Hon David Bennett

Minister of Veterans’ Affairs

21 June 2017
Media Statement

Top honours for Passchendaele competition tied

Two students have tied for first place in the Passchendaele multi-media competition, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett announced.

Wellington’s Neakiry Kivi and Tauranga’s Amanda Yang were the two year 13 students to jointly take out this year’s Battle of Passchendaele Multi-media Competition.

Neakiry, from Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, submitted an original piano composition entitled “Scenes from Passchendaele”. Amanda from Tauranga Girls’ College, submitted a poem entitled “Passchendaele 12 October 1917”.

“Both entries encapsulate ‘then and now’ – a battlefield from 1917 becomes a place of remembrance for all New Zealanders, who will commemorate the losses as part of the centenary commemorations in October,” Mr Bennett says.

“The entries, whilst different, succinctly capture the personal way in which New Zealanders remember the horrors of 1917, ensuring that we will never forget the sacrifices made on one of our darkest days in New Zealand’s history.”

Both winners will receive a $2,000 contribution towards their ongoing education and a place as a New Zealand Youth Ambassador at the Battle of Passchendaele centenary commemorations in Belgium in October.

The Battle of Passchendaele multi-media competition, facilitated by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand, was launched in 2011 as a way of ensuring that New Zealand’s sacrifice on the Western Front was not forgotten, and that New Zealand’s young people continue to be aware of the heroism that took place in the fields of Belgium.

© Scoop Media