The Australian War Memorial is without a doubt the soul of a nation – and one of the world’s leading memorials. Each year on Anzac Day it holds Australia’s leading Dawn Service and ceremonies, followed by hundreds more ceremonies more around the country.

However, 2020 presented its own unique set of challenges with the Covid-19 lockdown preventing gatherings of any sort – not just at the Australian War Memorial, but right around the country.

In a bid to raise the spirits of the nation, the Australian War Memorial (AWM) and Department of Veterans’ Affairs engaged Imagination Australia to create a series of initiatives that would allow Australians to virtually commemorate our military veterans and connect with loved ones.

More than 50 pieces of emotive video content and digital activations were created, screened on the ABC national coverage, and shared across social media and the Australian War Memorial’s website in the lead up to Anzac Day - allowing Australians to honour the fallen by standing in solidarity in the safety of their own homes.

This included historical video packages, a commemoration of Indigenous servicemen and servicewomen, a series of Anzac Day recipes with celebrity chefs Matt Moran and Katherine Sabbath, live streamed dawn footage from Australian memorials, plus a range of personal interviews from veterans.

At the heart of the site was an interactive portal that invited visitors to place a virtual poppy and personal message on the wall in honour of the fallen, which could also be shared on social media. (http://lestweforget.gov.au)

By encouraging people to tap into a virtual community, any time and anywhere - we created an opportunity for Australians around the world to connect and stand together in unprecedented times.

*40+ original films available to learn more about Australia’s history and commemorate Anzac Day as a nation.

The Anzac Day coverage resulted in 2.5 million live views on ABC coverage, and 1.6 million hits on the Australian War Memorial Website on Anzac Day 2020. The interactive poppy portal received over 10,000 hits, with more than 2,300 virtual poppies posted and shared online.