CWGC publishes ‘Commemorating the Past: Safeguarding the Future’ to mark Commonwealth Day 2024

CWGC has today (March 11) published ‘Commemorating the Past: Safeguarding the Future’, a paper written by CWGC’s Official historian Dr George Hay.  

It sets out some of the issues and challenges to be addressed by commemoration organisations in the coming years. 

Download the report

CWGC’s mission is to ensure that those who died in service or as a result of conflict are commemorated so that they, and the human cost of war, are remembered forever.  

With the world wars falling out of living memory, and facing the need to address challenges such as the impact of climate change, how do we and the wider commemoration sector ensure our missions are fulfilled as we move towards the second half of the twenty-first century?  

In November 2023, ahead of Armistice Day, and in collaboration with The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), CWGC put on ‘Commemorating the Past Safeguarding the Future’.  

Following the morning event, a roundtable discussion brought together commemoration organisations, academics, and sector experts setting out their views on the future of commemoration.  

Discussion topics included how to reach new and diverse audiences, collaboration and partnership across the global commemoration sector, and the maintenance of sustainable commemoration estates.  

The day was global in reach, with contributors and participants from Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, France, Belgium and Germany. 

CWGC is grateful to all those who took part in the day whose contributions helped shape this report. In particular we would like to thank Dr James Wearn, Strategic Operations Manager at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, who drafted the section ‘Sustaining the Total Environment of Remembrance’. 

‘Commemorating the Past: Safeguarding the Future’ pulls together the main themes of the day. It is intended to serve as a starting point for discussion leading to partnership and projects across the commemoration sector, to ensure we continue to fulfil our missions.