We are deeply & passionately committed to remembering Gallipoli for all people and all ages, but we are particularly keen to foster educational opportunities for the young people of the countries that fought there, in order that understanding and international accord might be increased. We pursue our aims mainly through supporting historical research, youth exchanges and in assisting to establish schools links, tours and joint projects that emphasise the value of sharing national and cultural insights.

Simple activities such as locating the local war memorial and noting names and following stories, can assist in bringing the reality of past conflicts to the attention of children. For older pupils and students, we may be able to support a visit to Gallipoli through funding, contacts and other resources.

For everyone with an interest in Gallipoli, irrespective of age, Gallipoli & Dardanelles International dedicates itself to our stated aims: Remembrance, Friendship and Education

Our Aims and Objectives

Our logo

Our logo is a stylisation of the ‘Respect to Mehmetcik’ monument at Lone Pine on the Gallipoli peninsula. ‘Mehmetcik’ is the generic term for a Turkish soldier, just as ‘Johnnie’ is used for the British and Australians. The statue was erected in 1987 and was inspired by a story told by Australian Governor-General Lord Casey (left) whilst on a visit to the peninsula several years earlier. He explained how a Turkish soldier had carried a wounded Anzac back to his own trench. Casey served at Gallipoli as aide-de-camp to Major-General Sir William Bridges. Some commentators have questioned whether this incident really took place, but this is not an issue for us. There are well documented accounts depicting acts of compassion and temporary truces at Gallipoli and it is in this spirit of humanity which the monument depicts as something that we all can aspire to.

How you can get involved

We are all volunteers, and we would be delighted to share our work, vision and knowlege with other like-minded friends. Put rather bluntly, the resources we always need are money, skills and time.

Funding

All our income is ploughed into our stated aims and into events such as annual remembrance occasions and lectures. We are self funded. Donations are of course always welcome, as is information on possible funding sources.

Skills

Running and developing an organisation such as ours requires a wide skills-set. For example, we need teachers, fund-raisers, historians, event organisers, writers, IT technicians, but above all we need members who are passionate about sharing the history, remembrance and lessons of Gallipoli with the current generation. Please consider joining us, you need not be an expert in any paticular field!

Time

An hour or two donated to assist our aims and endeavours is a valuable gift. Please make contact if you can give time for administration or management of events, or to attend a local occasion to show support. There is always something to do, something worthwhile, something that has international roots and something that will contribute to making the past relevant to the present and to the future.