2025 Latin-American Remembrance Ceremony
By Capt Rey Garcia-Salas
Featuring Guatemala as the 2025 Host Nation
National Military Cemetery of Canada – Beechwood Cemetery
Sunday, 19 October 2025 – 11:00 a.m.
Beneath a tranquil autumn sky at the National Military Cemetery of Canada, dignitaries, veterans, diplomats, and families gathered for the 4th Annual Latin-American Remembrance Ceremony—a solemn tribute to the courage, service, and sacrifice of Latin Americans who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Organized by the Latin-American Soldiers Committee (LASC) in partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces, Beechwood Cemetery, and the Embassy of Guatemala in Canada, this year’s ceremony carried special meaning as Guatemala proudly served as the 2025 Host Nation, honouring Guatemalan-born volunteers who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the Second World War.
The ceremony opened with a Traditional Land Acknowledgment by Elder Verna MacGregor of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation, followed by the National Anthems of Canada and Guatemala, performed on piano.
Nick McCarthy, Beechwood’s Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Outreach, welcomed attendees:
“Each year, this ceremony brings together nations, communities, and families to remember the Latin-American men and women who answered Canada’s call to serve. Their courage should inspire us all to continue their mission—because freedom is not inherited; it is earned and safeguarded through courage, compassion, and conviction.”
Adding vibrant colour and heritage, members of the Centre Culturel Jaguar Ix Balam proudly wore traditional Guatemalan Indigenous attire, while La Casa Cultural Peruana displayed traditional Peruvian Indigenous dress—a vivid symbol of unity through culture and remembrance.
Representing the Embassy of Guatemala in Canada, Mr. Diego Meneses, Counsellor, spoke of the enduring friendship between Guatemala and Canada, honouring four Guatemalan-born RCAF aviators whose sacrifice strengthened the bond between both nations.
Captain Rey Garcia-Salas, cofounder of the LASC and serving CAF officer, delivered an emotional address, the result of years of historical research begun in 2016. He paid tribute to four Guatemalan airmen—Hempstead, Koester, Smith, and Fernández de León—whose stories are preserved in The Latin American Soldiers Remembrance Book, Volume I.
“Courage has many forms,” he said. “It can be the wings of a Spitfire pilot or the steady rhythm of a newborn heart refusing to give up. Their legacy lives in every child who breathes freely, in every family that lives in peace, and in every Canadian who cherishes liberty.”
The ceremony reached deeper meaning as Alan and Tracy Fairhurst, nephew and niece of Pilot Officer Robert Theodore Hempstead, journeyed from Guatemala to attend—bridging generations and embodying remembrance through family.
The Last Post, two minutes of silence, and the Rouse followed as the Guatemalan flag rose beside Canada’s. MGen (Ret’d) Michel-Henri St-Louis then led the Act of Remembrance, reciting:
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old… We shall remember them.”
Wreaths were laid on behalf of:
- Government of Canada – Hon. Mona Fortier
- Republic of Guatemala – Mr. Diego Meneses, Counsellor
- Republic of Colombia – Excellency Carlos Arturo Morales and Maj Jose Luis Parra
- Canadian Armed Forces – Col Mark Comeau
- Veterans of All Wars – MGen Michel-Henri St-Louis
- Latin-American Community – David Aguilar Carranza (Centre Culturel Jaguar Ix Balam) and Betsy Requena (Casa Cultural Peruana)
- In Memoriam – Retired CAF Chaplain Yves Lesieur
- Latin American Soldiers Committee – Giuseppe Marconi and Capt Rey Garcia-Salas
- Amicitia France-Canada – Mr. André Lévesque
Two commemorative plaques were presented: one to MGen St-Louis for his leadership and advocacy for inclusion, and another to Mr. Giuseppe Marconi, Co-Founder of LASC, for his vision and dedication.
As the ceremony concluded with a reception and group photo, veterans, families, and cultural leaders stood united a living image of remembrance and gratitude.
“Today and forever — we shall remember them.”
Together, we ensured every sacrifice was honoured and every story remembered.
