Actor Mark Rylance backs white poppies
'Remembrance Sunday should be a time to ‘refocus our every effort to avert war’.'
The Peace Pledge Union (PPU)’s white poppy campaign launched last week with the backing of Mark Rylance.
The actor, whose awards include an Oscar and several BAFTAs, said that he will be among the thousands of people wearing a white poppy, insisting that Remembrance Sunday should be a time to ‘refocus our every effort to avert war’.
Civilians should be commemorated alongside armed forces personnel, he said, adding that it is ‘an offence not to remember their suffering’.
Speaking on 24 October, the longstanding peace campaigner said he deeply respected ‘the origin and longevity of the Peace Pledge Union’s campaign, created by the Co-operative Women’s Guild in the aftermath of world war one, when our brave ancestors were promised it would be the war to end all wars. These suffering women, many of them grieving the loss of husbands, brothers, sons and fathers, also deserve our respect and remembrance’.
The PPU said that the war in Ukraine has led to more people suggesting that Remembrance should include both civilian and military casualties of all nationalities. The number of white poppy outlets is on the rise, with at least one outlet in almost every city and large town in the UK, as well as many smaller towns. Last year also saw an increase in the use of white poppies in ceremonies in city centres and universities.
This year’s poppies also have a new environmental design. The PPU has worked with Calverts, a workers’ co-operative in east London, to produce white poppies that are fully recyclable in household recycling facilities.
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