What does November 11 represent?

November 11 is Remembrance Day in Australia, the date that marks the end of the First World War. The armistice between the Allied forces and Germany came into effect at 11am on 11 November 1918, on the Western Front in northern France, ending more than four years of fighting that had cost about 16 million lives, including more than 62,000 Australians.

Remembrance Day was originally called Armistice Day and observed only for the First World War. After the Second World War, the name was changed in many Allied countries, including Australia, to Remembrance Day to honour the dead of all wars. The change in Australia was made in 1997 by Prime Minister John Howard, who issued a proclamation calling on Australians to observe a minute's silence at 11am each 11 November.

Remembrance Day is not a public holiday in Australia, but commemorative services are held at war memorials and RSL clubs nationwide. The national service is held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, attended by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Chief of the Defence Force, and members of the diplomatic corps. The service includes the Last Post, a minute's silence, and the laying of wreaths by representatives of the Commonwealth nations and other allies.

The red poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day in Australia and is worn on the lapel from late October through 11 November. The Returned and Services League runs the annual Poppy Appeal in the lead-up to the day, selling cloth and paper poppies to raise money for veterans' welfare. ANZAC Day on 25 April remains the larger national commemoration in Australia, but Remembrance Day is the international day shared with the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and the other Commonwealth countries that fought the First World War.