Commemorate Anzac Day with a virtual trip to Anzac Square Memorial Galleries
This Anzac Day will look very different to previous years. Typically crowded dawn services have been cancelled due to coronavirus lockdowns, morning marches have been canned too and unfortunately, our veterans won’t be able to swap stories over a cold one at their local RSL. However, communities still find a way to come together during tough times and, this year, early risers will commemorate our veterans with driveway dawn services, The Last Post played in lounge rooms and virtual commemorations. Since we will be stuck at home this Anzac Day, State Library of Queensland is encouraging the community to use this newfound spare time to jump on to Anzac Square Memorial Galleries online.
The Anzac Square Memorial Galleries website encourages users to take their time delving into Queensland’s military history by exploring online collections, written accounts and other resources that have been kindly curated by State Library of Queensland. The selection of things to dig into include a range of eBooks, blogs and personal stories detailing Australia’s intriguing military history, a playlist of free Australian military films and documentaries, as well as a kid-friendly paper poppy-making activity. Plus, if you’ve got a hankering for Anzac biscuits, then you’re in luck – there’s even an old-school Anzac biscuit recipe to bake at home – from a newspaper dating back to 1921!
You can also commemorate differently (and virtually) by embarking on interactive time-traversing journey, listening to stories from past war heroes and those in service. To get started, all you have to do is make sure you have an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant-enabled device (or simply download one), then kindly ask your voice-activated assistant to “launch Anzac stories” and just like that, you’re able to access the wealth of Anzac Day resources.
Since most of us will be staying put this weekend, you can also ask your Amazon Alexa or Google Assistance device or app to lay a poppy at the memorial site of your choice. By asking your voice-activated assistant to “ask Anzac Stories to place a poppy”, State Library of Queensland staff will get your message and lay a poppy in Anzac Square or the Memorial Gallery of your choice. You’ll then receive a confirmation email with an image as a keepsake from Anzac Square, advising your poppy has been placed, or you can check out the Anzac Square Instagram to see if your poppy got its own post! If you are conducting a service from home this year, you’ll also be able to use Anzac Stories to play The Last Post and be guided through a minute’s silence. Remember, RSL is asking Australians to stand in their driveway, balcony or in their living room this Anzac Day at dawn as part of its #lightupthedawn initiative. So c’mon, let’s all do our bit this Saturday April 25 to pay tribute to and remember all of the military service people who have served and sacrificed.
To find out more about how you can commemorate Anzac Day differently this year, visit Anzac Square Memorial Galleries online.
The article was created in partnership with our friends at State Library of Queensland. Commemorate this Anzac Day at home by visiting the Anzac Square website and show how you’re commemorating by tagging Anzac Square Memorial Galleries on Facebook and Instagram and using the hashtag #AnzacSquare.
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