This page includes information and resources that may be useful for those organising Anzac Day commemorations. On the right you will find links to an information handout that could be printed out and made available to the audience, and links to transcripts of speeches from earlier Anzac Days.
Messages from the Prime Minister and the Governor-General
Some organisers of Anzac Day events have indicated that they would like to read out a message from the Prime Minister or the Governor-General.
Prime Minister's 2010 Anzac Day message
Ninety-five years ago today the first of a group of extraordinary young New Zealanders and Australians landed at Gallipoli, thousands of miles from their homes and families.
It was New Zealand’s first step onto the world stage, and our young nation emerged alongside Australia with a new sense of certainty about our place in the world. We had become confident in our beliefs, ideals, and principles.
At Gallipoli we paid an enormous price to uphold those principles. Over 2700 New Zealanders gave their lives and remain forever in the tiny area of the Peninsula that now bears their name – Anzac Cove. Two-thirds lie in unmarked graves.
Many more were wounded. We cannot begin to imagine the human suffering, the hardships, and the horrors they endured. Colonel William Malone, commander of the Wellington Battalion, wrote in his diary of what his men faced upon their arrival at Gallipoli: 'They were being sent to chaos and slaughter, nay murder.'
William Malone died on Chunuk Bair on August 8th 1915.
Anzac Day is a day to remember all our servicemen – their actions, their bravery, their sacrifice, and their ingenuity.
Today we set aside all differences in politics, beliefs, and aspirations. We reflect on the past, share sorrow at the loss of life, and pay tribute to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
We also honour all New Zealanders who have served in times of war. I know I speak on behalf of New Zealanders when I say that we are truly humbled by their courage. They put their lives on the line for us and fought for a better world.
This year New Zealand’s official contingent to Gallipoli includes 22 service veterans from past wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, and 21 young people from across New Zealand.
I believe the lessons and experiences of Gallipoli are as relevant today as they were in 1915. Sharing the stories from one generation to the next means the spirit of the Anzacs carries on.
They will always be an inspiration to us, and they must never be forgotten.
Hon John Key
Prime Minister
Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO Governor-General of New Zealand's 2010 Anzac Day message
Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni.
Today we commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign, honouring those who fought and perished in one of the toughest and bloodiest military campaigns in our country’s history.
We gather in thousands in towns and cities across New Zealand; in former battle sites around the world, and at Gallipoli itself. We are joined by the multitude of nations who came together for a common purpose in 1915.
This is a day to remember a great national tragedy. Gallipoli claimed an enormous number of fatalities, leaving in its wake a legacy of shattered lives, broken hearts and lost dreams.
Despite this tremendous loss of life, the bonds arising from the shared Gallipoli experience have proven to be far more enduring than the enmity of wartime.
They have been a central element in the ties that bind New Zealand and Australia, forging a relationship that continues to strive for a safer and better world, in the true sprit of the Anzacs.
Gallipoli is also significant in world history as a story of enemies who displayed mutual respect during the battle and who became friends after it. No battle since has forged such strong friendship and everlasting peace in its aftermath.
Every year, the Turkish Ambassador reads the heart-warming words of General Kemal Ataturk, who said of the fallen New Zealand soldiers: '…after having lost their lives on this land they become our sons as well.'
Anzac Day represents more than the opportunity to remember the sacrifice of our servicemen and women, reflect on the horrors of war and resolve to learn from the lessons and experiences of Gallipoli.
It is also a reminder of the bonds, forged in the horrors of battle, but strengthened over the years by people of goodwill on all sides, seeking to honour their dead by building a better world, one based on shared experiences and understanding.
No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa
Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO
Governor-General of New Zealand
Other information
See also the Typical Order of Ceremony and Traditions & Rituals sections of this site.
It is intended that this section of the site will be regularly updated, so that new material is available each year to those organising Anzac Day events. We would be interested to know if you have ideas about other information we could usefully include here - please email us at: webmaster@mch.govt.nz
