Australian and New Zealand communities gather at dawn: Anzac Day 2024 in Hong Kong
(25 April 2024) Consuls-General of Australia and New Zealand, with the Australian and New Zealand communities in Hong Kong, today gathered at The Cenotaph for the Anzac Day Dawn Service.
Australians and New Zealanders recognise 25 April as a day of national remembrance. Initially marking the anniversary of the first major military action fought by the Anzacs during the First World War at the Gallipoli peninsula, Türkiye in 1915, it has come to broadly commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who have served or died in wars, conflicts or peacekeeping operations past and present.
ANZAC stands for ‘Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as Anzacs, and the pride they took in that name endures to this day.
Commemorative services are held at dawn – the time of the original landing in Gallipoli.
Some 300 community members joined the Consulates-General to pay their respects, including representatives from the Australian International School and Australian and New Zealand Chambers of Commerce Hong Kong.
Australian Consul-General Gareth Williams says Anzac Day is one of the most important annual events for the large Australian community in Hong Kong and has been commemorated by Australians and New Zealanders around the world for over 100 years.
“Today we came together in remembrance of Australians and New Zealanders who have made the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts and peace-keeping missions around the world, and to honour all who have served and carry forward the timeless values of the original Anzacs – loyalty, selflessness and courage.”
New Zealand Consul-General Peter Lund said it was “inspiring to see large numbers of people once again commemorating Anzac Day in Hong Kong, paralleling the large turnout at services in Australia and New Zealand, including a strong interest from younger generations.”
In Hong Kong, there are 33 Australians and one New Zealander buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery, brought here for burial from other theatres in the Pacific.
For more information on Anzac Day visit the Australian War Memorial and Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs Anzac Portal and the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage website.
Download press images of the service here.
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