SYDNEY – On Friday, April 25, thousands of people gathered across Australia and New Zealand to commemorate Anzac Day, a public holiday dedicated to honouring military personnel who served and died in wars. The day originally remembered the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ (Anzac) involvement in the Gallipoli campaign during World War I—an ultimately failed attempt by British Empire forces to seize the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. The battle, which began on April 25, 1915, led to around 130,000 deaths on both sides, including thousands of Anzac troops who landed on the narrow beaches in a doomed amphibious assault.

Anzac Day has since evolved to honour all Australian and New Zealand service members who have fought in conflicts. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, approximately 7,500 people attended the dawn service in Sydney, Australia’s largest city, followed by a veterans' march through the heart of the city. Other significant ceremonies were held nationwide, including at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and in major cities such as Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Hobart. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reflected on the legacy of Anzac soldiers, stating, “It has been 110 years since the first Anzacs rowed ashore into history. Time passes, but we continue to honour their memory and those who followed.”

In New Zealand, where one in six soldiers took part in the Gallipoli campaign, services were also held, with a prominent ceremony in the capital, Wellington. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon marked the occasion from Gallipoli itself, where he visited key battle sites and cemeteries. Around 2,800 New Zealanders lost their lives in the campaign. “Walking where the Anzacs once stood has been one of the most humbling and emotional experiences of my life,” Luxon shared on X.