Australian Peacekeeping Memorial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australia |
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The Australian Peacekeeping Memorial
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| For Australian peacekeepers | |
| Established | 14 September 2017 |
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| Location | 35°17′20″S 149°08′32″E / 35.2888419°S 149.1422592°E |
| Designed by | Super Colossal (later Bennett & Trimble) |
The Australian Peacekeeping Memorial is a special place in Canberra, Australia. It honors all Australians who have served in peacekeeping missions around the world. These missions help bring peace and safety to different countries.
The memorial was officially opened on 14 September 2017. General Sir Peter Cosgrove, who was the Governor-General of Australia, opened it. This memorial remembers peacekeepers from the past, present, and future.
Contents
What the Memorial Looks Like
The memorial has three main parts. These parts show the important roles of Australian peacekeepers. This includes military, police, and civilian people.
The Monoliths and Passageway
The first part is two tall, black stone structures called Monoliths. They stand for the "opposing forces of conflict." This means they show the disagreements that lead to fighting.
Between these two monoliths is a path of golden light. This light comes from special backlit stone. It represents the "light of hope for the future." This hope comes from the peace and safety that peacekeepers help create.
The Courtyard
After the passageway, you enter the Courtyard. This is a calm area for thinking and special events. Bronze plaques are placed on the ground here.
These plaques have words describing Australian peacekeepers. They talk about their personal qualities. They also mention the values, actions, and goals of international peacekeeping.
The Commemorative Beam
At the back of the courtyard is the third part. This is a large, black stone beam. It shows the strength and stability that peacekeeping brings.
Bronze plates on the beam list the United Nations missions. They also list other international peacekeeping efforts. Australians have taken part in all these missions.
Below the beam is a white sloped area. This is where people can place wreaths or flowers to remember those who served.
At the front of the memorial, you can see crests. These are symbols of the groups that send Australian peacekeepers. On the side, you can see symbols of the organizations they come from.
Why the Memorial Was Built
Australians have been involved in peacekeeping since 1947. That year, four Australian military observers went to Indonesia. They helped watch a ceasefire between different groups.
Since then, over 60,000 Australians have served as peacekeepers. This includes military, police, and civilians. Sadly, some have died or been hurt during their service. Their experiences have also affected their families.
After many Australians returned from missions in East Timor, people started talking. They wanted a national memorial for peacekeepers. This idea was supported by leaders like General Peter Cosgrove.
Many other groups also agreed. They felt there should be a national place to remember peacekeepers. Before this, only a few small plaques existed around the country.
Creating the Memorial Project
In 2005, a special committee was formed. It included people from different veteran groups. It also had members from the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Federal Police.
This committee created the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial Project (APMP). It was a non-profit group. Their main goal was to build a national peacekeeping memorial in Canberra.
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Major General Tim Ford (retired) led this committee. He had a long career in the Australian Army. He also worked for the United Nations on peacekeeping missions.
Other skilled people helped the committee. For example, Mr. Warren Lewis, an engineer, managed the building plans. Many Australian companies also helped for free.
The APMP was given charity status by the government. This meant that donations could be claimed as a tax deduction.
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Choosing the Design
In 2008, a competition was held to find a design for the memorial. Architects from all over Australia could enter. The design had to show Australia's role in peacekeeping. It also needed to be special and cost less than $3 million.
Four designs were chosen from fourteen entries. The architects then worked more on their ideas.
On 19 December 2008, the winning design was announced. It was by a company called Super Colossal, now known as Bennett and Trimble. They are architects from Sydney.
The committee liked the design because it was simple and powerful. It also showed the work of peacekeepers well. Plus, it fit the Australian landscape and was not too expensive.
Building the Memorial
The APMP committee decided to choose a builder from the Canberra area. They wanted a company with good experience.
In 2010, they interviewed four building companies. Manteena Pty Ltd was chosen in November 2010. They signed a contract in January 2011.
Manteena had built other national memorials in Canberra. They knew how to work on special projects like this.
