Declining interest in Armed Forces Day welcomed by peace campaigners
Joint press release by ForcesWatch and the Peace Pledge Union
Peace campaigners have welcomed the news that there will be no national event for Armed Forces Day this year, as no local councils have come forward to host it.
Local events to mark Armed Forces Day (29th June) this weekend are facing growing resistance from groups and individuals concerned about its uncritical portrayal of war and the armed forces.
There has been a sharp drop in the overall number of Armed Forces Day events across the country since before the pandemic. In 2019 there were 316 events listed on the official Armed Forces Day website, compared to only 189 this year. Campaigners say the drop in event numbers is a positive sign that interest in Armed Forces Day may be declining.
For several years local residents and campaigners have raised the alarm about Armed Forces Day events marketed as ‘family fun’, with activities designed for children presenting armed violence as glamorous and exciting.
They have expressed particular outrage at the widespread practice of encouraging children as young as six to handle real weapons at these events, which they say shows a disregard of children’s safeguarding and emotional wellbeing.
Previously, a national event for Armed Forces Day has been held every year in a chosen town or city.… Read more