Judith Collins

Veterans Affairs Minister Judith Collins today launched a major secondary schools speech contest honouring the spirit of the ANZACs.

The National Bank RNZRSA Cyril Bassett VC Speech Competition will give young New Zealanders the opportunity to research and speak about New Zealand's ANZAC heritage.

The contest is named in honour of Cyril Bassett, the only member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to be awarded a Victoria Cross for valour at Gallipoli. Members of Mr Bassett's family and regiment attended today's launch in Wellington.

"Here in New Zealand we draw much of the sense of who we are from the feats of our service personnel in the great theatres of conflict," Ms Collins said.

"In the very worst of times, they displayed the qualities that all of us as New Zealanders aspire to - courage, humility, humanity, compassion and the willingness to stand and fight for what we believe in and to defend our way of life.

"Their deeds resonate powerfully down through our history. Their stories help us understand who we are and where we came from, and provide lessons from the past that help us build a better and more peaceful future.

"As each generation has carried the memory of the ANZACs to the next, so it will be our young people who are entrusted to carry it to future generations."

The competition will be open to year 12 and year 13 secondary school students who compete in regional competitions, and then a national final in the lead-up to ANZAC Day 2010.

The competition winner will travel to Gallipoli to attend the ANZAC commemorations, and will also win a cash prize for their school and a laptop computer and digital camera so they can record their experiences at Gallipoli.