Today, on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, we will fall silent to remember those men and women who have served in our armed forces.
This year's Remembrance has a unique poignancy as we mark 100 years since the end of World War I.
The Great War spanned four long years and, in the UK alone, around 6 million men were mobilised. Tragically, around 700,000 of these men made the ultimate sacrifice and did not return home.
32 countries were involved in the conflict, accounting for around 40% of the world's population. The total number of civilian and military casualties by the end of the war was estimated to be around 17 million.“A war to end all wars".
Sadly, we know all too well that the Great War ended up being a prologue to further conflict around the world.
At this time of Remembrance, we pause and reflect on the sacrifices of our brave servicemen and women both in the past and in the present. We honour their service in defence of our nation and our democracy.
I hope, as we reflect, we strive towards peace and unity in our world, where democracy and debate can thrive; where we look outwards to our international neighbours in a determination to avoid conflict and prejudice.
Let us never forget those who gave us the freedoms we often take for granted today - their sacrifice can and should never be in vain.