Exhibition of MMP 1917 tours Australia and New-Zealand
24/11/2016
- Zonnebeke
- Source: MMP1917
On the occasion of "100 years Battle of Passchendaele”, the Memorial Museum Passchendaele1917 created the traveling exhibition" The Belgians have not forgotten. " Between 10 November 2016 and 11 November 2017 the exhibition will bring, on 9 locations, the story of the ANZAC troops in Flanders during the First World War. With this exhibition the MMP1917 wants to show that Belgium continues to remember the First World War and the many Australian and New Zealand victims.
Four Australian and five New Zealand locations
In the presence of the Belgian Ambassador, Mr. Jean-Luc Bodson, and a delegation from the Municipality of Zonnebeke, the exhibition was opened for the first time on 10 November 2016 at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston, Australia. In December, the exhibition moves to Warrnambool and in January to Dubbo. In February 2017 the exhibition can be seen for the last time in Australia, more specifically in Hervey Bay. Thereafter, the exhibition goes to New Zealand and visits consecutively Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Made possible through cooperation with various parties
A lot of Australian and New Zealand families lost a family member during the First World War. Many want to visit the place where their relative was killed but not everyone has the means or opportunity to make a trip to Belgium. Because the MMP1917 considers it important to tell their stories internationally, the museum created this traveling exhibition based on historical facts, archaeological discoveries, references to the landscape and video. The Federal Government and Visit Flanders provided the necessary financial and logistical support. Veterans Affairs Australia and the New Zealand Army supported the project by arranging the internal transportation.
"With this exhibition we want to put extra emphasis on the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. In 2017 we will open the temporary exhibition '1917, Total War in Flanders - Passchendaele, landscape at war.' For this exhibition, we work together with Westtoer and other municipalities and cities in Flanders. We will also hold many commemorations and ceremonies," said Steven Vandenbussche, Director of the Memorial Museum Passchendaele1917.
More information about the commemorations in 2017:
www.passchendaele2017.org