“Siev X Memorial Ceremony and Raising of the Poles, Canberra October 15th 2006”, Weston Park, Yarralumla 15 October 2006, 2 pm – Invitation to attend this public event
Declaration: I am not involved in the organisation of this national Canberra-located community event, but I fully support its aims. People are coming from all over Australia, as far away as Perth. I will be honoured to attend this major memorial ceremony of SIEV X recognition and remembrance. I hope as many people as possible will come, and bring all your families too , to help bear witness to the importance of the tragedy of SIEV X as a major event in our shared Australian history. Tony Kevin, 26 September 2006
You are invited to attend
The Fifth Anniversary Siev X Memorial Ceremony
to honour the 353 parents and children who drowned on the refugee boat called SIEV X
To be held in Weston Park, Yarralumla on Sunday October 15th at 2pm (on RHS, about halfway along the peninsula)
Guest Speaker
Chief Minister of the ACT Jon Stanhope
The Kippax Uniting Church Tongan Choir will be performing.
At this ceremony, over 300 decorated timber poles will be assembled in procession to show the eventual design of a permanent memorial. The poles are being brought from every corner of Australia, created by over 200 schools and 60 church and community groups to express grief and regret at the tragedy of SIEV X. This unprecedented, beautiful, and powerful statement of concern will include surviving family members of those lost in the voyage.
Three of the 146 children who drowned with their parents on SIEVX while trying to reach safety in Australia. The memorial includes a pole in memory of each individual who died.
The Siev X Memorial acknowledges the support of Steve Biddulph, the Uniting Church in Australia and the RMIT School of Landscape Architecture in making this project possible. We are also grateful for the assistance of the ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, and of the ACT City Rangers Office.
RSVP and enquiries info@sievxmemorial.com Phone 0428 622309
