A Shrine of Remembrance Touring Exhibition Opening

The Shrine’s new touring exhibition, Changed Forever tells incredible stories of human endurance. Poignant personal narratives of loss and reconciliation, triumphs of humanity that will enthral and inspire.

Through individual accounts of conflict, dislocation and resettlement the exhibition is based on a collection of oral histories undertaken by the Shrine, with Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans of recent conflicts and peacekeeping, and migrants to Australia who have come here because of conflict. The vulnerability of the storytellers in the face of the worst of humanity, is seen alongside their resilience and determination to survive.

Their stories are about loss and reconciliation. Loss of lives, of identity, of loved ones, of community and for some, a loss of moral certainty. They explore reconciliation between the men and women of the ADF and the civilian community, and between veterans and their sometimes estranged families and friends. For migrants, reconciliation between a past they can never retrieve and new communities, and the challenges and rewards that they offer.

Stories will be told using paintings, sculpture, music, multimedia, poetry and photographs all showing the extent of the influence of global and civil conflict on our society today.