Construction Process
When Manteena was chosen, there wasn't enough money to start building everything. But there was enough to build a test version. This test helped them check materials and building methods. It also helped them find and fix any problems before the real construction.
This test project was very helpful. It saved money and time later on. The plans were updated based on what they learned.
In September 2011, the test was finished. Enough money was left to buy special materials. These included the golden onyx stone for the passageway. This stone came all the way from Mexico. It was then sent to Italy to be cut and polished. Glass was added to protect it from weather and damage.
The cobblestones for the courtyard came from South Australia. Both the onyx panels and the cobblestones arrived in Canberra by August 2014.
In September 2015, the government gave a large grant. This allowed the first part of the building work to begin. This included the courtyard, lighting, and the Commemorative Beam. The two monoliths and plaques would be built later.
Work finally started in June 2016. In February 2017, the government gave more money. This meant the whole memorial could be finished at once. Even with changes, the builders finished the memorial in time. It was ready for its dedication on 14 September 2017.
How the Project Was Paid For
At first, many businesses and the government gave money. But then, fundraising became very slow. The global financial crisis (2007-2008) made it hard to get donations.
The committee had hoped that Australian businesses would give most of the money. But this did not happen. Many people and companies focused on helping with social needs instead. Still, some major donors helped, and their names are on a plaque at the memorial.
The Australian government gave three grants. The first was in 2006 to start the project. The second was in late 2015, allowing construction to begin. The third was in early 2017, providing the rest of the money needed.
In total, the government paid for 75% of the project. Australian businesses and veteran groups gave 20%. Individuals gave 5%.
The total cost of the memorial was $4.1 million (in 2018). The project team worked hard to keep costs low. Less than 3% of the money was spent on managing the project or fundraising.
Dedication Ceremony
The Australian Peacekeeping Memorial was officially opened on 14 September 2017. The Governor-General, General Sir Peter Cosgrove, led the ceremony. His wife, Lady Lyn Cosgrove, represented the families and friends of peacekeepers.
Other important guests included the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. The Governor of New South Wales, General David Hurley, was also there.
September 14 is Peacekeeping Day in Australia. This date marks when Australia's first peacekeepers went to Indonesia in 1947. So, the ceremony celebrated both the new memorial and 70 years of Australian peacekeeping.
Many people attended the ceremony. This included peacekeeping veterans and their families. Current peacekeepers, ambassadors, and the public were also there.
The local Aboriginal people, the Ngunnawal, were honored. They performed a "welcome to country" ceremony. This recognized them as the first people of the land.
Ceremonies at the Memorial
Before the memorial was built, special ceremonies were held on the site. These happened between 2008 and 2016. A temporary memorial was set up each time.
A service was held to remember Australian peacekeepers and their families. Members of Australia's Federation Guard and a band from the Royal Military College Duntroon took part. Many veterans, politicians, and officials attended these ceremonies.
Now that the memorial is built, different groups can organize ceremonies there. No single group is in charge of the memorial. Any group needs approval from the National Capital Authority to hold an event. This is true for all memorials along Anzac Parade.
Looking After the Memorial
The National Capital Authority (NCA) is responsible for taking care of the memorial. They also make sure changes are made to the mission beam.
When Australians go on a new peacekeeping mission, a new plaque will be added. When a mission finishes, its plaque will be updated to show the completion year.
Peacekeeping Missions
The memorial lists all the peacekeeping missions Australia has been part of. When the memorial was opened, Australia had participated in 62 such missions.
See Also
- Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations
Images for kids
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The Australian Peacekeeping Memorial
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The steps and passage between monoliths
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At the rear is a courtyard with words describing peacekeeping, and an area for floral and other tributes.
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To the right on the plinth are logos representing the armed and civil (police) services who have been part of the peacekeeping forces deployed by Australia. To the left are plaques in English and Braille outline the purpose, symbolism, major donors, memorial contractors and the dedication of the memorial.
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Blank panels reserved for listing future deployments on the Australian Peacekeeping Memorial
