Opening of Welcome Sweet Peace: Returning Home after the Great War

Opening of Welcome Sweet Peace: Returning Home after the Great War

at the National Library, 1 December 2008.

E nga iwi, e nga mana, tena koutou.

(Translation: All peoples, all authorities, greetings).

Thank you for the warm welcome. It is a great pleasure to be here at the National Library this evening and has special significance for me as it is my first official engagement as Minister Responsible for the National Library.

The National Library of New Zealand plays an important role in preserving the documentary heritage of our nation and in doing so is charged with enriching the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchange with other nations.

I look forward to working with the Library, its customers and staff to build on this enduring civic institution, and to ensure it continues to contribute positively to our nation's culture and economy.

I am very pleased to be attending this particular exhibition, Welcome Sweet Peace, which commemorates such an important event in our history. Undoubtedly World War One marked a great sea change for this country and redefined our thinking about who we were as a nation, as a people and our role on the international stage.

The Great War though did come at significant personal cost for many New Zealand families.  For my family, my grandfathers served in Gallipoli and Palestine and both were wounded.  I congratulate the National Library for highlighting the personal side of the war through the exhibition.  I look forward to hearing the returned soldiers' stories, seeing their photos and diaries to gain a perspective of what it was really like for them.

We are truly indebted to the people who gave up their lives and we must never forget that (18,000 personnel were killed, 41,000 wounded)  - this exhibition serves as a very timely reminder of their sacrifice and the impact of war on our country.

Like many others I have also been heartened by New Zealanders' growing interest in commemorating our past, and recognising the sacrifices others have made.

Just look at the recent commemoration of the 90^th Anniversary of Armistice Day , so many communities around the country got involved in marking this event.  Likewise we've seen more and more people, both young and old attend Anzac Day celebrations; and of course the ever-increasing numbers of books and documentaries covering New Zealand's role in these international events is another indication.

It's great to see this increasing recognition and reflection of our past. It also highlights how our concept and value of heritage has changed over time. Prior to World War One, our heritage was very tied to the British Empire and the colonies.

Today, our heritage reflects a much more multicultural society, one that is not afraid to celebrate our unique kiwiness, and one where we are clearly establishing our own sense of place on the global stage.

It is in this context that heritage institutions like the National Library play a key role in building on our cultural and historical foundations. The Library's collections are a treasure trove of heritage material - some of which we'll see today - and that enables us to learn from the past as well as help shape our future.

Direct access to quality information and knowledge is essential to New Zealand's long-term social and economic success and so the collections need to be accessible and thereby add value to a range of sectors; whether to business, cultural organisations, school children or researchers.

Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today. I look forward to seeing the exhibition and to spending a lot more time getting to know the National Library.

No reira, koutou katoa te iti me te rahi.  Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa.

(Translation: Therefore, everybody, great and small alike.  Greetings everyone (x2)  Greetings to us all.)