A north-east academic behind a global initiative to commemorate the First World War has warned the conflict is at risk of being “dropped from our collective memory”.
With no veterans left to recall its horrors and four years of poignant centennial commemorations having come to a close last year, Neil McLennan from Aberdeen University has said that action must be taken to prevent this from happening.
The senior lecturer has suggested that, otherwise, it could go the way of the Napoleonic Wars and become “largely forgotten”.
He said: “All we have is ‘remembrance’ of something none of us experienced but lessons from which we must learn.
“There is a risk that the First World War will become what the Napoleonic Wars have become; distant and largely forgotten.
“Alas it is as important now as ever before.”
Mr McLennan founded the iPlay4Peace movement last year, bringing together a global orchestra of musicians to play the same music together at the same time to mark Remembrance Sunday.
At 3pm yesterday, instrumentalists from countries as far afield as South Africa and North America joined up with an anchor concert at Edinburgh Napier University.
He added: “Their efforts demonstrate what can be done cooperatively and how we can link across borders.
“These symbols are important as we see a world fragment, despite being closer than ever.
“Sadly, dreadful experiences from recent and current conflicts continue.
“We must both remember and respond.”
