Liberation 75+1 Online this year
- Samantha Cowan
- May 2, 2021
- 3 min read
Hello dearest friends,
Yes.
Indeed.
It has been another trip around the sun.
Exactly a year from now, we aim to be making up for the 75th Liberation events in the Netherlands which we all missed so much in 2020.
The Liberation organizers across the Netherlands have banded together this month in an effort to honour the Liberation 75+1 Events virtually, again.
BUT! This time around, preparedness and great intention have been taken in stride, with virtual events of higher quality and with more collaboration - of course, it won't be the same, but even a virtual glimpse, is a vital connection!
There are some very exciting online presentations and events going on over the next few days, all across the Netherlands, to honour and celebrate Canada's heroic actions.
Truly beautiful events.
Little hints of honour and celebration can be found throughout the country!
A couple of days ago, Joel Stoppels from Battlefield Tours Groningen posted this to his facebook page:
^^^ "What an incredibly beautiful way to honour the Canadian fallen in Groningen. The fallen Canadian soldiers are visible on all advertising screens in Groningen ❤️🙏" - Joël Stoppels Battlefield Tours is in Groningen, Netherlands
List of upcoming events and efforts
Today (May 2nd)
Today we mark the 76th Anniversary since Operation Faust began - otherwise known as the food drop - Canadians transported food for starving Dutch citizens into the German-occupied Netherlands. Canadian veteran Charlie Smith was there. Here’s his story:
May 4th
Remembrance Day in the Netherlands. In a usual year, every year, a Ceremony at the Canadian Military Cemetery in Holten takes place - but this year, like last year, is different.
Wouter Van Dijken asks WE ARE QUIET FOR 2 MINUTES ON 4 MAY AT 8 PM ...YOU TOO?
Join him on Facebook and let him know that the Canadians he honours every day at Holten & Groesbeek Canadian Cemeteries are not forgotten here in Canada. We thank him for his commitment, passion and unwavering love for the Canadian graves he looks after.
May 5th
May 5th is Liberation Day (which is also National Dutch Heritage Day here in 🇨🇦), The Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canada will be hosting a live “Friendship and Freedom Concert" on Facebook.
This virtual event will feature artists from both Canada and the Netherlands performing traditional songs & poetry on this shared day of celebration. It will broadcast here at 7:30pm EDT.
Wageningen Live (May 4th & 5th)
While Liberation Day is held on May 5th, the city of Wageningen is the centre for it all, oftentimes dubbed as "the City of Liberation".
It was here that Lt.-Gen. Charles Foulkes of the 1st Canadian Corps accepted the surrender of the commander of German forces in the Netherlands on May 5, 1945.
The group Wageningen45 has organized a national two-day digital celebration to be broadcast live on May 4 and 5. Part of the commemoration has Dutch schoolchildren writing their own thank-you letters to 680 veterans worldwide, some of which will be read out next week. Three of these letters have already arrived to veterans living in Windsor Ontario!
All programming can be followed on 4 and 5 May via an interactive program, Wageningen45 LIVE on this page!
Do you know of other events happening either locally or internationally for Liberation 75+1 - share with us!
There are so many wonderful events happening this week to ring in Liberation 75+1 as we continue to honour the special relationship between Canada & the Netherlands.
What better way to connect us as we prepare ourselves for when we can get back to celebrating in real life with our friends in Europe? What better reminder to us that those friends in Europe have never forgotten Canada's story?
Let us know if there's an event you'd like to share - we certainly want to be apart! E-mail samantha@connectiontours.ca to get in touch.
In the meantime, we will continue to share events on our Facebook page throughout the month of May.
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