Over 100 cadets from across Manitoba will be in France next year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The Army Cadet League of Canada is organizing the trip to Europe in May of 2017.

Manitoba Treasurer Rod Klinck says the event will be a life changing experience for many of the youth involved.

"For many of the kids, this is the first time they're ever going to have gotten out of the country and for a lot of our inner city kids, it may be the first time and the only time they'll ever see something like this," he said. "We hope to instill some knowledge and experience for them."

Klinck says the Battle of Vimy Ridge is significant because it marks the first time the Canadians fought as an independent organization in battle. He notes the Canadian soldiers were called in to take over the job after both the French and British were unable to defeat the Germans, losing several hundred thousand soldiers in the process. Klinck explains Canada used innovative warfare to win the battle in about a year with nominal losses. That event, he says, really put Canada on the map as a nation.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge is a major event that is taught to army cadets throughout their training.

"We celebrate the battle of Vimy Ridge, that's one of the big things that we do celebrate as an organization," explained Klinck. "So in the 100th anniversary year to go to Vimy Ridge and take a hundred kids is fantastic."

The trip to Europe will take place May 15 - 23, 2017, with a cost of $3,500 per cadet. The cadet corps, sponsoring committees and parents are all busy fundraising for the trip.