ANZAC Day, like everything else in our lives, is a bit different this year. In a pre-pandemic world, people would be getting ready to attend dawn services and other commemorative events on Saturday, but with a ban on public gatherings in place this year that won’t be happening. Just because the official events are off doesn’t mean you can’t mark the day though.
One of the most well known campaigns is to get Australians to stand by their letterboxes and observe the minute silence to honour the ANZACs. If you live in an apartment building, then that might still be a problem in terms of gathering numbers, but even standing in your lounge room counts.
Another thing people are being encouraged to do is reach out to any veterans they know. It’s a tough time for everyone being stuck inside at the moment, and veterans tend to be older people who are already struggling with lockdown as it is.
“I encourage everyone who knows a veteran… to give them a phone call and make sure that they’re okay,” said Acting President of NSW RSL, Ray James.
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It might not seem like much, but just checking in and having a chat can make the world of difference to anyone struggling with isolation at the moment.
The dawn service from the Australian War Memorial will still be televised so people can watch it, so you can get involved without coming into contact with crowds. New South Wales will also have its own service broadcast from Hyde Park.
ANZAC Day 2020 won’t be like other years, but it’s still a day worth acknowledging. Just because we’ll need to show our respects in isolation this year doesn’t mean we can’t show our respect at all.
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