National Remembrance Day is observed in Papua New Guinea every July 23 to honor soldiers and officers who lost their lives during World War I, World War II, and other military engagements. This date was chosen to commemorate the First Battle of Kokoda, which took place on July 23, 1942, during the New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War, where Allied forces, primarily Australian, fought against invading Japanese troops. The day includes an official remembrance ceremony held at Remembrance Park in the capital city of Port Moresby, in front of a war memorial depicting the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel” Raphael Oimbari, who aided a wounded Australian soldier. The observance pays tribute to PNG soldiers who served in the Australian military and those in the Papua New Guinea Defense Force who died in service.