REMEMBRANCE Day has long been recognised as one of the most important days on the nation's commemorative calendar.
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The wearing of the traditional poppy and attending the November 11 service has been a fine tradition and timely reminder of the great sacrifices made by so many in the theatre of war.
Sadly, it would seem, the significance of the date is waning.
For decades, Remembrance Day was the day we thought about the fallen particularly those who fought in theatres of war on foreign soils who left our shores never to return.
It is, and remains, a solemn ceremony one which is particularly special to servicemen and women around the world. Despite this, Australian communities appear to be losing sight of the importance of the date and what it represents.
There is no doubt that Anzac Day has become "the" day for many.
The Returned and Services League has done an outstanding job in raising the profile of that day, but has it been at the expense of Remembrance Day?
It could be argued that the popularity of Anzac Day and its overexposure in the media has impacted on the importance of the November ceremony.
But it is not too late to rekindle interest in this important commemoration. That push needs to start in our schools where children need to be taught about the importance of November 11 and what it represents.
Unfortunately, many schools no longer give the day its due reverence.
Fewer and fewer stop in silence at 11am, thinking about the sacrifices of those who fought for their country.
Some schools choose to observe the day at a different time, but this effectively etches away history.
As Australia prepares to withdraw from what has been its longest military engagement in our relatively young history, days such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day are as relevant now as they were at the conclusion of World War I.