A giant of the ACT community was remembered at the Albert Hall on Friday afternoon, where a crowd gathered at a memorial service for ACT Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Chris Peters.
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Mr Peters died after a 19-month battle with pancreatic cancer in February, and speakers at the memorial service reflected on the extraordinary scope of his work across sectors.
Members of the diplomatic, defence, business and public sectors paid tribute to Mr Peters' tireless commitment to making Canberra a better place.
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said that when she was first elected in 2001 the Chamber and Labor Party were not particularly ''close friends'' but over the years she and Mr Peters had developed a close working and personal relationship, and she began to seek advice from him and consider him a mentor.
''I think it was a lovely ceremony, I think it recognised Chris as a great Canberran [and] gave people the opportunity to come forth and listen to speeches and reflect on the contribution he's made to Canberra,'' she said.
University of Canberra vice- chancellor Professor Stephen Parker said Mr Peters, who had an honorary doctorate from the university, was a great supporter of education who recognised that commerce and the community were not opposite spheres and could work together.
"We have lost someone who really was of high distinction," he said.
Argentina's ambassador Pedro Villagra, dean of the diplomatic corps, said Dr Peters and his wife Jo had been great friends of the diplomatic community in Canberra. "May he be an example of community commitment to all of us," he said.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Peter Anderson, public sector recruitment leader Kathy Kostyrko, ACT Public Trustee Andrew Taylor and retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston were also among those who paid tribute to last year's Canberra Citizen of the Year.
Mr Peters was remembered as a long-time supporter of the arts, including the ANU music school and Canberra Symphony Orchestra, so fittingly members provided a musical tribute at the event.
