Organizers of the upcoming Invictus Games Toronto 2017 unveiled a slate of events Friday to mark the one-year countdown of the competition.

Established by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games are for “wounded, ill and injured active duty and veteran service members.”

“These games really are therapy for these competitors,” said the head of the Toronto games’ organizing committee Michael Burns. “And it doesn’t start when the game starts, it starts when they get chosen, selected to be on Team Canada.

“Giving them a new mission is vital to their confidence and their well-being.”

The games will coincide with Canada’s 150th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, giving it special significance for Canadians.

The CN Tower was lit yellow Friday night to commemorate the upcoming games, which will run from Sept. 24 to 30, 2017.

The main kickoff event will be at Toronto Nuit Blanche on Oct. 1 at Yonge-Dundas Square from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., where around 10,000 members of the public will have the chance to take part in building an installation.

The installation will be a 30-ft.-by-30-ft. structure created with building blocks and will read “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” There will also be a live mural experience by David Arrigo, a sports artist.

Closer to the games, there will be a relay across all 32 military bases in Canada to spread excitement and awareness of the event.

Co-captain of Team Canada, master corporal (retired) Natacha Dupuis competed in the last games, held in Orlando.

“It was a life-changing experience,” the 37-year-old from Quebec said, adding that it helped her deal with the post-traumatic stress disorder she was diagnosed with after her second tour of Afghanistan in 2008.

She still deals with nightmares, flashbacks, night sweats, anxiety and depression occasionally, she said, but, over time, and, through therapy, it’s improved.

“What I remember the most (from last year’s games) is it’s not so important the medals or being first or being second or last,” said Dupuis. “I actually saw a last place person being cheered louder than first and that’s really touching and it’s the only place I’ve ever seen anything like this.”

Organizers anticipate about 600 competitors will attend the event from 17 countries. There will be 12 sports they can compete in, including golf, swimming and wheelchair rugby.

The games will cost an estimated $40 million to $45 million to host.

Unlike other sporting competitions, the Invictus Games have team sports where men and women compete together alongside people with both physical and mental wounds, said Burns.

“You’ll find when you see team Canada, or many of the other nations who will be coming, more than half of their teams are able bodied,” he said, adding some team members will have attempted suicide, will be severely injured or finding it hard to transition from military life to civilian life.

Canada’s team will have 100 members from across the country in 2017, the largest team it’s ever had, said Burns.

“We want people to access these games and really be inspired by what they see on the playing field and on the courts.”

By the numbers

600: Estimated number of competitors

17: Countries competing

12: Number of sports, including golf, swimming and wheelchair rugby

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2: Number of new nations competing

100: Number of Canadians who will be competing in 2017

40-45: Estimated millions of dollars to host the games.

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