Australian national commemorations

Upcoming anniversaries and events

Our National Commemorations Program aims to provide recognition, respect and acknowledgement to all Australian veterans, which supports DVA's objectives relating to veteran health and wellbeing. We achieve this through domestic and overseas events and the media.

Australians come together to commemorate significant events and anniversaries of wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

20 December 2020
105th anniversary of the last Australian troops evacuated from Gallipoli

3 January 2021
80th anniversary Battle of Bardia, first AIF action of WW2

26 January 2021
Australia Day

14 February 2021
National Servicemen’s Day

19 February 2021
Bombing of Darwin Day

28 February 2021
30th anniversary of the end of the Gulf War Air Campaign (Operation Desert Storm)

9 March 2021
International Women's Day

20 March 2021
105th anniversary of Australian troops in France (Anzac Corps)

4 April 2021
Easter Sunday

5 April 2021
80th anniversary of the Greek Campaign

11 April 2021
80th anniversary of start of the Seige of Tobruk

18 April 2021
55th anniversary of the 1st national serviceman embarking for Vietnam

24 April 2021
Kapyong Day (Korean War)

25 April 2021
Anzac Day

4 May 2021
55th anniversary of the arrival of the 1st Australian Task Force at Vung Tau

5 May 2021
Battle of the Coral Sea Day

8 May 2021
Victory in Europe (VE) Day

26 May 2021
National Sorry Day

27 May 2021
Reconciliation Week

29 May 2021
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

6 June 2021
50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Khanh

2 July 2021
105th anniversary of the Battle of Pozières

4-11 July 2021
NAIDOC Week

19 July 2021
105th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles

27 July 2021
Korean Veterans’ Day

3 August 2021
105th anniversary of Battle of Romani

6 August 2021
Anniversary of the Battle of Lone Pine

15 August 2021
Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day

18 August 2021
Vietnam Veterans Day
55th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan

19 August 2021
World Humanitarian Day

5 September 2021
Battle for Australia Day

14 September 2021
75th anniversary of Australian Peacekeepers’ and Peacemakers’ Day

3 October 2021
70th anniversary of the Battle for Maryang San

20 October 2021
20th anniversary of Australian special forces departing for Operation Slipper (Afghanistan)

10 November 2021
30th anniversary of the first peacekeepers arriving in Cambodia

11 November 2021
Remembrance Day

20 November 2021
80th anniversary of the sinking of HMAS Sydney

7 December 2021
80th anniversary of the Siege of Tobruk (WW2) 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

8 December 2021
80th anniversary of war being declared on Japan

25 December 2021
Christmas Day

Past activities

9 January 2020
80th anniversary of the first contingent of the 2nd AIF embarking for the Middle East

29 January 2020
75th anniversary of the first Death March to Ranau in WW2

18 February 2020
50th anniversary of the Battle for Long Hai (Operation Hammersley)
Watch the National service to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Operation Hammersley

22 February 2020
25th anniversary of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda, Operation TAMAR.
Watch the National service to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda, Operation TAMAR

22 April 2020
30th Anniversary Kibeho Massacre, Rwanda

25 April 2020
Anzac Day
Watch the National service to commemorate Anzac Day
Watch the Pause and reflect moment on Anzac Day

1 May 2020
75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic

1 May 2020
75th anniversary of the Oboe 1 landings on Tarakan, Borneo

8 May 2020
75th anniversary of the Battle of Wewak

10 June 2020
75th anniversary of the Oboe 6 landings on Balikpapan, Borneo

25 June 2020
70th anniversary of the Korean War starting

6 August 2020
75th anniversary of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima

7 August 2020
105th anniversary of the Battle of the Nek

9 August 2020
75th anniversary of the Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki

15 August 2020
Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day
Watch the National service to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II

2 September 2020
75th anniversary of General Blamey signing the Instrument of Surrender onboard USS Missouri