April 25 Is ANZAC Day

The ANZAC stands for “Australia and New Zealand Army Corp”, and ANZAC Day in NZ commemorates New Zealanders that have served and died in war, most significantly WW1 and WW2.

It’s a day of remembrance, and for honouring service, sacrifice and community, but also, for many, a day for reflecting on the importance of peace.

ANZAC Memorial, Richmond 2022

Although ANZAC stems from the Australian and NZ forces that went fought in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign in Turkey, its symbol is the Flanders poppy from the European battlefields of WW1 — which is (I believe) universal throughout the (British) Commonwealth of Nations.

I have posted on several aspects of ANZAC Day before, chiefly but not exclusively from a literary perspective, so if you’re interested in reading more, I’ve collated the links below. I particularly note ANZAC Day: April 25, under Commentary, and The ANZAC Memorial and the Words of M. Kemal Atatürk under Commemoration, in terms of the significance of the day.