Kiely Watt
Kiely Watt: First Peace Camp for Youth
When my grandfather, Nelson Wall, first mentioned the possibility of me going to South Korea for what would later be known as the First Peace Camp for Youth, I was completely on board. It’s not that I’d given much thought about going to the tiny country that’s wedged between China and Japan, but I had a love for travel and a zeal for learning world history. This trip would allow me to explore both of these passions while honoring the Canadians that fought in the Korean War.
The trip came and went so fast. It was a whirlwind affair. The group of around 120 youth being whisked around from the beaches of Busan, then off to the Historic Geoje POW Camp, to the Royal Palaces, then bused up north to the infamous Demilitarized Zone, and then out for some light shopping and dining in Seoul. Local and national media followed us around and took our pictures at every turn, we felt like rock stars. But the most touching moment for me, the memory that will last with me forever is finding the grave of my grandfather’s friend.
My grandfather served in Korea alongside of men who never made it home to their families. One such man was Ralph Roy Murphy. My grandfather told me about the young man and where he had been laid to rest. I wasn’t sure where the Peace Camp tour would lead me, but I was thrilled to see the name of the cemetery on the list of places we’d be visiting on our cross country tour. United Nations Memorial Cemetery is probably the most beautiful cemetery I’ve ever walked through. It felt truly an honor to be there. Cascading waterfalls, tall manicured trees and around every corner a monument, each more awe-inspiring then the last, to a different nation whom had lost soldiers in the battles between 1950 and 1953. The Canadians have their own area in the cemetery with flowers and bushes that serve as a backdrop to the scene. I made my way up and down the rows of modest headstones and stopped at the familiar name. It was a powerful moment to see, in person, the final resting place of someone I felt I had a connection with.
It’s been eight years since that historic First Peace Camp for Youth and each year the Korean government invites more grandchildren from around the globe to participate in a week of sightseeing, history lessons and tributes to those who lost their lives in the pursuit of freedom and peace. Canada’s contribution was more than just aircraft, machines and the 8,123 servicemen. Canadians contributed in the giving of hope to those whose families who were being torn apart. It was in Korea that I had found myself truly being more proud to be Canadian than I’d ever felt before.
Our tour of Korea was ever so meaningful. Our guides highlighting that Canada had lost over 500 people during the war. Which is why they continuously want to give back to the grandchildren of those who fought alongside them for a common goal. It was also representative of the Korean Government’s desire to further develop the friendly relationship and ensure that future generations will always remember the selfless sacrifices made on the Korean Peninsula by their forefathers. In his welcome message for the camp, Mr. Yang Kim, the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in Korea said that “Under the United Nations banner the grandparents of those attending the camp answered the call to defend a small country in a distant land they barely knew”. Mr. Kim added that they came to Korea with a firm belief in democracy and freedom, and a hope for Korea’s future, noting that their efforts, blood, sweat and tears laid the foundation for modern-day Korea, a noble sacrifice that was not in vain.
Kiely Watt lives in San Francisco with her husband Rob and their dog. She works with children with special needs and enjoys travel whenever possible.