Unesco commemorates Ploegsteert as first war site
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In Ploegsteert, Belgium, Unesco installed a commemorative plaque at a site holding the remains of over 11,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers from World War I.
The ceremony took place with ambassadors, local figures, and students present, recognising the scale of destruction from the 1914-1918 war on the Western Front. The area contains the graves of over two million soldiers, including those from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and Germany.
Yves Rouyet, president of the Belgian Commission for Unesco, stated the recognition aims to unite people, especially those with personal experience of war. Local authorities in Comines-Warneton hope the plaque will boost memorial tourism, which was strong during the period of 2014-2018. Following the ceremony, attendees observed the “Last Post” at the memorial, a monument similar to the Menin Gate in Ypres, commemorating soldiers with no known graves.
