Summary

Video of the 2nd Anniversary Memorial Service to commemorate the 2009 Victorian bushfires. This service was held on Sunday 6th February 2011 at Zinc Space in Federation Square, Melbourne. The service was organised by staff of the Victorian Bushfires Reconstruction and Recovery Commission (VBRRA), with input from Community Recovery Committees and the Bereaved Committee Advisory Group.

The inter-faith service was led by retired Victoria Police Chaplain, Reverend Jim Pilmer, with the theme of 'Remember, Reflect, Hope'. The service was attended by about 400 people including community representatives, members of the bereaved community, dignitaries and the general public. Poems and musical performances were presented by community members from fire-affected areas, many of these were composed as a result of their experience of the 2009 bushfires.

Those attending the service were invited to participate in a number of symbolic rituals. People attending were invited to place yellow ribbons with messages on the 'Tree of Remembrance' in recognition of the loss experienced following the fires and to represent the communities impacted by the fires.

The video was produced by the Victorian Bushfires Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRA).

Physical Description

DVD inside plastic and paper envelope. The DVD is printed with the title and illustrated with wattle and a yellow ribbon.

Significance

The 2nd Anniversary Memorial Service commemorating the 2009 Victorian Bushfires encouraged people to actively participate in symbolic rituals during the service - to light a candle, leave a message, write on a stone. These items give form to the grief and the many ways in which symbols and rituals were used to mark this anniversary. The 2nd anniversary memorial service also shows the significant ways in which the impact of the disaster has rippled out into wider circles beyond those who were directly impacted. Where the 1st anniversary service was concerned with commemorating the loss of 173 people, the 2nd anniversary service paid particular attention to the impact of the disaster on locations, towns and broader communities, including the bereaved.

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