Attending ANZAC Day Commemorative Service
Every year, 25th April marks the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day (ANZAC DAY) when a commemorative service will be held to honour the Australian and New Zealand veteran army who lost their lives in the battle at Gallipoli Turkey in 1915 during the First World War, and to remind the people of New Zealand to treasure the hard-won Peace. This year around, the Christchurch ANZAC Day Commemorative Service was held at the Cardboard Cathedral and was attended by Minister of Defence and Minister of Veteran Hon Ron Mark, Chief of NZ Army Major General John Boswell, Australian Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Cumpston, Christchurch Mayor Hon Lianne Dalziel and representatives from political, business, religious and volunteer groups.
Yearly, the ANZAC Day commemorative service would start at 6 am in the morning and, at 10 am, it would then be citizen service for public participation. In his speech, Dean for Christchurch Cathedral, Very Reverence Lawrence Kimberly told the audience that the Cathedral’s door is always open to everyone. He commented that, after the recent shooting incident in the mosques, the people of New Zealand become more united despite its multi-ethnic and multi-religious demographic composition. Reverence Lawrence stressed that ANZAC Day is not meant to commemorate or glorify War, but rather to remind us of our commitment to continue working towards Justice, Security and long-term Peace.
Mayor Hon Lianne Dalziel thanked all those present for their participation and welcomed Christchurch-born Minister Hon Ron Mark and Major General John Boswell for returning home to attend the event. She urged the people to acknowledge courage, loyalty, honour; and to share and uphold these values. Today, every talent city of New Zealand has a memorial for the soldiers who lost their lives in the battle fields and their sacrifices made us understand even more how valuable Peace is. Today, we have reason to have Peace everywhere especially among the inter-faiths. We should all work together to achieve this end.
Chief of NZ Army Major General John Boswell recalled that the ANZAC Day Commemoration has entered its 100 year anniversary and people should understand that War will not bring benefits to mankind but will only sacrifice the lives of young soldiers. Today we are fortunate to be able to go to Turkey to reconcile with the past event, and thereafter to send the message of Peace around the World.
The Commemorative Service finally ended in a solemn but harmonious mood with the singing of New Zealand national anthem. Members of Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island thanked Dean Lawrence Kimberly for the invitation and the opportunity to witness, first-hand, the propagation of Peace as well as the promotion of inter-faith harmony, all at the same time.