About Remembrance
Every year we remember all those who serve, have served, and died in wars and conflicts.
On the the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month (11am on 11th November, also known as Armistice Day), people will often stop what they are doing and stay silent for two minutes to remember all the people affected by all wars and conflicts, and to hope for the possibility of a peaceful future.
Reasons we mark Remembrance include :
- So that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past and hope for a peaceful future.
- To acknowledge and give thanks to all those people who have served in conflicts, and are serving today, to protect our way of life (e.g. democracy, freedom of speech).
- As a mark of respect for the sacrifices made by people who have served in times of conflict.
- As a mark of respect for the victims of wars and conflicts.
- To reflect on our own personal, or family, connections to conflict.
The Poppy, and other flowers of Remembrance.
Poppies are worn to remember the dead because they grew in the battlefields after the war had ended. The Poppy, Marigold and Cornflower are all symbols of Remembrance.
The poppy became a symbol of Remembrance after the First World War. Poppies managed to flourished in the landscapes which had been turned to muddy, bleak and barren by the chaos and destruction of war.
The marigold as a symbol of Remembrance for all the millions of people from pre-partition India, including the areas that are now Pakistan and Bangladesh, that served in the first and second world wars. The saffron colour of the flowers has been described as "the colour of sacrifice".
The cornflower, or bleuet de France, has been used since 1916 as a symbol of Remembrance for service personnel and their families in France.
There is often debate about how a poppy should be worn, however the
Royal British Legion says simply that it should be worn "with pride".
What do the different coloured poppies indicate?
Red
Probably the most recognisable poppy and is used as a symbol to commemorate all those who have sacrificed their lives in all global conflicts.
Purple
Worn to remember all the animals (like horses, dogs, dolphins and pigeons) who have been drafted into service around the world.
Black
Worn to commemorate the contribution of black, African and Caribbean communities both in service and civilians.
White
Worn by people who wish to commemorate all those who have died in conflict, but are focused on highlighting alternate resolutions to conflicts other than that of military action.
Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, was celebrated on 8th May 1945 to mark the official surrender of the German Army and the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Last year marked the 75th Anniversary of this date. Use this page to see some of the events that are taking place to celebrate VE Day, and find out more about the history leading up to and after this day.
