Europe Remembers is an initiative by the LRE Foundation that forms a large-scale awareness campaign commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. From June 5th to 7th, our Europe Remembers team travelled to Normandy to celebrate the historic 80th anniversary of D-Day. During this time, we participated in multiple commemorative events, visited historical sites, and conducted interviews with veterans and participants.
The Europe Remembers crew began their coverage on June 5th by attending the Pegasus Bridge Ceremony. This key commemoration paid homage to the British soldiers who carried out the first mission of the landings. The Europe Remembers team also visited and covered other significant places, including the German Cemetery in La Cambe, the British Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, and Pointe du Hoc. Additionally, they attended the Thanksgiving Service in the majestic Bayeux Cathedral organised by the town and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. During that day, the crew also interviewed veterans such as Mervyn Kersh who shared their invaluable experiences with us.
In the evening, the Europe Remembers participated in a ceremony at the Canadian Cemetery, where a unique installation of candles was placed on each grave to honour the Commonwealth soldiers who fought and died on D-Day.
On June 6th, Europe Remembers attended the British Ceremony in Ranville, the first village to be liberated by the Allied forces during the Battle of Normandy. The presence of veterans, school children and dignitaries underscored the importance of remembering and honouring these historic moments. Later that day, the team visited Arromanches, known for the artificial Mulberry Harbor used during the landings. The town was full of visitors who came together to commemorate and celebrate the anniversary.
In addition to the official ceremonies, the team visited several key museums, including the Juno Beach Centre, the D-Day Museum in Arromanches, the Utah Beach Museum and the Airborne Museum of Sainte-Mère-Eglise.
“The Europe Remembers trip to Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day was an interesting occasion for remembrance and education”, says Rémi Praud, Managing Director of the LRE Foundation. “By participating in ceremonies, visiting historic sites, and engaging with veterans, the Europe Remembers team has created engaging content that we hope will get more and more people involved in the 80 years commemorations.”
As we reflect on our trip to Normandy, we look forward to next fall when we will join our partners in The Netherlands—Brabant, Zeeland, and Gelderland—to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Scheldt.
Visit our Europe Remembers website to watch some of the videos created in Normandy and learn more about our efforts to raise awareness about the Second World War!
