Media Releases & Speeches
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
Minister for Indigenous Health
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac.
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YOUNG AUSTRALIANS SHARE BRIGHT IDEAS FOR CENTENARY
More than 20 of Albany’s best and brightest students today met with the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac, Warren Snowdon, to discuss their ideas for a centenary of Anzac project.
The year 10 students from John Calvin School in Western Australia along with their teacher
Mr Andrew Vermeulen presented their idea of a geographical information system for Albany’s Avenue of Honour.
Albany holds great significance in Australia’s wartime history as it was where the initial convoy departed for the First World War in November 1914. Recently, the Australian Government committed $250,000 towards planning for an Interpretive Centre to be built in Albany.
“The students’ idea is to digitally map an area in Albany known as the Avenue of Honour, which consists of numerous remembrance trees and plaques,” Mr Snowdon said.
“The interactive map will include the individual stories of the soldiers commemorated on the plaques and information on battles they served in.”
Mr Snowdon said today’s meeting was a great opportunity for our young people to demonstrate their commitment to the Centenary of Anzac commemorations.
“To see their creativity and enthusiasm towards this significant time in our history was encouraging. I commend the students from John Calvin School on their initiative,” he said.
Mr Andrew Vermeulen, a teacher from John Calvin School said the students have been busy researching the lives and battles of individual local diggers who have died defending Australia and its values and freedoms. It was a brilliant opportunity for the kids to meet the Minister today and demonstrate the Avenue of Honour project.
Developing education projects that are accessible to all Australians and that build awareness of Australia’s wartime heritage is particularly important as we head towards the Anzac Centenary.
“The Anzac Centenary Advisory Board will progress the further development of centenary planning and I look forward to considering how education projects such as this can be included in commemorative activities for the Centenary,” Mr Snowdon said.
For more information on the Centenary please visit www.anzaccentenary.gov.au
Media Note: Images are available from the DVA Media Centre www.dva.gov.au/media.
Media inquiries:
Minister Snowdon: Alice Plate 0400 045 999 or 02 6277 7820
Department of Veterans' Affairs Media: 02 6289 6203