Archives Portal Europe participated in the Remembrance Day celebrations at the Stirchley Library in Birmingham (UK), organised by the Stirchley History Group, Friends of the Stirchley Library, and local communities.
Remembrance Day is an annual event held on November 11 to celebrate the end of World War I, and to honour all those who died in conflicts, particularly soldiers. It is also known as Armistice Day, after the armistice that ended the war at 11 a.m. on the 11th November, in 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day), and it started to be celebrated as such since 1919, growing over the years into a celebration of the sacrifice of the soldiers, but also a pacifist statement. Since 1921, the "Poppy appeal" is an official campaign by the British army, selling red poppies to raise funds for veterans. Alongside red poppies, you will see in the UK these days white poppies, a symbol for remembrance of all victims of war, including both civilians and military personnel. It represents a commitment to peace, and challenges the militarization and glamorization of war. It was first introduced in 1933 by the Co-operative Women's Guild, who wanted to emphasise the "never again" message of peace.
People searched for material related to refugees and World War I in the portal and sang, while children drew poppies of all colours
