Australian PM attends Gallipoli anniversary in Turkey

ÇANAKKALE

AA Photo

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard took part in the 97th anniversary of Gallipoli ceremonies along with thousands of people from Australia and New Zealand in the northwestern province of Çanakkale, daily Hürriyet reported.
 
Gillard said during her speech at the ceremony that the fallen soldiers had come to Çanakkale "from the far-away end of the world" with the hopes of "ending a horrible war."
 
Thousands arrived in Çanakkale with sleeping bags and equipment to mark to dawn commemoration of the casualties. Documentaries and interviews were shown to participants about the war. 
 
Wreaths in honor of Turkish, Australian, New Zealander, Bangladeshi, British, French, German, Indian, Canadian, Irish and Pakistani soldiers were then placed at the Gallipoli National Park at the start of the ceremony.
 
Ceremonies were also held at Anzac Bay, the Lone Pine and the New Zealand Monument today.
 
Turkey marked the 97th anniversary of the Allies’ World War I landing at the Dardanelles strait in Çanakkale with ceremonies yesterday that were attended by high-ranking officials and foreign dignitaries.