News
ADF Welcomes Peacekeepers Memorial Progress - 12 May 2007
The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, has welcomed the decision by the Canberra National Memorials Committee, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 May, to allocate a site on ANZAC Parade in Canberra for a proposed national memorial to Australian Peacekeepers.
The proposed Australian Peacekeeping Memorial, being managed by the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project (APMP) and funded through public and corporate subscription, will be designed to both appropriately commemorate and celebrate all aspects of Australian peacekeeping. It will commemorate the courage, sacrifice, service and valour of all Australian Peacekeepers - military and civilian - and will reflect the same spirit of service as do other cenotaphs and memorials across Australia and on ANZAC Parade in Canberra, which honours the service of Australians in other distinguished campaigns.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said the decision to approve a site for the proposed memorial on ANZAC Parade was an important one as it reflected the changing role of military operations over the past 60 years.
"Peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations are an increasingly important role for the Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen and airwomen of the 21st century. To have this recognized through a peacekeeping memorial on ANZAC Parade is of great importance as it re-affirms their link with their predecessors who created the ANZAC legend with which they are now entrusted to maintain," he said.
The proposed Peacekeeping Memorial will represent all those from the Defence Force; the Federal, State and Territory Police Forces; and Government agencies who have served and died on peacekeeping operations commanded or authorized by the United Nations or sanctioned by the Government of Australia.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said the ADF's association with peacekeeping operations started on 14 September 1947, when four Australian Military officers were deployed by Australia as part of a United Nations Good Offices Commission in the Dutch East Indies. Since then, Australia has contributed over 68,000 Australian military and police to more than 50 peace operations around the World. Australian servicemen and women have also died on peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations.
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