Meet the Designer Behind Our New Victory in Europe Commemorative Sweater Patch

Date: November 22, 2024

With a strong commitment to honouring Canadian history, Worldstrides Canada is excited to host a special event in May 2025, celebrating the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe and the Liberation of the Netherlands. For the event in the Netherlands, over a thousand Canadian students will receive an official commemorative tour sweater, complete with an embroidered patch, created by the winner of this year’s logo design contest.

While many students throughout Canada embraced the challenge–showcasing incredible creativity–the winning design was submitted by Sammy M. Along with the artwork itself, he shared the inspiration behind his winning design, explaining, “I was inspired by the ‘V for Victory’ symbol as it was created during World War II and became a trendy emblem of freedom, peace, defiance, and hope for [the] final victory. [It] was endorsed by Sir Winston Churchill, who was often seen making a hand gesture [forming the letter V]. [The] symbol is universally recognized, transcending language barriers, [and] stands out in contrast to the red and white colour scheme.”

He went on to describe what the different colour choices throughout the design stand for, “I chose navy blue for its connotations of success, stability, reliability and calmness, and the navy [symbol] is embedded within the maple leaf to represent Canada’s involvement in World War II, promoting the nation’s pride in its achievements and contributions towards victory. Red and white are the colours of the Canadian flag, however, [both] have additional connotations. Red symbolizes courage, sacrifice, and remembrance, while white symbolizes peace, prosperity and new beginnings.”

Sammy’s thoughtful approach extended to other design elements as well, each carefully chosen to honour this important anniversary. “The text being presented in both English and French is to share a piece of Canada’s culture,” he said. “The indication of the years ‘1945’ and ‘2025’ highlight the 80 years of peace that the sacrifices of brave soldiers have secured, serving as a tribute to their legacy.”

Like Sammy, we are eagerly looking forward to commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands this spring! We can’t wait to see Canadian students honouring this historic occasion by proudly wearing our sweaters featuring his meaningful design.

Congratulations, Sammy!