Anzac Day in the Netherlands

Friday was Anzac Day, and we travelled with our mate Mick down to the Commonwealth War Grave in The Hague for the Anzac Day service. It was a beautiful Dutch morning, still and peaceful. It is an interesting thing to try and explain to our foreign friends and colleagues what Anzac Day is, and why it is so important to Australians. To be honest, I am not sure I know the answer to that either. Perhaps the most concise description came from Land Commander of Australia Major-General Mark Kelly, who said the term Anzac "has transcended the physical meaning to become a spirit".

But does that explain it? Try explaining to a non-Australian that a military misadventure that cost thousands of young Australian lives has become a touchstone for national identity. Sitting in Europe for the last few years, and watching the crowds grow at Anzac Day services, I have come to reflect on this a few times. I have been particularly struck by the numbers of younger Australians making a pilgrimage to the actual Gallipoli site in Turkey. I have been there myself some years ago, and it was a very moving experience, yet is still remains hard to define why.

For my mind, the increasing focus is linked to a search for national identity. And I believe this was fuelled by the Howard era. The emphasis through the Howard years was on the individual, the priority being to get ahead. I think it is in this vacuum that younger Australians have sought out a sense of collective feeling. And Anzac Day and the ‘spirit’ it embodies has for many provided some part of the answer in that search.

Of course this little theory of mine is contrary to the perhaps obvious suggestion that Howard was a key promoter of the idea of the Anzac spirit. The shallowness of Howard’s jingoism about national icons was a poor substitute for the real thing. In the face of a sugary sweet interpretation of our identity, I think people, particularly younger people, have gone in search of something more meaningful.

Of course, some of the backpackers are just in Gallipoli ‘cause young Aussies love to congregate wherever there is a good party (witness the World Cup in Germany last year), but to write it off simply as that is just a little too easy.

Anyway, I would like to close this post with the well-known quote from Ataturk. It was read by the Turkish Ambassador at the service in The Hague, and I include it, because for me, it
wonderfully encapsulates the spirit of both leadership and humanity:

“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land. They have become our sons as well.”

It's gonna be close...

Recently I posted on my visit to see Crystal Palace play, and their prospects for promotion to the Premier League for next season. Things continue to be close. Palace had a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe on the weekend, and with just three regular season games to go, are in the play-off zone. That said, the table is as tight as it can be, and anything can happen in the next few weeks. A few anxious Saturday afternoons coming up!

Today's photo was taken in Edam. What appeals to me about this one is the absolute tranquility that it captures. The other thing is captures is an essence of these small Dutch towns, which are thoroughly modern in some regards, yet retain an historic feel. The towns are also very small - this spot is only a few hundred metres from the town square.

Winter in Marken

In a recent post I talked about a photo series from a day tour we took around North Holland during February. It was the most amazing day weather-wise - not a cloud in the sky and about 10-11 degrees, which for February was very nice. Of course, the fact that I now think that is a nice day suggests perhaps I have been out of Australia and living in northern Europe too long, or on a more positive note that I am integrating very well to life in the lowlands!

Anyway, this photo was taken at the boat harbour in Marken. It is a strange little town - it is very beautiful and well preserved, but perhaps just a bit much so. The entire town is a living museum, and you have to pay to enter the town. I suspect it would be a very scary place to be in the summer.

How aware are you?

There is no introduction that can do justice to the genius of this UK-produced television ad, so my advice is just go ahead and watch it...

The business end of the season

A little change of pace today from environmental stuff to football. It’s a long story, but the team I follow in English football is Crystal Palace. Whilst formerly in Premier League, they have spent a couple of seasons now in the Championship.

Until recently, I had never managed to see Palace play live, but on a trip to London a few weeks ago, I made my way out to Selhurst Park to watch the game against Barnsley. Barnsley had just beaten Chelsea the weekend before in the FA Cup, and a big crowd of 17, 459 turned out for the match. I went with Janet, a mate from the Greenpeace Science Unit. We had a great time – a greasy pre-match lunch of sausages and chips, followed by a 2-0 win for Palace and drinks at the pub afterwards made for a good afternoon! The photo above is me at the game.

Anyway, to summarise where things are at now: the current season got off to a disastrous start, and a third of the way in to the season, Palace was in the relegation zone. As tends to happen in these situations, the manager got fired, a new one arrived, and Palace went on a long undefeated streak, moving in to the promotion zone. There have been a few late season wobbles, but after a 2-1 win last night over Stoke, Palace are back in the play-off spots.

There are just four games to go this season, and the table is as tight as you can imagine, so anything could happen from here – a few nervous games to come!

A challenge for campaigners

A story appeared in Dutch News on Friday which should serve as food for thought for campaigners of any persuasion, but particularly environmental campaigners.

The story cited a report from Dutch newspaper Financieele Dagblad that Dutch consumers do not have a clear idea of what is meant by the phrase ‘a sustainable product’. According to a survey by advertising agency DDB and researchers Intomart GfK, almost one-third of those questioned said they thought it meant that an item would last longer and one-quarter had no idea at all. Only 16% understood that a sustainable product is one which is good for the environment.

Apparently the phrase ‘sustainable business’ scores better, although 46% of those surveyed were not able to say what it is.

The whole story underlines the enormity of the challenge we face in trying to bring about environmental change. Most of us would have thought that more than 15 years after the Rio Earth Summit, the idea of 'sustainability' would be pretty embedded in the human conscience. Instead we learn that we cannot take anything for granted.

For me the most important take home message here is the need to think from the perspective of others. For campaigners and activists, we are immersed in these issues every day. But not everyone is, and that must be the starting point for our campaigning and communicating. This is not the same as suggesting 'the public' are stupid, or other derogatory comments I have heard made. It simply means that explaining issues, and coming up with ideas about how people can engage, needs to start from the place 'they' are at, not the place 'we' are at. I know it seems obvious, but how often is it forgotten?

Today's photo comes from a new series I will start to post. They were taken during a day tour around North Holland with my aunt and uncle when they visited in February. This one is simply entitled 'Cheeses in Edam'.

New Assault on Climate Change

With a headline like that, I could be taking a test to be a sub-editor at a tabloid, but it seemed appropriate in light of the new initiative from Al Gore. This week he launched a $300 million, three-year campaign to mobilize Americans on climate change.

"We can solve the climate crisis, but it will require a major shift in public opinion and engagement," Gore said in launching the new campaign and website. The campaign includes a series of television ads which will air during mainstream TV shows such as "American Idol," "House," and "Law & Order".

The first ad can be found here, and likens the battle against climate change to U.S. troops storming the beaches at Normandy during World War Two, the struggle for civil rights and the drive to send humans to the moon.

The question is whether it will cause the audience to examine whether "the American way of life" is sustainable?