RSL Australia Urges Australians to ‘Remember to Remember’ on Remembrance Day
MEDIA RELEASE
The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) is urging Australians to again pause this Saturday, 11 November 2023, to remember and honour those who have sacrificed while serving our nation in the Defence forces.
In a national message to mark Remembrance Day, RSL Australia President Greg Melick asked all Australians to unite and ‘remember to remember’ by observing a minute’s silence at 11 a.m. this Saturday to honour those who have bravely served our country and continue to serve our country today.
“Remembrance Day can be commemorated by attending a state or local service hosted by an RSL Branch or Sub-Branch, purchasing a poppy and wearing it with pride, but most importantly, we ask you to pause for one minute to reflect and remember those who have served and continue to serve our nation,” Greg Melick said.
“Businesses, shopping centres, sporting clubs, aged care facilities, and entertainment venues are encouraged to announce and hold a minute of silence in remembrance.
“As Remembrance Day falls on Saturday this year, we also ask that sports teams and participants pause for a moment at 11 a.m. for a short service or observation.
“With conflicts and tensions now raging in the Middle East, Ukraine and elsewhere around the world, it is important to remember the contribution of our veterans and current Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to protect the liberty enjoyed by all Australians.
“The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month marks the moment in 1918 that the guns fell silent on Europe’s Western Front after the bloodshed of World War I, and the planet wept for the millions of souls lost in The Great War. For more than a century, this moment has been adopted across the globe as a time to remember all those who served and sacrificed in wars and conflicts.
“From its origins marking the anniversary of the Armistice that ended the so-called Great War, Remembrance Day today gives us all the opportunity to acknowledge the service personnel who died while serving, whether in wars, conflicts or peacekeeping operations.”
Greg Melick said the RSL was encouraging as many Australians as possible to attend a service and honour those who have served.
“This Saturday, hundreds of poignant Remembrance Day services will take place at RSL Sub-Branches, Cenotaphs, and memorials across Australia, so I urge the community to find their nearest service and honour the veterans locally.
“If you can’t make it to a service, it’s easy to set a reminder in your calendar, switch your phone to ‘do not disturb’ and pause for one minute to remember. It’s a simple action that means so much,” he said.
“You can pause for a minute’s silence wherever you are, or watch a service online and, at the same time, support the RSL’s Poppy Appeal, which helps fund tailored services to assist current and former service men and women, and their families.
“What matters most is that we remember to remember those who gave their lives in service of their country, those who served and came home injured or ill, and those who bravely serve today,” Greg Melick said.
