War Memorial needs to talk peace says Medical Association for Prevention of War

Medical Association for Prevention of War Australia (MAPW) has published a new report which includes a set of principles to improve the Australian War Memorial’s programming for children.

The report is Time to Talk Peace: the Australian War Memorial and Children. See also Canberra Times op ed (pdf from our subscription copy).

MAPW says:

Young Australians deserve something better than the existing narrative of endless wars.

The Australian War Memorial is uniquely placed to provide it, by instilling in our children and youth not only a respect for our war dead, but also hope for a more peaceful future and knowledge of the tools needed to achieve it.

But the AWM has drifted from its purpose, and is failing to promote serious reflection and critical thinking about the place of warfare in today’s world.

The report has an introduction from author Jackie French AM and the principles it proposes cover: no space for weapons companies, particularly in funding the Memorial and naming rights; no place at the Memorial for children to play at war; need for honest story-telling, including the suffering and inhumanity of wars; culturally- and age-appropriate exhibits, especially for visitors who have come from war-ravaged countries; it is past time that the Australian (Frontier) Wars were included; inspire hope in children, including by exposure to non-violent conflict resolution; curation of the exhibits requires input from an independent advisory group; a living, evolving children’s space, drawing upon feedback from children.

‘Perhaps the Memorial’s greatest failing in its education of children about war’, the report says, ‘is its persistent refusal to commemorate the wars fought on this land by white settlers against First Nations people’.

The report’s message summarised: ‘The Memorial can and should have as strong a focus on promoting peace as honouring service in war’.

‍More on children and war.

‍Picture credit: From the cover of the report: ‘A gaze beyond war’, by Leonardo Falcone, age 13. Courtesy of War through Children’s Eyes, a UK organisation working to raise awareness of war’s effects on children and to give children a platform to express their understanding of conflict through art and writing.