A wreath laid at Chunuk Bair by Innovative Travel. Photo / Supplied
A wreath laid at Chunuk Bair by Innovative Travel. Photo / Supplied
AnzacStrap
It's a lonely Gallipoli Peninsula today, but it hasn't stopped one travel agency from helping send heartfelt messages from Turkey to New Zealand.
An Anzac Day reflections video has been released by Innovative Travel founder Robyn Galloway, who is also the Chair of the NZ Turkey Business Council.
The specialist tour agency has assisted clients with visits to Turkey on Anzac Day for the last 30 years.
"As I reflected on the shores of Anzac Cove, that would be strangely silent this Anzac Day, it seemed very sad, that this day would be so different. The Anzac relationship is commemorated each year at Gallipoli; the losses were great for all sides. So I felt compelled to organise our own reflective service," said Galloway.
"We hope this video will serve to commemorate Anzac Day from our homes, as we reflect on the Anzac campaign and those who remain on the Peninsula forever."
The video features messages from the New Zealand Ambassador to Turkey Wendy Hinton, Ambassador for the Republic of Turkey HE Ahmet Ergin, New Zealand's former Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand, RSA President BJ Clark, and international opera singer Polly Ott, who sings both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems.
In the video, Ambassador Wendy Hinton reflected on her third Anzac Day in Turkey.
"Little did we know just how different this, our 105th Anzac Day, would be to past commemorations. Just a few weeks ago, my team and I were busy making plans for commemorative events on the Gallipoli Peninsula as well as for associated ministerial visits. It is hard to imagine these events not being part of our annual calendar here," she said.
"However we are heartened by the fact that New Zealanders at home and around the world will be remembering our fallen on Anzac Day even if not in the way we are used to.
"The lockdown is temporary, the annual commemoration of Anzac Day will endure for years to come. We look forward to returning to the peninsula for future events, supported by Turkey.
"New Zealand and Turkey enjoy the benefit of a strong relationship built on our shared history at Gallipoli, a history deeply important to both nations. It was built on adversity and it will survive adversity."
Hinton also references the 1918 flu pandemic at the end of World War I and those New Zealanders who survived the war, but died of the flu.
Ambassador Ahmet Ergin took the opportunity to encourage future travel to Gallipoli.
"I would personally like to encourage every New Zealander and Australian to explore at least once in their lifetime the Chunuk Gallipoli peninsula and Anzac Cove in Turkey where the poppy seeds of a lasting friendship were first sown," he said.
"During this extremely difficult stage of Covid-19 we remain in our bubbles and through digital means are demonstrating we can still come together to commemorate the eternal monument of peace and friendship."
