in Afghanistan left him with strong images.
"Canadian soldiers weeping at the memorials for their fallen colleagues …Guys just throwing themselves headlong into a firefight …The Afghan people and their resilience," Thorne recalled. "They were inspiring to see."
The exhibit also includes several sections where visitors can leave their comments and spaces for potential additions to the overall display.
"Knowing that the subject we're talking about is one that's still ongoing, we've left physical spaces in the exhibition for other important stories should they occur," Oliver said.
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/sto...ar-museum.html

Also have a look at the video.