2021-04-19
Canberrans are invited to participate in local ANZAC Day events across the Territory, including Light Up the Dawn, the Dawn Service, and the National Ceremony, to honour and commemorate our veterans.
ANZAC Day will take many forms this year providing opportunities for all Canberrans to take part – at home, on the street and right through to the Australian War Memorial.
Following significant changes to the event last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Australian War Memorial has received approval from ACT Health to hold the ANZAC Day Dawn Service and National Ceremony with COVID appropriate measures in place. This means 3,000 people will be able to attend the Dawn Service and 4,200 for the National Ceremony.
Recognising the registration limits and that ticket allocations have now been exhausted; people are encouraged to take part in community-led commemorations across Canberra, through Light up the Dawn. Initiated in 2020 during lockdown, Canberrans are again encouraged to stand at the end of their driveways at dawn, with a candle and radio or app for a synchronised playing of The Last Post.
Assistant Minister for Seniors, Veterans, Families and Community Services, Emma Davidson said that this year’s commemorations will see a combination of tradition and innovation so that the whole community can participate in ANZAC Day.
“Many grassroots and community-led commemorations are taking place across the ACT in addition to the Australian War Memorial Dawn Service. The best way for everyone in our community to get involved is to participate in the Light Up the Dawn commemoration,” Minister Davidson said.
“Whether people are commemorating at home, on their driveway, listening to the bugling of a neighbour or at the National Service, each of us will be recognising ANZAC Day as a community.”
Quote attributable Royal Australian Navy veteran Grant Newham:
“Last year with the COVID-19 lockdown, our family had to rethink how we usually commemorate ANZAC Day. We participated in the Light Up the Dawn service, standing at the end of our driveway at dawn with a candle and listening to The Last Post. It was so different to what we’d done in the past, but it turned out to be really special. Light Up the Dawn feels like a really inclusive and meaningful way to appreciate our past and present servicemen and women which is why we’ve decided to participate again this year."
Resources and information about events can be accessed here: https://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/wac/veterans/anzac-day-2021