We Remember the Bravery, We Value the Peace, We Celebrate the Freedom Anzac Commemoration 2025

By the Kauri Academy Rōpū Waiata Team

This ANZAC Day, a group of us from Kauri Academy – the Rōpū Waiata – had the honour of bringing a little bit of heart, hope, and harmony to three special places: Logan Campbell Apartments, the Logan Campbell Hospital Wing, and CHT St John’s.

The purpose was clear. We weren’t there to put on a performance. We came to remember — but also, to reflect, connect, and celebrate freedom.

Our programme was simple: a few waiata, some reflections, and a time to share space with our older whānau. But the impact felt much deeper. The message we brought — and the message we left with — was that ANZAC Day is not about glorifying war. It’s about honouring peace.

We sang songs like Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi, Pack Up Your Troubles, Amazing Grace, What a Wonderful World and more. We told stories, and we listened. We heard quiet voices recall what it was like to grow up during wartime. We felt the weight of silence where words couldn’t reach.

And throughout it all, we kept coming back to one truth: compassion is stronger than conflict.

As a group mostly made up of migrant students — many of us new to the Anzac tradition — this wasn’t just a performance. It was a learning experience. We came to understand that war begins when people are left out, when voices go unheard, and when difference becomes division.

One resident at Logan Campbell said something we’ll carry for a long time:

"They didn’t fight for medals or parades. They fought so that you could be here today — singing, smiling, connecting."

And they were right. That’s what we came to do.

We weren’t there to mourn war. We came to celebrate the results of courage — connection, dignity, and freedom. The kind of freedom that lets a group of young people from all around the world walk into a room of strangers and walk out as friends.

So to the staff, residents, and all the hands that made this possible — thank you. Thank you for letting us in. Thank you for letting us sing. Thank you for showing us that remembrance isn’t just a moment — it’s a mindset.

As we left the last site, someone in our group quietly said, “That felt like a full heart.”

It really did.

Lest we forget. And may we never stop learning what peace really looks like.