LONDON, England – To the men who showed great bravery and made the ultimate sacrifice for us and for our values. And for that we remember them.
“Each of the 15 names on our Cenotaph represents a life – a son, a brother, a father, a husband, a friend, a neighbour. It is easy to write a number in a book or look at statistics on chart but these names are not just statistics, there were lives lived, men who loved and were loved by their families who sometimes laughed, who sometimes cried, who had hopes and ambitions and who sometimes had disappointments and upsets. They were men, above all, who showed great bravery and made the ultimate sacrifice for us and for our values. And for that we remember them.
“It has been over 100 years since the First World War and 75 years since the end of the Second World War. Now, in 2020, we are more globally connected than ever and we are all, right now, facing the same enemy in the COVID pandemic. Many other challenges, some new and some old have reared their heads over the course of this difficult year. But now, like then – 100 years ago or 75 years ago or 17 years ago in the Iraq War – we see that when challenges and struggles arise it has a tendency to bring about the best in people.
“Amongst us are people who step forward with courage and dedication, not for themselves but for the collective good of the world. For us today in 2020, as we round out the year, let us remember our honourable dead here and let us reflect on the selflessness and commitment they showed and let us draw on those same qualities as we now face the new challenges of our own time.”