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The New Zealand Memorial in London and its accompanying opening ceremony have lifted the country's profile in Britain, Prime Minister Helen Clark says.
The memorial -- to mark New Zealand's links with Britain and the lives lost fighting in wars together -- was dedicated by the Queen yesterday in a bitterly cold Remembrance Day ceremony at Hyde Park Corner.
The Queen, Helen Clark and British Prime Minister Tony Blair all spoke briefly in the 1-1/2 hour afternoon ceremony.
Helen Clark today said the memorial and its ceremony had received wide coverage in Britain.
"To have the Queen and eight other members of the royal family present, to have the British prime minister, many many dignitaries, it was truly a huge occasion for New Zealand in London.
"It was broadcast live on both the BBC and on Sky, a lot of coverage, and really has lifted the country's profile."
Helen Clark said she was nervous about the reception the sculptures would get, as appreciation of art could be highly subjective, but they looked "absolutely stunning" and had been very well received.
The Queen yesterday described the memorial as "striking".
She said it honoured the two nations' heritage and long-standing loyalties to one another.
It was also to remember those men and women of New Zealand and Britain who shared the hardships of war, and to those who had died, she said.
"And to bear witness to the enduring strength of the relationship between Britain and New Zealand," she said.
Both Helen Clark and Blair paid tribute to the links -- past, present and future -- between the two countries, which harked back to the 18th Century.
The Prime Minister said Hyde Park Corner would become a place New Zealanders were proud to call home.
- NZPA
