To honor the about 500,000 soldiers who gave their lives or were casualities during the 1915 (Gallipoli Campaign) of World War I, the southern half of the Gallipoli Peninsula now acts as a national park preserving that time in history. This is the spirit that shows war is no cause for permanent hostilities but can serve as a basis for friendship as well. The region covers 33,000 hectares (330 squ. km). The geological, archaelogical and environmental features of the Gallipoli Peninsula have stimulated the region into a popular tourist spot. The Peninsula has been a bridgehead, a barrier and a meeting place for different cultures over the centuries. Each year thousands of tourists, particularly from Australia and New Zealand, join the ANZAC day commemorations. It is a profoundly emotional experience in a place where national identities were forged. The Gallipoli Peninsula is equally revered as a site of remembrance by the Allies (Britain, France, India) and by the Turkish people who suffered a quarter of a million casualties in defending their homeland against the Allied invasion. Anzac Day (April 25) is a national day of commemoration in both Australia and New Zealand.

The results of the Gallipoli Campaign were appalling. 26,111 Australian casualties were suffered of whom 8,141 were killed. In addition, New Zealand suffered 7,571 casualties of whom 2,431 were killed. Britain lost 21,255 dead out of 120,000 casualties, while French troops lost about 10,000 out of 27,000 casualties. India and Newfoundland lost 1350 and 49 soldiers, respectively. The Turkish lost about 80,000 soldiers with over 220,000 casualties.

Today, the Gallipoli Peninsula across the Straits from the city of Canakkale serves as a national park where several war memorials and cemetaries belonging to the Turks, Australians, New Zealanders, British and French reflect the drama of those days. Every April the 25th, thousands of people from those countries meet here to commemorate the Gallipoli Campaign. And every March the 18th, thousands of people from all over the Turkey come to visit their ancestors and celebrate the victory of the 18 March 1915 Naval Battle. Here is the place of everywhere, one land, a thousand nations.