Commemorative Services on Lemnos - 20-21 April 2016

The Annual Anzac commemorative services were again held on Lemnos this April.
The following report on the services has been recieved from Stelios Mantzaris, President of the Lemnos' Friends of Anzac Association.
This year saw the participation of the the Gallipoli Association (the major UK based commemorative organization) with the laying of a wreath on their behalf by Mr Dimitris Boulotis (pictured above). I was glad to be able to assist in facilitating their involvement. Hopefully this is a beginning of further participation from the UK in Lemnos' commemorations.
Congratulations on continuing the tradition of commemorating the Anzac connection to Lemnos and the Gallipoli campaign.

"Dear Friends
Attached you will find a press release from The “Lemnos’ Friends of ANZAC” Association , regarding the commemorations for the 101 years of the Gallipoli Campaign and the ANZAC Day. A few fotos are also attached for your reference
Always at your disposal ,for anything you might need
With best regards
Stelios A. Mantzaris
President
“The Lemnos‘ Friends of Anzac” Association"

"PRESS RELEASE 
26TH APRIL 2016 
LEMNOS
Dear Friends
Commemorations for the 101 anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign and the ANZAC Day,
were hosted in Lemnos island, the 20th and 21st April, 2016 , showing once again to the
world community , the participation of the island in this global historical event.
Just like in 1915, the recognition of the historical memory and the participation of the island,
were very important, and populous. Residents of the island, school children, military and
political leadership officials, along with representatives from foreign countries ( Australia,
New Zealand, France), gave their due respect, to the Fallen of all the countries who fought,
and left their bodies in Gallipoli, and also at the sacred soil of Lemnos, at the Allied cemeteries
of Moudros, Portianou, and also the Muslim Allied cemetery.
"The Lemnos’ Friends of ANZAC" Association, once again co-organized with the authorities
of the island, the remembrance commemorations, along with the official announcement of
international research and formal proof, of the participation of Lemnos in the First World
War.
In this way and with the global academic and historical community, we will prove the
seriousness of the culture impact and all the cultural relationships that emerged. with the
presence of more than 160000 soldiers. Foreign people who stayed in Lemnos, before and
during the Gallipoli campaign, and also afterwards, throughout the entire duration of the
WW1.
Thus, with seriousness and meditation, we will tread, and we will prove, and will call on all
the 'stakeholders' involved to be part of the celebration, of the centenary of the Signature of the
Armistice of Moudros, at its physical location, Moudros Lemnos, with the due pomp (prestige
and significance) of it being a global event!!.
The new Museum of Naval Tradition, which was inaugurated at in the same area, where all
the historical events occurred (Moudros), will be used as a 'springboard' of knowledge, for its
visitors, and also for historians who would like to see live representations of Lemnos's
position in world history
At the website of the association www.friendsofanzac.com, within a few days, the program of
the international survey, will be posted, as well as all the official actions, for 2016, 2017, and
2018, within Lemnos, and Greece, but also around the world in general. Below is a series of
photographs relating to official celebrations of ANZAC Day."
The following photographs of the events have been provied by the Lemnos' Friends of Anzac:

For more information go to: www.friendsofanzac.com or facebook: The Lemnos' Friends of ANZAC

Jim Claven
Secretary
Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee