Thursday, October 24, 2019 - 09:24

On Friday 8 May 2020, Gibraltar will have an additional Bank Holiday in order to mark the anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) and to enable people to pay tribute to those who served in one of the most significant events in Europe’s history. 8 May 2020 is the 75th anniversary of the Allies’ formal acceptance of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on 8 May 1945.

Gibraltar has been celebrating different aniversaries in the past, such as the 50th and 60th, of VE Day, as our illustrations show.

Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo said, ‘The United Kingdom has chosen to mark this anniversary with a Bank Holiday on 8 May and it is right and proper that we do the same.

"VE Day marked an historic moment in Gibraltar’s history and it is important that we commemorate the occasion on its 75th anniversary. We should honour those who did their duty here in Gibraltar, those who fought on the battlefields of Europe and those who had been separated by an enforced wartime evacuation. "Having a VE Day Bank Holiday next year is a fitting tribute to them all: it will ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to remember and honour our heroes of the Second World War and reflect on the sacrifices of that generation. We are planning various events to mark the day in an appropriate way."

24-10-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR