Over the years, Pieter and Daria have received the following recognition….
… Statement about Pieter in the Senate of Canada….
On October 8, 2025 a statement about Pieter was made by Senator Mary Robinson in the Senate of Canada: See https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2025/sen/Y3-451-23-eng.pdf page 763
… PEI Senior Islander of the Year Award….
On October 1, 2025, Daria Valkenburg received the PEI Senior Islander of the Year Award from the PEI Seniors Secretariat of Prince Edward Island, for her involvement with Hear PEI, a volunteer organization that works to build awareness of hearing loss issues, and in the ongoing research and writing of stories connected to the On The War Memorial Trail Research Project, sharing the untold stories of brave Canadians who served in the two World Wars, all based on her husband Pieter’s research.
The plaque was presented by the Hon. Barb Ramsay, Minister for the Department of Social Development and Seniors, and Peter Holman, Chairperson, PEI Seniors Secretariat, in a ceremony at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel in Charlottetown. (See https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/older-islanders-celebrated-with-senior-islander-of-the-year-award and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/10/23/daria-honoured-with-pei-senior-islander-of-the-year-award/)
Left to right: Hon. Barb Ramsay, Daria, Peter Holman. (Photo credit: Matt MacFarlane)
PEI Seniors Secretariat slide shown during the readout of Daria’s biography.
…. Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau….
On July 2, 2025, by Royal Decree of His Majesty Willem-Alexander, King of The Netherlands, Pieter was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau. The decoration was presented to Pieter by Her Excellency Margriet Vonno, Ambassador of The Netherlands to Canada, in a beautiful ceremony hosted by His Honour, Dr Wassim Salamoun, Lt Governor of Prince Edward Island. Pieter received his knighthood in recognition of the military research he’s done (and continues to do) to help ensure that Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands are not forgotten, and that their stories are told. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/08/11/pieter-valkenburg-appointed-knight-of-the-order-of-orange-nassau/ and https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/pieter-valkenburg-of-p-e-i-appointed-knight-of-the-order-of-orange-nassau and https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-30-island-morning/clip/16162199-islander-knighted-king-netherlands)
His Honour Dr Wassim Salamoun, Lt Governor of Prince Edward Island, Pieter Valkenburg, Her Excellency Margriet Vonno, Ambassador of The Netherlands to Canada. (Photo credit: Matthew B. MacFarlane)
Order of Orange-Nassau. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
….Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation Certificate and ‘Coin’….
On May 24, 2025, Pieter and Daria were presented with a Certificate and a Faces To Graves ‘coin’ by Alice van Bekkum, Chair of Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation, for their research into Canadian soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, finding families and sharing photos of over 100 of the soldiers. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/05/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-and-daria-honoured-by-faces-to-graves-groesbeek-foundation/ )
Daria and Pieter Valkenburg hold the Faces To Graves Coin and Certificate that was presented to them by Alice van Bekkum, Chair of Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation. (Photo credit: Kim Huvenaars)
Faces To Graves Groesbeek ‘coin’.
… Minister of Veteran Affairs Commendation….
On August 19, 2024, Pieter was presented with the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation from The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs, in a ceremony held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Commendation had been awarded on January 24, 2024, with the presentation ceremony held in August. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/08/25/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-awarded-the-minister-of-veterans-affairs-commendation/)
(To read the citation, please see https://veterans.gc.ca/en/about-vac/who-we-are/department-officials/minister-veterans-affairs/minister-veterans-affairs-commendation/valkenburg-pieter-anthonie)
Pieter with the Minister of Veteran Affairs Commendation, presented to him by The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs. (Photo courtesy of Veterans Affairs Canada)
Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation bar and pin. (Photo courtesy of Veterans Affairs Canada)
…Legionnaire of the Year Award….
On June 10, 2023, Pieter and Daria received a Legionnaire of the Year award from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 10 in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island.
Pieter and Daria receive a Legionnaire of the Year Award. (Photo credit: Kathy Henry)
The Legionnaire of the Year plaque. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
…2023 PEI Heritage Recognition Award….
In February 2023, the Board of Governors of the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation selected Pieter and Daria Valkenburg for a Heritage Recognition Award for their ‘powerful’ research project ‘On The War Memorial Trail’. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/05/15/we-receive-a-2023-pei-heritage-recognition-award/ and https://www.peimuseum.ca/pieter-and-daria-valkenburg-heritage-recognition-award)
Image Courtesy of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation
Certificate presented by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation.
… 2022 PEI Senior Islander of the Year Award…
On October 21, 2022, Pieter Valkenburg received the PEI Senior Islander of the Year Award, for his ongoing research to uncover the stories and photos of those who served in WWI and WWII, and sharing his research findings with the public.
Left to right: Hon. Matthew Mackay, Pieter, Audrey Morris. (Photo credit: Mike Smith)
The certificate was presented by the Hon. Matthew Mackay, Minister for the Department of Social Development and Housing, and Audrey Morris, Chairperson, PEI Seniors Secretariat, in a ceremony at the Loyalist Inn in Summerside. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/10/23/pieter-receives-pei-senior-islander-of-the-year-award/)
The PEI Senior Islanders of the Year Award certificate.
….Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal For Volunteers….
On April 30, 2021, Pieter Valkenburg was presented with the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal For Volunteers, for his ongoing research to uncover the stories and photos of those who served in WWI and WWII, and sharing his research findings with the public. (See https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/342-116665)
Pieter with Catherine Callbeck. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
The insignia was presented to him by the Hon. Catherine Callbeck, CM, OPEI, LLD, on behalf of His Excellency the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Administrator of the Government of Canada, via a virtual private ceremony.
You can read about this event here: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-awarded-sovereigns-medal-for-volunteers/
Pieter was subsequently interviewed by CBC Radio, and the interview broadcast on Mainstreet PEI on May 7, 2021. Here is the link to the interview: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-130-mainstreet-pei/clip/15842161-pieter-valkenburgs-volunteer-medal which includes the following introduction: “…A recognition of volunteer work that has been well done and continues – Pieter Valkenburg has just received the ‘Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers’ for his efforts to find the stories and photos of several PEI soldiers who died during World War One and World War Two….”
… Senate of Canada 150 Medal…
In November 2017, Pieter and Daria were awarded the Senate of Canada 150 Medal for their contribution to the history of PEI by uncovering the stories behind the names through the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project.
November 17, 2017. Left to right: Senator Michael Duffy, Pieter Valkenburg, Daria Valkenburg, Lt. Gov. Of PEI Antoinette Perry. (Photo credit: Michael Smith)
Senate of Canada certificate that went with the medal awarded to Pieter and Daria.
….Remarks in the Senate of Canada….
November 1, 2018 Remarks in the Senate of Canada by Senator Mike Duffy about this project: See 2018 Hansard Entry remarks by Mike Duffy
… Want to follow our research?….
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On The War Memorial Trail Research Project........ with Pieter and Daria Valkenburg 