Groups That Support Anzac Day
Anzac Day, the 25th of April, is a multinational holiday observed in Australia and New Zealand,. The holiday commemorates the first day of World War I military actions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli on that day in 1915. Over the years, the day's scope has broadened to include memorial of all fallen and returned soldiers. ANZAC Day is a revered holiday, with much support from groups in both countries.
Other People Are Reading
-
ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee
-
Many groups and organizations in Australia support ANZAC Day through the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland. The Committee consists of 23 member organizations from various sectors of the community that support ANZAC Day on the state level. Members of this committee include Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Churches, Chambers of Commerce, The Queensland Country Women's Association, ex-service associations, and service welfare associations. The committee works to promote and conduct ANZAC Day services and events as well as to maintain the graves of ex-service personnel and provide relief support for aged veterans and their widows.
Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
-
The Returned and Service's Association (RSA) organizes events in New Zealand for ANZAC Day. The Friday before ANZAC Day the RSA is their annual Poppy Day, during which they sell poppies in commemoration of fallen military. The proceeds go to aid for service veterans and their families. Civic and veterans' groups aid in selling the poppies. The RSA organizes ANZAC Day marches, and extends an ANZAC of the Day award to an individual that best exemplifies the courage and character memorialized by ANZAC Day. The organization plans ceremonies, banquets and other events to celebrate the holiday throughout New Zealand communities with the aid of individual community organizations.
-
Community Action
-
Community groups and organizations throughout Australia and New Zealand participate in raising funds and holding ANZAC Day events. Chambers of Commerce plan events and parades. Teachers' groups promote the history of the war, and student organizations hold fundraisers and events. Churches hold services and breakfasts or lunches on ANZAC Day, and men's and women's groups help in fundraising and event staffing. It is common practice for individuals to get involved at various levels even when they don't belong to an organization. In New Zealand and Australia, there are few groups who are not involved in the day of memorial and few, if any, communities that do not hold some sort of memorial activity.
Çanakkale Savaslari
-
The ANZAC invasion is referred to as Çanakkale Savaslari in Turkey, where, while on the opposite side of the excursion, lives and loved ones were also lost. In recent years Turkey, in the interest of promoting peace, has opened its doors to Australians and New Zealanders who come to the shores of Gallipoli on ANZAC Day to give homage to their fallen troops. In other areas of the park, the Turkish people hold their own memorial for their fallen. Schools in all three countries are now coming together for the international memorial day in the hope that cultural understanding will prevent repetition of wars. In 2011, schools of each country will exchange students who will finish their three-week exchanges at the memorial events at Gallipoli.
-
References
- Photo Credit one red poppy image by CJS from Fotolia.com
