Australian troops advance during the battle of El Alamein during World War Two. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Seventy-nine community groups and organisations from across the country will receive funding under the Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program for projects that help preserve Australia’s military history.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Darren Chester, said more than $1-million would be provided to assist the successful applicants in completing projects and activities that commemorate the nation’s service personnel.
“We have a rich military history and many Australians have a grandparent, parent, sibling or relative who have served in our defence forces and have played a role in helping shape the nation,” Chester stated.
“By funding projects that safeguard our nation’s wartime heritage, we are ensuring [that] generations to come have the opportunity to learn and connect with this service and sacrifice.”
Some of the projects that received funding include the restoration of the Military and Service Working Dog National Monument at the RSPCA Animal Campus in Wacol, Queensland, the development of a digital database of Second World War veterans, and construction of a new cenotaph to commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australia’s defence personnel.
The Saluting Their Service program is designed to preserve Australia’s military history, promote an understanding and appreciation of the experiences of service personnel, and involve people around the nation in a wide range of activities that honour the service and sacrifice of Australians over many wars and conflicts.
“Congratulations to all those community groups and organisations that received funding and I encourage others to consider applying for funding in the next round of the Grants Program, particularly for projects and activities that commemorate the Vietnam War, with several significant anniversaries in 2021,” the minister said.
The program runs throughout the year, with the next batch of grants now open for applications.
According to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, applications for Batch Three of the 2020-21 Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program close on 11 February 2021.