‘The importance of freedom is not obvious to everyone these days’

Commemorations and activities  
May 4 and 5 are special days in the Dutch calendar. That's when the country pays homage to all the Dutch soldiers and civilians who perished in conflicts and peacekeeping missions since the Second World War and commemorates the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the latter. To know more about these two holidays, click here.

Utrecht will commemorate the liberation of the Netherlands in several ways. The traditional commemoration of May 4, also known as Remembrance Day, will happen at Domplein at 8:00 pm. Afterwards, Studium Generale will hold a lecture with Ido de Haan, a History professor who specialises in Holocaust remembrance in the Netherlands. He will discuss the persecution of Jews at the time and how that memory is used in the political discussions of our time. The lecture will also be dramatised by the theatre company Nieuw Utrechts Toneel. The lecture starts at 8.30 pm and entrance is free of charge. 

On May 5, many activities will be organised in the city and province of Utrecht. The most well-known is the annual Liberation Festival at Transwijk Park. This year, the lineup includes bands as Flemming, Rondé, and Sera. You can also head to the Neude library for performances, movies, lectures, and exhibitions. TivoliVredenburg will hold several lectures too. You can even join others for a 'freedom meal'. Click here to read the full programme.

May 7 is the day the city of Utrecht was liberated. At 7:00 pm, the date will be commemorated at the Polar Bear Monument at Hogelandsepark. Hanneke van Eijken, a lecturer in European law and city poet for Utrecht, will recite a poem specially written to mark 80 years of freedom.