Over 1,300 Canadian flags have found their way to Knokke-Heist. During Canada Week, the municipality will again welcome over 100 Canadian soldiers, teachers, and students. They will participate in commemoration ceremonies in the municipality, at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, and in Zeeland.
The flag initiative, which started in 2008, was championed by the late Mayor Count Leopold Lippens and First Alderman Maxim Willems. Residents have since purchased over 1,300 Canadian flags. The call is renewed: decorate your facade, balcony, or garden with the iconic Maple Leaf.
The liberation of Knokke-Heist, the Zwin region, and West-Zeeuws-Vlaanderen in October 1944 cost the lives of approximately one thousand Canadian and other Allied soldiers. Each fluttering flag keeps their story alive.
Commemoration ceremonies begin on Friday, November 6, 2026, in Eede, Aardenburg, and Sluis. On Saturday, November 7, 2026, the floral tribute at the Verzetsplein, a memorial mass at the Heilig Hart Church, and the tribute at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem will take place. The For Freedom Pipes & Drums will provide musical accompaniment.
On Sunday, November 8, 2026, the 52nd Canadian Liberation March will proceed from Hoofdplaat to Knokke-Heist. The 33-kilometer march follows the battlefield where Canadian and British soldiers fought in October 1944 under harsh weather conditions.
A Canadian flag costs 25 euros and is available at the For Freedom Museum, Knokke-Heist Tourism Office, CC Cultuurcentrum Knokke-Heist, Continental Tours, and Vervarcke Interieur.
