International Design Competition for WWI and WWII Memorials Launched in Australia
“After nearly a hundred years, the nation’s capital will have memorials dedicated to World War I and World War II. The Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffery today announced a design competition for creating two memorials to Australia’s participation in last century’s World Wars.
“In many parts of the world, in Gallipoli, in the Somme and along the Kokoda Trail, there are memorials to our soldiers”, said Minister for Veterans Affairs, Alan Griffin. “Here in Canberra we are planning memorials, to acknowledge the efforts and sacrifice of those at home and those who served overseas, and to remind all of us, especially those of us in this House, of the cost and consequences of war.”
“Almost 1.4 million Australians served in World War I and World War II. More than 101,000 didn’t return. For a young country, these were defining events, affecting almost every family and requiring the collective effort of the nation”, he said. “It is past time we acknowledged this with two dedicated memorials in our nation’s capital.”
The Memorials are to be built on the Rond Terrace, in the parkland adjoining Lake Burley Griffin, and will be central elements along the land axis from Parliament House to the Australian War Memorial. These memorials will be an important addition to the vista from Parliament House.”
Deadline for stage 1 is April 14 2008, 2 p.m. AEST. Entry is free.
For more information (competition website)…
(Source: Dexigner Newsletter February 25 2008)