The celebrations for the 80th VE Day anniversary have been announced, as Britons have been urged to organise street parties to mark the occasion.
Victory in Europe Day, known as VE Day, is celebrated on 8 May each year to mark the day the Allies formally accepted Germany’s surrender in 1945.
To kick off the landmark celebrations on 5 May, the Cenotaph will be draped in Union flags for the first time since it was unveiled by King George IV in 1920, and a flypast and military procession in London will take place.
The flypast will involve current and historic aircraft and the Red Arrows.
Then, over the following days, a series of events will be held, such as landmarks being lit up and an installation of 30,000 ceramic poppies at the Tower of London, leading up to the anniversary day itself.
Commemorating the newsflash announcement on the evening of 7 May 1945, that the following day would be VE Day, the Parliament Choir will host an anniversary concert in Westminster Hall.
On 8 May, a service will take place at Westminster Abbey, with events concluding with a concert, which will see more than 10,000 members of the public at Horse Guards Parade.
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Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the anniversary offered “important opportunities for communities to come together”.
She added the anniversary would be a chance to “hear our veterans’ stories first hand, to reflect and remember, and ensure that their stories of sacrifice and service are remembered for generations to come”.
Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition, which is organising the VEDay80 community campaign, said the celebrations were a chance to “reach out to neighbours, friends and our wider communities”.
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Bank holiday street parties and barbecues will be organised by the coalition and the first day of events includes a street party on the surviving warship HMS Belfast.
Bruno Peek, pageant master of the commemoration, said: “We encourage everyone to take part – raise the VE Day flag at 9am, gather in streets, gardens, town halls, clubs and pubs. Let this be a day of joy, reflection, and celebration.”
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Then, on 15 August, a further series of events will be held to mark the end of the Second World War between the US and Japan.
