Anzac Day means many things to many people. As a nation, it is a day to recognise the sacrifices made and th the price paid by so many. For the last 100 years we have marked April 25 in towns and cities with ceremonies here and abroad. Now we approach the centenary year of the landing at Gallipoli - the origin of Anzac Day. April 25, 2015 is an anniversary we want to commemorate in a special way: 100 Years 100 Boats. As the sun rises in Gallipoli, 100 surfboats crewed by Australian, Turkish and New Zealanders will land on Collaroy Beach. The first 3 boats will be crews from Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. Then, as each wave of boats land, a crew member will accept a wreath made by a school and return to their boat. They will then form up beyond the break, release their wreaths, and in the traditional way, raise their oars to honour all those involved in the Gallipoli campaign. Prior to the commemoration, in order to help young people appreciate the significance of the sacrifices made by their predecessors, a symbolic 100 schools will prepare wreaths for presentation on the day. School children will be invited to research and represent their own personal understanding of Australian, New Zealand and Turkish life and history at the time. The best three of these works from each school should be submitted, and the one nominated as best will be uploaded to the official website for public viewing, prior to and following the event. How you can be involved…. Those schools interested in making wreaths and/or participating in the presentation of their wreath to a boat should register via www.anzacbeachmemorial.com.au . These emails will be responded to as the event draws nearer. Principals will be contacted to advise event details and confirm participation. The permission of the school principal is required before involvement can be confirmed. Should a school have an affiliation with a Surf Life Saving Club, they are encouraged to contact that club to enquire if they would be participating in the event and arrange a partnership for the wreath presentation. The Club and the School Principal should both advise their intent to partner for the event via email to [email protected] . Those schools without any affiliation should not be concerned. The Organising Committee is happy to assist schools and Surf Life Saving Clubs arrange wreath presentation partnerships, should it be required. As a thank you to those schools for making the wreaths, a sapling originating from the Lone pine tree of Gallipoli will be presented to each school, to be planted in the school grounds as a permanent reminder of the events of 100 years ago. Research Projects Schools may opt for a class research project, or ask students to undertake individual research projects. When submitting completed works, schools should do so via their Principal to ensure work being presented is relevant and representative of the school’s values and standards. The children’s projects may be submitted via email to [email protected] . Preference is for single page submissions. Wreath Specifications Wreaths should be: ● Round with a whole in the centre, ● no more than 50cm in diameter, and ● be biodegradable. As the wreaths will be released into the ocean, it is important that they be made of biodegradable materials. Cardboard backings and natural twine bindings are preferred. To ensure the Anzac Beach Memorial 2015 event addresses environmental concerns, foam, wire and any other non-degradable material should not be used. www.anzacbeachmemorial.com.au To assist students in their research project, some web-based links to a range of information online are listed below: The Australian Campaign and associated links http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/ http://www.army.gov.au/Our-history/History-in-Focus/WWI-Gallipoli http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww1/homefront/homefront.html http://guides.slsa.sa.gov.au/children_WW1 http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/women-in-wartime http://guides.slsa.sa.gov.au/slsaww1 The Turkish campaign and associated links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/mustafa-kemal-ataturk-dies-istanbul http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40411/Kemal-Ataturk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire http://www.turkeyswar.com/ The New Zealand campaign http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/first-world-war http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_New_Zealand_in_World_War_I http://www.anzacwebsites.com/tradition/women.htm http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/anzac-day/introduction http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/anzacday-biographies Nurses http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/5environment/nurses.html Surf Life Saving www.anzacbeachmemorial.com.au