Visiting Turkish teenager Gizem Gencel in the Gallipoli Room at the RNZRSA’s Headquarters ANZAC House. At rear is RNZRSA National President Robin Klitscher, who had just presented Gizem with a pounamu (greenstone) koru pendant (koru is the shape of the budding fern frond). In uniform is Second Lieutenant Thomas McGarry who escorted Gizem during her Wellington visit. He is the brother of Spencer, and wore his great grandfather's sword on ANZAC Day with special permission of Chief of Army. He also visited Gallipoli on ANZAC Day 2005 as part of the Prime Minister's ANZAC Secondary School Essay Competition. Photo COLIN MCDIARMID

'We all got heroes'

Following is the prizewinning essay by Turkish teenager Gizem Gencel; her country's winner of the inaugural RNZRSA/AFS Cultural Exchange Program Gallipoli Youth Award.

We are the grandchildren of Gallipoli. We heard too many heroic tales. We learned what is sacrifice. We are proud. We imagined, we felt. We felt their bravery. We felt their patriotism. There were thousands of heroes. And one of them was Ali Sabir. All he wanted to do was to defend his own country. He fought as a hero. He died as a hero. He was a pretty good soldier. One day Enver Pasha came to his front. And watched him. And he liked his education. He gave him a weapon as a gift. Ali Sabir wanted to show his pride to him, so he shot the wall and wrote “ENVER” with his bullet.

But he wanted something so badly. He wanted to go to the front. He wanted to save his own children and country`s future. Enver Pasha opposed and said: “We need you here.” Ali Sabir didn`t listen to him and went to the front. During a violent collision, a sharapnel came and hit his head. Unfortunately he died. He was my grandpa. He was a hero. He was my hero. He was one of the thousands of Australian, New Zealander and Turkish heroes.

We all got heroes on this peninsula. But we only understand it when we all got casualities. In 1915, the Anzacs and Turks faced each other at Gallipoli as enemies. During the campaign, each developed mutual respect for the endurance and courage displayed by their foe. Their shared experiences became the foundation between Australia, New Zealand and Turkey.

	Gizem Gencel approaches to place her wreath at the Ataturk memorial, Tarakena Bay Wellington. Photo NZDF

We are the kids of war andpeace. We are not going to forget all these casualities. We are not going to forget that peace is our greatest treasure. Peace is important. And war is nothing but tears and pain. As M.K.Atatürk said : ”Peace at home, peace in the world.”

Gizem was in New Zealand from March 22nd until May 2nd. She was hosted by the McGarry family and went to Mt Albert Grammar. Gizem attended ANZAC day services in Wellington, including the Dawn service, the National Service, where she read her essay, and the service at Ataturk memorial at which she placed a wreath.