Street party celebrates peace

POIGNANT Armistice Day services were followed by a joyous street party in Hobart in memory of the parties that erupted around the nation when peace was declared on November 11, 1918.

Murray St, which was closed to traffic for the duration of the free event, was a sea of people seated at tables, eating, listening to live music, drawing with chalk, making paper poppies and trying on turbans with members of the Indian Sikh community.

Event organiser Kelvin Smith, of CityNetworks, said he’d originally been asked by the RSL to ring church bells as part of the commemorative services “because that’s what happened 100 years ago”.

“Within five minutes of the request we had the street party idea,” he said.

“We wanted to do something far more substantial that people would engage in.”

The event, named The Sound of Peace, was designed to replicate the parties that spontaneously burst into life in 1918 when the war ended.

“The war ended and everyone was relieved.

“We want to show people we can be diverse and we can celebrate together.”

To that end, there was a diversity of experiences on offer to the happy crowds enjoying the upbeat music and good vibes.

Members of Tasmania’s Indian Sikh community encour- aged people to try on turbans in a bid to increase awareness about the Sikhs who enlisted as Anzacs in WWI, and their cultural traditions.

“This is dedicated to bringing awareness about our contribution in World War I and breaking down negative stereotypes,” Khushpreet Singh said.

Hobart mayor Anna Reynolds said: “It’s been lovely. It’s important to have an event that’s open to the broader community.”