Only 1 in 4 Gen Z feel strongly connected to ANZAC Day
In a Daily Telegraph article published 23 April last year titled Gen Z’s Needs to be reminded of the sacrifice Anzacs made, Michelle Fyfe, CEO of Royal Australian Air Force Association WA, sited the statistic that only 1 in 4 of Gen Z feel strongly connected to ANZAC day.
It described this as a “troubling disconnect”, saying young people “felt less emotionally connected” to this national tradition. They seemed under-informed of the significance of honouring veterans or those who risked and sacrificed their lives in war or military disaster support operations. Few felt that service for the nation or learning about Australia’s military history was “engaging’.
Even though war is still very much a part of our world, students are less patient with abstracts that seem irrelevant to them and understand more what they themselves experience.
Lately there is more cynicism as modern wars have been shrouded in unclear national objectives, and some of the soldiers dishonored for horrific war crimes.
However, ANZAC day still calls back to when clarity of ideals, like fighting for freedom and way of life, and helping others in need, meant serving something bigger than just your own self interests. We may reframe war in the modern context, but for those soldiers who served and still serve, there still needs to be an ongoing respect for what they were and are willing to experience in the service of our nation. These first ANZAC battles did a lot to define Australia as a sovereign and independent country, with its own pride and destiny.
For students to truly appreciate the ongoing relevance and feel emotional connection to the soldiers who fought, and the day on which they are remembered, they need to understand with their own eyes and ears what this sacrifice was. They need to experience.
Visiting firsthand the sites of battle and learning the stories of those who were there goes a long way to reviving a connection. Educating Adventures has several valuable educational tours that provide engaging experiences so that the ANZAC Day legacy retains more meaning for future generations.
ANZAC TOUR: World War 1 Battlefields
This poignant and educational tour offers the opportunity to explore the battlefields where Australian and New Zealand troops fought during World War I and pay tribute to the brave Australian soldiers who captured the French town of Villers-Bretonneux on Anzac Day in 1918 - an act hailed as 'one of the finest feats of the war'.
View ANZAC Tour Sample Intinerary Here
VIETNAM WAR HISTORY & CULTURAL TOUR
Vietnam presents students of history and humanities with a rich mosaic of cultural experiences and deeper context for the study of the Vietnam War, which Australian soldiers experienced in the 1970s.
Through Immersive experiences like visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels and evaluating narratives of the war at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, students will gain a greater understanding of conflict and change.
View Vietnam Tour Sample Itinerary Here
MODERN HISTORY EUROPE TOUR
This educational trip takes students on a memorable journey from Paris and the battlefields of France and Belgium to Berlin in a fascinating opportunity to delve into the rich history of Europe.
The trip will cover significant events such as the French Revolution, World War One, the rise of Hitler's Nazi regime leading to World War Two and the epicentre of the Cold War.
View Modern History Europe Sample Tour Here
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