Armistice service a time to remember

Service-goers gather among the daisies at the Armistice Day service of remembrance, at Queens Garden, on Saturday. PHOTOS: GERARD O’BRIEN

What is the most important thing in the world: it is the people, it is the people, it is the people.

The Maori proverb, He Tangata, along with other acts of remembrance were on the minds of those gathered at Queens Garden on Saturday, as Dunedin marked the 105th anniversary of the conclusion of World War 1.

The service began with the breaking of the United Kingdom, Australian and New Zealand flags.

A two-round salute from a 25-pound field gun was then followed by two minutes of silence.

A 25-pound field gun is fired at the Armistice Day service of remembrance in Dunedin.

Convener Lox Kellas said the service was not only a chance to remember those who never returned from war, but also those who returned and suffered the ravages of war.

"It’s a time to pause and reflect, on the losses and also the futility of war."

He said it was important to involve youth in services of remembrance, to give confidence in the future.

Guest speaker Warrant Officer Olivia Goldsmith, of the Dunedin Sea Cadets, said Armistice Day was a day to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of peace and freedom.

Warrant Officer Olivia Goldsmith, of the Dunedin Sea Cadets, gives a speech at the service.

"Remembrance Day is a day of grief for all those lost, but also a day of recognition and commemoration of the way that loss has shaped our country."

She said recent events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the colonisation of Palestine by Israel, reminded people of the importance to participate in the global arena.

"Though we may be far away, we can still show support for those in crisis, and understand that our commitment to human rights knows no borders."