No ANZAC Day because of COVID-19? Not on your life!
How to commemorate ANZAC Day in Antibes 2020 in home isolation.
No matter where we are in the world, Australians and New-Zealanders will never surrender the fighting spirit and values of the original ANZACs to COVID-19. It’s a day that means so much to all of us – a unique commemoration deeply ingrained into the DNA of Aussies and Kiwis. Even more so in this time of hardship and far from our home country.
Now more than ever, in the middle of this global crisis, it’s time to get creative and dig deep to let those ANZAC values shine through – like mateship, endurance, ingenuity, good humour and courage.
These are the qualities that first emerged to shape our young nations as the young men, not willing to let each other down, rowed onto the beach at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 – many to their death and all into history.
Here are some ideas to commemorate ANZAC Day from the safe haven of your home here in the South of France:
ANZAC Day in Antibes and the annual ANZAC Day services held in the north of France have been cancelled this year following the government’s decision to ban all public events.
Not to be thwarted, the New Zealand Embassy in Paris is calling for all France-based Kiwis and Aussies to commemorate, apart, but together as one at 6:30am on Saturday 25 April. Stand by your letterbox, front door, on your balcony, in your living room – wherever you can, wherever you are in France – and take a minute of silence to remember our fallen.
Take a video or a photo and post to our ANZAC Day in Antibes Facebook page with the hashtag #StandAtDawn.
In Australia and NZ our families and friends will be standing at the end of their driveways at Dawn having decorated their letterboxes with home-made poppies and lanterns. We can do the same with a 6-hour (Perth) to 12-hour (Auckland) time lag.
Go the extra mile and organise your own ANZAC Day Ceremony
If you fancy holding a homemade ceremony the following would be, approximately, the usual order of service:
Lay a wreath or flowers
Recite The Ode
Play The Last Post
Observe One Minute of Silence Sing your National Anthem
Click here for the Last Post
The Last Post with images from previous ANZAC Day in Antibes ceremonies
Community Ode
Record a video of yourself reciting The Ode and post to social media.
Isolation at home could be the perfect time to discover the origins of this poem with your children. The ABC explains it’s history well here:
THE ODE
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Lest we Forget.
Craft and Baking Activities for Children
Looking for ways to fill those long confinement afternoon?
There are many websites for craft and baking ideas suitable for children. A bit of creativity and ingenuity and you’ll be making poppies and wreaths. Raid your pantry for coffee machine filter papers, muffin tin liners, paper plates, red textas, pencils and paint and you’ll soon have homemade poppies. There is plenty of on-line inspiration. Here's just a couple...
Australian Women’s Weekly ANZAC biscuits recipe - click on the image for the recipe
Teach your Children about ANZAC Day
There are many websites that give the history of Australia and New Zealand’s participation in WW1 and the history of ANZAC traditions. Many of these are especially designed for young children:
Reach out to a Mate
There are plenty of Australians and Kiwis feeling very alone and far away from home at the moment. ANZAC Day would be the perfect day to pick up that phone, Skype a mate or a veteran and see how they’re doing. Check in with your friends, support the people around you as everyone is doing it tough at the moment.
Stay safe in these troubling and stressful times. Hope to see your photos and videos on Facebook for ANZAC Day. And then, of course, next year at the Fort Carré in Antibes.
Lest We Forget.