It's almost a century since Turkish gunfire first strafed the landing beaches of Gallipoli, but visiting the battleground still has the power to confront and inspire generations of young Australians.
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ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher announced the 2015 Anzac Spirit Prize on Thursday to recognise the importance of educating young Australians of the sacrifices made in World War I.
“We can’t dismiss young people and pretend that they don’t care about these things, because they do, very deeply,” Ms Gallagher said.
“This is a great way to acknowledge that and also to give those young people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience it firsthand.”
Four successful year 9 and year 10 ACT students will be flown to Turkey for a two-week study tour, visiting historical sites and battlefields and attending the dawn service at Anzac Cove.
War Memorial director Brendan Nelson said the qualities embodied by the soldiers of WWI were still relevant values for Australian youngsters.
“Too often today, young people could be forgiven for thinking they should embrace values for the world they think they are going to get,” Mr Nelson said.
“But in order to create the world you want, you don’t have to look further than the 15 values in the Hall of Memory.”
These values are the centrepiece of the competition, which asks eligible students to submit a creative composition interpreting how wartime qualities are still present in our community.
High school students Mercedes Bowers and Peter Alliot won the prize last year and encouraged ACT students to apply.
“It’s something I wouldn’t have done if I hadn’t won the competition,” Ms Bowers said.
“It was just phenomenal.”
Mr Alliot reflected on seeing the headstones of Australian soldiers the same age as himself.
“It was really confronting and tragic, but at the same time there was a wave of optimism that hit me when I realised how lucky I really was,” Mr Alliot said.
“To put that in context of our current society was unbelievable.”
Mr Nelson also said the War Memorial will aim many of its centenary commemoration activities at younger Australians.
Projects include students writing their name and personal reflections on wooden crosses placed on graves around the world, as well as working with Google to launch an online virtual tour of the memorial in January.
The competition closes on Thursday, November 13, and an information session will be held at the Hedley Beare Centre for Teaching and Learning on Tuesday, August 19.