General News
15 November, 2025
Drawing to remember
THOUSANDS of school students across Queensland participated in the annual ‘Draw to Remember’ initiative this month to acknowledge Remembrance Day on Tuesday 11 November.
Now in its fourth year, the initiative sees children harness their artistic imagination to create drawings that express their learnings or personal stories about the importance of Remembrance Day.
This year, local veterans and members from 53 participating RSL sub branches across Queensland are visiting schools in their communities, teaching students about the importance and history of Remembrance Day.
Inspired by these learnings, students put chalk to concrete at their schools, illustrating the sacrifice of those who’ve served in the Australian Defence Force since World War I.
What started with 3500 participating students in 2022 has grown to six times that number.
This year, 21,660 students from 214 schools – from Coolangatta to Cairns and everywhere in between – took part this year’s program.
RSL Queensland state president Major General Stephen Day said the organisation and its sub branches were deeply proud to witness the vibrant displays created each year, reflecting the children’s creativity, respect and understanding of the significance of commemoration.
“Draw to Remember is all about engaging with the next generation so that they can understand the importance of a day observed by millions across Australia and around the world,” Major General Day said.
“Four years on, it’s fantastic to see how the program continues to engage more and more students each year, and their creative renderings of what remembrance means to them.”
Draw to Remember veteran and Townsville RSL Sub Branch secretary Pauline McGuire said her sub branch had never missed a year and praised how the initiative helped connect sub branches and their local schools.
“In the first year, we were working with six schools, but this year, we’re now working with 17 schools. It’s been a great way to engage with the local schools and has really strengthened our relationships with them,” Ms McGuire said.
Cardwell RSL Sub Branch president Robert Lang said it was wonderful to see local children engaging with Remembrance Day.
“It’s amazing to see the local kids be so engaged with their drawings and explain what Remembrance Day means to them in their own words. It’s been a pleasure to work with the schools this year and we hope to work with them again next year,” he said.
Read More: Far North