On Thursday 11 November, a two-minute silence will be observed at 11.00 am across the UK as a tribute to those who lost their lives fighting for their country. Please consider observing this moment in your work or teaching space.
Gillian Wright, Senior Finance Business Partner and veteran, said: “I was proud to serve my country for nearly 20 years in the Royal Navy, and I’m proud to work at Sussex today. Our University’s values shape what we say and do, and it seems natural to me that our staff and students would want to mark this moment.
“11 November is a day for the nation to pause for just two minutes - mute your phone, close your laptop, switch off the TV. It’s not a celebration of war. Nor is it only about history. Every day soldiers, sailors and airmen - my friends - continue to serve to protect our democratic freedoms, away from their homes and families.
"For me the list of former shipmates who have been killed in action, or who have died as a consequence of their experiences, sadly continues to grow. Rembrance is very personal, but can also be a also a shared moment in time when we pause to consider the value of peace, and our respect for the sacrifice made by others.”
The University’s Chaplaincy will host a Remembrance Day Observation event just before 11.00 am on Thursday 11 November which will recollect all those who have suffered as a consequence of war, remembering those who gave their lives in service, civilian populations devastated by war and the wider impact of war on the wider environment.
The ceremony will include appropriate readings, poetry and a two-minute silence. Red and white poppies are also on sale in the Meeting House and Sussex House reception, with proceeds donated to the British Legion to provide lifelong support to serving and ex-serving personnel and their families.
Poppies: fact v fiction
- The British Legion has pointed that after 100 years in circulation as a worldwide symbol of remembrance, the meaning behind the poppy can become lost in translation
- Instead of a symbol in favour of war, poppies symbolise hope, peace and respect for the Armed Forces and Emergency Services
- Poppies are a universal symbol and not only worn to remember veterans of WW1 and WW2
- All parts of the poppy are recyclable
- Wearing a poppy is a personal choice, and anyone is welcome to attend a remembrance ceremony with or without a poppy
On Remembrance Sunday (14 November 2021), Kelly Coate, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Students, will attend the Remembrance Day procession and wreath laying in the city on behalf of the University.
If you’d like to mark the two-minutes silence as part of your teaching, please feel free to display this PowerPoint slide to mark the moment.