Veterans honoured as 2026 Poppy Appeal begins

Fijian veterans and fallen service personnel were honoured today as the 2026 Poppy Appeal was launched at Sukuna Park in Suva.

Minister for Defence and Veterans Affairs Pio Tikoduadua said the red poppy remained a powerful symbol of sacrifice, representing lives given in service, families changed by loss and the nation’s gratitude to those who answered the call of duty.

He said Fijian troops had served in challenging environments, including Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, the Solomon Islands and Bougainville.

Mr Tikoduadua said Fiji’s contribution to international peacekeeping showed that, despite being a small island nation, its commitment to peace and service had no boundaries.

President of the Ex-Servicemen Association Aisea Molia said the poppy had become an international symbol of remembrance following World War I.

Retired Staff Sergeant George Wright, 68, joined the military in September 1978 as a Territorial Force soldier and later served in Lebanon in 1979.

He recalled the death of a fellow recruit who was shot and killed less than a week after arriving in Lebanon.

“It was a very tough time in those early years of 1979 in Lebanon,” Mr Wright said.

He said soldiers were often required to wake during the night, put on their uniforms and rush to their positions when ordered.

Mr Wright said the Poppy Appeal remained important because funds helped support veterans with needs such as medical care.

Mr Tikoduadua urged young people to remember that the peace and security they enjoyed today had been built on the courage, duty and sacrifice of those who served before them.

The appeal will continue ahead of Remembrance Day on November 11.