00:00Good morning ladies, gentlemen and veterans.
00:05I acknowledge the traditional custodians of this country, past, present and emerging.
00:13My name is Delilah Rajik and I am representing Lumen Christi Catholic College.
00:20The vast meaning of ANZAC is relevant to us now more than ever.
00:25On the Gallipoli shores long ago, the meaning of our national identity was cultivated through
00:33fundamental values, courage, mateship, endurance and sacrifice.
00:41ANZAC Day serves as a reminder of the sustained respect we owe to our veterans.
00:48We acknowledge those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and those who suffer physical and
00:54psychological injuries of operational service.
01:01Today is not about glorification and war is not to be embraced.
01:06The reality is not dignified.
01:09It is ugly, senseless and violent.
01:14Freedom is not free.
01:18Our understanding of the past is shaped by present context and influenced by what we
01:24expect from the future.
01:26Yet conflict and suffering continues.
01:30Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, as well as Sudan, Myanmar and the Sahel region.
01:39War impacts individuals, families and communities with huge human and societal costs.
01:49These truths remind us that conflict is not confined to history and we have to work hard to uphold
01:57the values our diggers fought to defend.
02:02Understanding the past should compel us to confront the conditions that allow such violence to endure.
02:11As the youth of today, I stand here with honour and gratitude for all those who served and died
02:17in past and present conflicts, but also stand with concern for the future.
02:24It is our responsibility, as we all stand here today, to ensure remembrance is meaningful and not just historical.
02:35For me and many others my age, it is easy to forget.
02:41The abhorrence of war is censored and distorted by language and media.
02:47And fighting around the globe can feel so irrelevant and sometimes far away.
02:55But perhaps that distance is the point.
03:00The peace we enjoy today was hard won yesterday.
03:05And the lives we now lead are exactly what they died for, lest we forget.
03:14Good morning everyone.
03:16Today while the world continues to face conflict, division and uncertainty,
03:20I want to reflect on the values we honour on Anzac Day and why they matter for future generations.
03:26As technology and modern life are moving faster than ever, it can feel like some of the values that once
03:32defined us,
03:33like respect, service and community, are slowly fading.
03:38Growing up, my father always expected my siblings and I to attend the dawn service.
03:42At the time, I didn't fully understand it.
03:45But now I see it for what it truly is.
03:47A small act of respect.
03:49A moment in our busy lives to pause and remember.
03:53Not everyone has that experience though.
03:54Many young people simply haven't been shown what this day represents.
03:59And that's why it's up to us, parents, teachers, leaders and community members,
04:04to pass on the meaning behind the tradition.
04:06Not just the tradition itself.
04:10Anzac Day is about glorifying war.
04:12It's about recognising the courage, sacrifice and mateship
04:15shown by ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
04:20It's about understanding that the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy today were shaped by those who served before us.
04:28If we can just give one day of our year to stand together, to listen, to reflect, then we can
04:34keep those values alive.
04:36We honour the families who lost loved ones, the young lives changed forever, and the generations who served so that
04:43we can live in peace.
04:44Lest we forget.
04:52I'd first like to start by acknowledging the Judicial Custodians of this land,
04:57and pay my respect to the past, present and emerging Elders of the Jiragunj people.
05:01Today we gather to remember and honour the brave men and women who have served our country on Anzac Day.
05:07Over a hundred years ago, on April 25th, 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on the shores of Gallipoli.
05:16They faced many challenges like fear, uncertainty, hardship, harsh conditions and constant danger.
05:23Many never returned home, yet through it all, courage, mateship, sacrifice, determination and resilience were shown.
05:31As an eleven-year-old year six student, it can be hard to imagine what life was like for those
05:36young soldiers.
05:38Many of them were not much older than I am now, and they left behind their families, their friends, their
05:44everyday lives and their futures,
05:46to serve something much bigger than themselves.
05:48They gave up their comforts, they gave up their safety, they gave up their dreams, they gave it all up
05:54to serve their country.
05:55They faced danger every single day, but through it all, they protected one another.
06:01Mateship meant never leaving a friend behind.
06:03They carried injured mates to safety and would keep going even when they were exhausted, or scared, or hurt.
06:10It was this deep bond that helped them through the toughest times.
06:14Many made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives for a turning home with physical and emotional scars from all.
06:21All this so that others could live in peace and freedom.
06:25Their sacrifice means that today, we can live in a safe and free country.
06:29We can go to school.
06:30We can spend time with our families.
06:32We can enjoy the opportunities that they fought to protect.
06:36We can dream.
06:37We can have futures.
06:38We can have freedom.
06:40Anzac Day is not just about remembering the past.
06:43It is also about thinking about how we can show those same values in our own lives.
06:47We can show courage by trying new things, even when we feel nervous or scared.
06:52We can show mateship by supporting our friends, always including others and being loyal.
06:57And we can show respect by being kind to others.
07:00Today, as we stand together, we take a moment to pause, reflect, and be grateful for the freedoms we enjoy
07:07because of those who came before us.
07:09We will remember them, lest we forget.
07:31Good morning, everyone.
07:32I'm Shelby Marsh, one of the school leaders from Arumula Public School.
07:37Today, we have come together to talk about Anzac Day and remember the Australian and New Zealander men and women
07:43that served their time in war and conflict.
07:45For me, Anzac Day is also very personal.
07:48Several members of my family served in wars.
07:52My great-great-grandfather served with the Australian Light Force during World War I and fought on the Western Front.
07:59The Light Force soldiers were known for their bravery and endurance as they travelled long distances in very difficult conditions.
08:09During World War II, my great-grandfather fought on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
08:14His brother, my great-uncle, was there as well.
08:17The soldiers on Kokoda faced deep jungles, deep rain and exhaustion, but they kept fighting to defend Australia.
08:24My great-uncle only passed in one of these recent years, meaning he was one of the last surviving soldiers
08:31from World War II.
08:32This reminds me that the history in books was not that long ago and that the people who lived through
08:39it all were real people with families just like ours.
08:44Another one of my relatives was captured during the war and became a prisoner of war who was forced to
08:55work on the Burma Railway.
08:58The prisoners there endured extremely harsh conditions, but many showed incredible strength and resilience.
09:07Thinking about their stories helps me understand that the freedoms we enjoy today came at great cost.
09:16Anzac Day is not only about remembering the past, it is also about remembering the values Anzac showed, like courage,
09:23partnership, resilience and looking out for each other.
09:26Even though we're young, we can still live these values every day by helping others, being kind and standing up
09:33for what's right.
09:35So once again, we're here today for those who served, sacrificed and who never came home, lest we forget.
09:42Thank you so much.
09:47Closed Captions by by Beatty beak incidence Paul
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