How It Works — Faces To Names

From a name on a memorial to a documented life story.

Every name represents a person whose life can be uncovered. Faces to Names provides the platform and process to do exactly that. In classrooms across Canada, here’s how it works.

The process, step by step.

STEP 01

Investigate

Students are assigned a name from their own community. They follow the platform’s structured research process, using trusted sources such as the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Library and Archives Canada.

Students cross-reference sources to confirm accuracy and identify inconsistencies.

HOW IT WORKS

STEP 02

Build

Students build a detailed profile on the platform, documenting the person’s early life, community connections, service, and tributes. Each detail is supported by evidence.

Community members can assist student research by contributing photos, documents, and local knowledge.

STEP 03

Share

Profiles are reviewed by teachers, verified by community members, and published as part of a growing, searchable national collection.

A name that was once just a name on a memorial becomes a documented life story, connected to a community, and accessible to the public.

More than a record. A real person’s story.

Each profile in Faces to Names is built to feel like a person, not a file. Students document early life, military service, community connections, and the tributes that exist to honour them, all supported by verified evidence. Think of it as a social profile for history: detailed, personal, and built to last.

Every detail in a profile is evidence-based and community-verified, so the stories that go live are ones families and researchers can trust.

Every kind of service. Every kind of story.

Canada’s memorials honour far more than soldiers. Faces to Names reflects the full range of those who served in the First and Second World Wars, across all branches, roles, and communities.