VANZ News Issue 7
Expressions of Interest - 70th Anniversary of Battle of El Alamein
In the previous issue of VANZ News, the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs invited veterans who are looking to attend 70th Anniversary commemorations to make contact about what they would like to attend and what assistance they would like Government help with.
It is expected that there will be a lot of interest around the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein in October 2012, a battle that was a turning point in World War Two and one in which New Zealand troops played a critical role. Veterans' Affairs New Zealand is now seeking Expressions of Interest from veterans who may wish to attend the commemorations in 2012, either in New Zealand or overseas, to gauge the level of interest amongst the veteran community.
Veterans who may be considering travelling to commemorative activities overseas should be aware that such journeys can be long, arduous and tiring with a significant amount of time spent sitting in aircraft. There will often be time zone changes, interrupted sleep and the keeping of unusual hours. Veterans need to consider their levels of fitness and whether or not they have any potential health problems which could be exacerbated as a result of such travel.
As with all overseas travel, it is important to note the travel advisories that are in place and updated regularly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through the website www.safetravel.govt.nz. These advisories are useful in identifying destinations that may be of risk to the traveller and the security environment is certainly one which is taken into consideration when planning attendance by veterans at overseas commemorations.
If you would like to register your interest in attending 70th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein commemorations in 2012, contact:
Aaron HanleyAdviser Commemorations
Veterans' Affairs New Zealand
PO Box 5146
WELLINGTON 6145
Freephone: 0800 483 8372
Email: veterans@xtra.co.nz