Acts of national remembrance are becoming more significant in schools and for younger people, according to new research published today by Theos.
In a survey of over 1,000 adults conducted by ComRes, 93% of 18-24 year-olds said that when at school they had observed two minutes' silence on Remembrance Day, compared with only 73% of 45-55 year-olds. 86% of 18-24 year-olds said that they believed more should be done to encourage people to observe the two minutes' silence, compared with only 72% of 45-55 year-olds.
The poll was undertaken to explore public attitudes towards corporate acts of remembrance and grief. It found that 82% of Britons observed one or two minutes' silence on 11 November 2009. 63% watched the service at the Cenotaph on television or listened to it on the radio on Remembrance Sunday. 22% attended a church service. 96% said that they believed it was important to have a special day for everyone together in Britain to remember those who have died in war.
When asked what they thought was the most important aspect of national acts of remembrance, 32% of people said "remembering those who died in the World Wars" with 19% saying that it was "showing pride in the freedom won by those who gave their lives in the war". 18% cited "honouring those who are dying in wars happening now" and 16% said "uniting people in community acts of remembrance". 9% said that the most important part of national acts of remembrance was "helping people to reflect on their own experience of grief".
Commenting on the findings of the research, the Director of Theos, Paul Woolley said:
"This research forms part of a wider project looking at attitudes towards grief and remembrance in the UK.
"While we would expect some trends from the oldest age groups, the views of 18-24 year-olds are particularly interesting. It is clear that the X-Factor generation is more likely to participate in corporate acts of remembrance than their parents were at the same age. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the money raised by the X-Factor single released last year went to the forces' charity Help for Heroes.
"National acts of remembrance provide people with a shared context in which to remember and honour those killed in acts of conflict. They also provide an opportunity for people to reflect on their own experience of grief."
The Bishop of Manchester, the Rt. Revd Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Manchester, who has been National Chaplain to the Royal British Legion since 2002, added: "These results match my own experience as I take part in national and local remembrance services across the country. Increasingly, young people are becoming more aware of the importance of remembrance and are taking part in occasions where they can reflect on the past."
ComRes interviewed 1007 GB adults by telephone between 11 and 12 November 2009. Data were weighted to be representative demographically of all GB adults. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
To see the headlines of the research, click here. To see the research in full, click here.
