White Poppies 90th Anniversary

Ninety years ago in 1933, the first white #poppies were created by members of the Co-operative Women's Guild. Many of these women had lost family and friends in the First World War. They were concerned about the way #RemembranceDay was going - its growing #militarisation and its detachment from a meaningful message of #peace. The Guild's General Secretary, Eleanor Barton, called for a renewal of "that 'Never Again' spirit that was strong in 1918, but seems to grow weaker as years go on".

Then as now, the white poppy stood for three vital principles:

• #Remembrance must include all #victims of #war, not only British #military #casualties, but also those excluded from mainstream commemorations - #civilians, #refugees, people of other nationalities, people affected by #conflict around the world today.

• We need to challenge militarism - both the militarisation of remembrance, and the war and militarism that leads to so much suffering.

• We must look forwards and work actively towards peace, even as we remember the past.

#pacifist #pacifism #antiwar #propeace