The two keyways of increasing awareness and understanding of the objectives of the Memorial Gates Education Committee is through visiting the Memorial Gates in Hyde Park or by young people learning about the contribution of the peoples of the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Caribbean during the First and Second World war.
Throughout the year, young people, students and Cadets (CCF) visit the Memorial Gates to see at first hand the names of people and countries that made their contribution. In the photographs taken at the Memorial Gates, you can see cadets with Baroness Scotland of Asthal, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, school children, with Johnson Beharry VC, holding HRH the Prince of Wales’ Wreath and another picture with our former Life President and former Chair of the Memorial Gates Council, Baroness Flather and Lord Bilimoria respectively. A greater understanding of the contribution of the five million men and women from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Caribbean who volunteered to serve in the armed forces can be achieved through the production of assemblies and material, both narrative and video, directed toward pupils of all Key Stages from 1 to 5. At Key Stage 5, (16 – 18 years old), we will expect students to have a deeper understanding and ask the question as the importance of remembering and how to learn from it. We are working with the Royal British Legion (RBL) to enhance young people’s understanding of Remembrance and are identifying areas where we can work together. Dr Richard George Evans MPhil, PhD, OBE Chair of the Education sub-committee of the Memorial Gates |
The Education Sub Committee seeks to achieve the following:
The role of the committee is to ensure that young remember and appreciate the contribution made to honour the five million men and women from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Carribbean who volunteered to serve with the armed forces in the First and Second World war. We aim to lobby for this to be studied in greater detail within the National Curriculum and we wish for young people to have a deeper appreciation by visiting the Memorial in Hyde Park and seeing the names of the counties (possibly their countries) who helped make the ultimate contribution. The underside of the Dome which forms part of the monument, lists 41 people who were awarded the Victoria Cross, the United Kingdom’s highest honour ‘for gallantry in the presence of the enemy’ and the George Cross, the second highest award, ‘for the acts of the greatest heroism or for the most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger’. We would like young people to try to discover the stories behind each one of these names and bravery behind each one of these acts. |