15 April 2002

Lee To Lead NZ Delegation At Gallipoli On Anzac Day

Cabinet Minister Sandra Lee, Patron of the Waiheke RSA, will lead the New Zealand delegation to the annual Gallipoli commemorations on Anzac Day, 25 April.

“The battles at Gallipoli hold a special place in New Zealand’s history. It will be a huge honour to represent New Zealand at Chunuk Bair and the other battle sites on Anzac Day. I shall be wearing a commemorative red poppy given to me by the Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association, " Ms Lee said.

“The Gallipoli campaign is still firmly etched in the New Zealand psyche. Our connection to those old battles has led over time to New Zealand's ongoing friendship with Turkey. My short visit will enable me to meet members of the Turkish government, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to further develop this warm bilateral relationship."

“Attendance at the Dawn Service at Anzac Cove Bay and the New Zealand national service at Chunuk Bair is a chance for us all to reflect on the terrible toll this campaign took and its role in forming our nation. I expect it to be both an emotional and an uplifting experience,” Ms Lee said.

Ms Lee left during the weekend to attend an international conservation conference in The Hague. She will fly from there to Istanbul on 20 April for official meetings in Ankara in the period leading up to ANZAC Day.

Ends

Programme to represent the NZ government at the ANZAC Day commemoration service at Gallipoli, Turkey including bilateral meetings in Ankara: 21-28 April 2002

Saturday 20 April [All times are NZ times]
11.05pm Arrive Istanbul, Turkey

Sunday 21 April [All times are NZ times]
6pm Preliminary briefing

Monday 22 April [All times are NZ times]
4am Depart Istanbul for Ankara, Turkey
6-11pm Visits in Ankara to Turkish Ministers, including briefing on Gallipoli

Tuesday 23 April [All times are NZ times]
1.35am Depart Ankara for Istanbul, Turkey
6pm Drive from Istanbul to Canakkale, to visit National Park, for briefing on wildlife management and conservation

Wednesday 24 April [All times are NZ times]
6.45pm Depart Canakkale for Gallipoli Peninsula
8.30pm Arrive Eceabat (Gallipoli Peninsula), visit battlefields and memorials for ANAZAC Cove and Ariburnu; Hill 60; Baby 700; Lone Pine; Chunuk Bair; Twelve Tree Copse.
11pm Depart Peninsula for Cannakkale

Thursday 25 April—ANZAC Day [All times are NZ times]
1am View Canakkale Ballet based on the Gallipoli campaign
3.30am Join Turkish, Australian dignitaries for ANZAC Day pre-reception gathering
4am Attend ANZAC Day reception hosted by NZ, Australian and British ambassadors
2.30pm Attend ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli
[Speech notes for this and two other ANZAC Day commemorative functions will be issued under embargo]

Friday 26 April [All times are NZ times]
00.05am Depart Canakkale for Istanbul-Frankfurt-London-Singapore-NZ

Sunday 28 April [All times are NZ times]
10.10am Arrive Auckland

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