Youth Voice – Ukraine war resonates on Anzac Day

One of my favourite subjects at school was History. 

I remember learning about the way society was flipped on its head with the French Revolution, the battle between communism and capitalism that characterised the Vietnam War and the terrible dictatorial regimes that reigned during the World Wars. 

My mind was opened to extraordinary and unimaginable events that I simply did not have the lived experience of, growing up as a young person on the Hibiscus Coast.

However, these days, history is not a subject that is often a top pick for students. Many are missing out on walking down the corridors of history. In times such as these, where we have been navigating a global pandemic, confronted with a brutal war in Ukraine and with Anzac Day soon upon us, I am particularly struck by what my Year 13 History teacher used to say to our class about why we study history – “we need to understand the past to inform the future”. Put another way: ‘those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it’.

In 2022, 107 years since the initial landing of Australian and NZ troops at Gallipoli, the significance of Anzac Day has been brought to light more than ever by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The fight for freedom that the Anzacs endured is a living reality for the Ukrainian people. The knock-on effects of war are also pronounced with millions of refugees flooding through Eastern European countries fleeing for their safety – a situation that is inconceivable for a small, island country such as ours. 

Anzac Day is also a reminder of all who serve in time of war and the extraordinary sacrifices that they and their families make for their country. As we lead up to it, young people who feel a distant connection to the wars of the past have an opportunity to seek to understand the social, political and economic factors that resulted in previous wars. And in doing so, young people ensure the preservation and significance of a day which reminds us of the suffering that millions are enduring across the world right now. 

As we seek to understand history, we can also identify similar causes and appropriate responses from the international community. So as Anzac Day arrives, lest we forget those who fought for our freedom and for the continuation of peace in our land. However, as Ukraine continues to battle Russia, let’s also consider making a donation and lifting up a prayer to those who are gallantly fighting to defend their homeland and independence. Their fight is not historical, it is real and it’s now.