Commemorate ANZAC Day 2025 With a Guest Speaker

One of the most important commemorative holidays in Australia, ANZAC Day is a day of reflection and celebration for everyone who serves or has served in Australia’s armed forces. Held on April 25 each year, ANZAC Day is an opportunity to thank our diggers and celebrate the qualities that exemplify their spirit – courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.

Are You Organising an ANZAC Day Event? 

At ICMI, we’re proud to have a number of military speakers available for ANZAC themed events so you can hear inspiring first-hand stories from those who have served on this important day of commemoration.

• Kate Munari (ACT) – The only female Australian Navy pilot to have flown missions in Afghanistan, Kate faced adversity head-on during her 17 year career as a seasoned helicopter pilot, dodging enemy fire in Afghanistan and navigating the challenges of life aboard a Navy ship as the lone female among her colleagues.
  
• Christian ‘Boo’ Boucousis CSP (NSW) – Former mission commander in the Royal Australian Air Force leading 100’s of men and women on complex missions, Boo is a successful leader, businessman and entrepreneur with projects spanning from humanitarian relief to a five-star hotel development.
  
• Natalee Johnston (NSW) – The Navy’s first female pilot, Natalee’s 24 year career as a military helicopter pilot and leader was largely spent helping those in need through humanitarian aid and disaster relief, experiences she now uses to help guide organisations in developing better safety management systems.
  
• Mark Wales (VIC) – An ex Special Operations Major, educational speaker, author and winner of Survivor in 2022, Mark is an impressive speaker that captures audiences with lessons on strength and perseverance.
  
• Lambis Englezos AM (VIC) – An amateur historian, found WWI graves near Fromelles, France. He co-founded “Friends of the 15th Brigade” and helped publish Roy Kyle’s bestselling memoir, An ANZAC’s Story. Englezos honours the vanished diggers from Australia’s tragic July 1916 night.
  
• Ollie Ollerton (International) – Star of TV show SAS Australia, Ollie is known for his unique, compelling and thought provoking stories of life or death experiences as a former Special Forces Operator.
  

• John Schumann AM (SA) – Acclaimed for the Vietnam veterans’ anthem “I Was Only 19,” John is a unique artist blending a campfire voice with Australian storytelling traditions. 

Celebrating ANZAC Day in Modern Australia 

What began as a day to commemorate lives lost fighting for Australia during World War I has broadened to a day where we show gratitude to all current and past generations of Australians who have served in the armed forces. The commemorative date, April 25, is the date that ANZAC troops landed at Gallipoli, Turkey, in 1915, a campaign where over 8000 Australian soldiers were killed.

While many Australians today do not serve, or have a family member who served, ANZAC Day remains an important time for commemorating those who have made sacrifices while serving as well as supporting veterans who may be struggling. As ICMI speaker and former Australian Navy pilot Natalee Johnston puts it, veterans can often feel isolated and left with experiences that weigh heavily on them. 

ANZAC Day helps those veterans feel like they belong, that they matter. This can help reduce suicide rates and other negative life outcomes overrepresented in the veteran community. It’s one of the many reasons why the commemorative holiday continues to stay relevant 109 years after the allied landings in Gallipoli. 

 

How is ANZAC Day commemorated?

The event most commonly associated with ANZAC Day is is the dawn service, which are held all across the country and attended by thousands of people every year. This commemorative event includes the laying of wreaths at ANZAC memorial sites around Australia. The red poppy, known as the Flanders Poppy, is also associated with ANZAC Day. This is because it grows abundantly in many of the trenches and fields where WWI was fought, including the site where ANZACs landed at Gallipoli. Red poppies have come to symbolise the ANZAC legend and are used to remind of the horrors of war and remember those who have suffered and died in armed conflict.

Another tradition synonymous with ANZAC Day is a game called two-up. This coin-tossing game became popular among troops during World War I to alleviate boredom, and many returned service members continued to play the game back home. Two-up is only legal on ANZAC Day in Australia. It’s become tradition for many to watch or play a game or two at their local Returned Service League (RSL) club. The most impactful way of commemorating ANZAC Day, however, is to listen to first-hand stories from diggers with lived experience in the military.

Explore our complete roster of military speakers here.

Interested in booking a speaker for ANZAC Day 2024? Call us now on 1800 344 625 or make an enquiry online.