Every year on April 25th Australia and New Zealand celebrate a holiday that is unique to those two countries.

It's one of the most important days on the calendar for them and it was created to celebrate an event which took place over a hundred years ago.

Today the holiday has taken on a broader meeting

and developed traditions all of its own.

Learn more about Anzac Day, its origin,

and how it's celebrated on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. And Zak Day is celebrated on April 25th every year in Australia and New Zealand.

Today the holidays become a general purpose holiday to commemorate all those who served and

died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, as well as the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.

To this extent, it's similar to holidays in other countries which honor veterans and those

who died in wars.

The closest equivalent holiday in the United States would be Memorial Day.

However, there are specific reasons why Anzac Day is called Anzac Day and why it's celebrated on April 25th and why it's only celebrated in Australia and New Zealand.

The story of Anzac Day begins with the start of the First World War.

When Germany invaded neutral Belgium, it caused Great Britain to enter the war in August of 1914.

At the time the British Empire was a much more unified concept and Australia and New Zealand

were self-governing parts of the empire with what was known as Dominion status.

This was also the status given at the time to Canada and South Africa as well.

Dominion status was sort of a quasi-colonial status where a country was largely

independent but also still sort of a colony. When the war was declared, both the

governments of Australia and New Zealand quickly pledged their support for the war.

While the vast majority of the fighting in the First World War took place in Europe, it was in fact a global

conflict.

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