Volunteering for Remembrance Day ****************************************************************************************** * Volunteering for Remembrance Day ****************************************************************************************** Remembrance Day, also known informally as Poppy Day, is a day of memorial in the Commonwea The day was inaugurated by the British King George V in the year 1919 and is also a day of for many non-Commonwealth countries. The 11th of November is the day most countries recall hostilities of World War One in 1918. The warfare formally ended at the 11th hour of the 1 11th month. The day has been memorialized since the end of the First World War. It is a da remember, honour and celebrate the members of the armed forces who have died in the line o it is not just in remembrance for those who lost their lives in the World Wars but also fo fallen in any battle big or small since then. The Remembrance Poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem ‘In by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. In the poem he refers to red poppies graves of fallen soldiers: “In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.” Because of the poem, the poppy has become one of the most recognized memorial symbols for died in conflicts around the world. As part of the Memorial Day many countries have a trad 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month a one or two-minute silence is held throughout Even today the 11th of November is held in the highest regard in the United Kingdom and ma countries so when Charles University decided to join the Memorial Day Event this year for ever many of its current Erasmus students from Britain and Ireland were eager to volunteer Rebecca Barnes from the University of Southampton, on Erasmus in Prague hosted by the Facu stated: "Remembrance Day has always been a big deal back home, where the two-minute silenc in schools and workplaces alike, while many individuals buy a poppy to support veterans. M towns and villages were significantly affected by both World Wars, where so many men lost To this day families are affected by war, as soldiers are still sent overseas and too many their lives serving our country. For my family specifically, Remembrance Day is important grandfathers served in WWII, and so we spend the day honouring them, as well as all the ot While I understand why observing Remembrance Day might not be so ingrained in tradition in Republic, it seemed a shame not to honour the troops that have fought in the world wars as wars since 1989. Therefore, I decided to volunteer at the stall to try and help raise mone their memories and recognise the sacrifice those men have made. It was great to see how ma to support their troops. In fact, the support was so abundant that it surprised me the day significantly celebrated prior to this year, as there was clearly a desire to observe the In total eight Erasmus students from Great Britain and Ireland supported the collection as stand was put up to promote the event and sell poppies. It was a part of the Information D University in Albertov on Saturday 11th November and there was also a stand during afterno November in the foyer of the main building of the Faculty of Education of CU. Jacob Bloor from the University of Sheffield, who volunteered on Monday and who studies Cz at the Faculty of Arts, shared: "Remembrance Day is something which is taken very seriousl have been commemorating the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers from the First World War to for nearly 100 years now, and I have participated in over 5 parades in my hometown. Furthe personal interest in Remembrance Sunday, or Veteran's Day as it is known here in the Czech I have relatives who have served our country in both World Wars. For me, it was an interes commemorating Veteran's Day in another country, especially in a country where there is nei deal of public awareness nor interest on the matter. Nevertheless, I was glad to participa with selling poppies and collecting donations. I was particularly surprised by the number interest taken by the students and staff. I hope that one day, there will be a greater gen Veteran's Day in the Czech Republic.” Another student volunteer, James Rivett from the University of Kent, presently hosted by t of Social Sciences at CU, is part of the voluntary troops in Kent in the United Kingdom. H his recollection during the day of marching through Canterbury last year on the 11th of No voluntary troops were part of the parade all the way through the high street of Cantubury Cathedral. When volunteering, James said: "It would be an honour to volunteer for Remembra Saturday." During Saturday he left the stall briefly to take two minutes silence in front to honour the fallen, as is tradition in the UK. In the Czech Republic the event is called Den válečných veteránů (War Veteran's Day) and i association Post Bellum. The collection supports their project Paměť národa (The Memory of records mainly recollections of the veterans from World War 2, but also from later conflic or the Czech Republic joined after 1989. At present in the Czech Republic there are 533 su from World War 2 and 13 653 former soldiers from military conflicts after 1989 (Kuwait, Ir Afghanistan or Mali). The project already recorded more than 800 stories of Czechoslovakia veterans. The Veteran's Day is officially recognised by the Czech Law since 2001. This and are however the first ones when the event has really been recognised in the Czech Republic reporters on the Czech state TV were wearing a poppy both years.