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It was the origin of the moment of silence and what really is its significance?
Today, many attribute the creation of that concept to an Australian journalist named Edward George Honey.
After World War I, there were plans to hold major celebrations for the first anniversary of Armistice Day, the day WWI ended. Honey, who was living in London at the time, wrote a letter in the London Evening News on May 8, 1919, to appeal for a five-minute silence during the celebrations to honour the dead.
Honey, using the pseudonym Warren Foster, wrote: “Five minutes only. Five silent minutes of national remembrance. A very sacred intercession ? Communion with the Glorious Dead who won us peace, and from the communion, new strength, hope and faith in the morrow.”
However, for five months after the letter was published, no one took to the idea. Then on Oct 27, 1919, a suggestion by South African statesman Sir Percy Fitzpatrick was forwarded by his friend to King George V’s private secretary, Lord Stamfordham, for a moment of silence in every country under the British Empire on Armistice Day.
The King was apparently so stirred by the idea that he adopted it immediately. It has been said that no evidence exists to show that Fitzpatrick was inspired by Honey’s letter; instead, Fitzpatrick was said to have been inspired by a moment of silence that was observed at noon in Cape Town, South Africa, to commemorate the heavy losses suffered by the South African Brigade on the western front.
But both Honey and Fitzpatrick attended the rehearsal for the moment of silence at Buckingham Palace with the Grenadier Guards. Yet five minutes was thought to be too long for the ceremony, and so it was subsequently decreased to two minutes.
On Nov 7, 1919, the King issued a special message that on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, everyone should observe, in “the brief space of two minutes, a complete suspension of all our normal activities? So that in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.” The King continued: “I believe that my people in every part of the Empire fervently wish to perpetuate the memory of that Great Deliverance, and of those who laid down their lives to achieve it.”
Source from the Star (Malaysia)
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If all human being in the world actually stops at the same time and day and observe a minute of silence wouldn’t it be great. However it’s quite impossible due to different time zone, culture, characters and all.
I think nowadays we are just moving too fast, yesterday my cousin sister was just commenting that people in HongKong, ladies in particular speak in lightning speed. It could be due to their environment/culture, whereby every second, there are opportunities for them to grab, so even lunch time is not spare. She was in HongKong for a few months as her husband was seconded there due to his work commitments.
You could compare the actors and actress in HongKong and Hollywood, when they are in demand, you could see their face in almost every movie or drama that was feature and shown in a year.
In Malaysia is less prevalent but you could still feel the pressure of staying update, I have heard comments that if you were to take leave for a week and if the company can still runs well, then its time for you to leave the company.
At the end of the day we still goes to the same place empty handed same as the day we come.
Wouldn’t it be nice that we start now and have a minute of silence everyday, to cleanse our soul, to free our mind of dateline, to escape to a world whereby there are no worries?
Shhhhhh………
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