MESSAGE FROM THE NETHERLANDS

• Posted on 05 May 2020
• 06 min read

As almost all the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands have had to be cancelled, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence would like to send a short, heartfelt message to the Allied veterans who liberated the Netherlands.

The message can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/nkHJUNY5uoQ

Freedom… is fragile.

To be able to speak, vote or worship freely…

To be free from deprivation, from fear…

We need each other.

Seventy-five years ago, the Allies gave us back our freedom.

They freed us from oppression, violence and poverty.

We must fight for that freedom day after day.

For ourselves, and for others.

That is why I chose to serve.

To protect what is dear to us.

Because to protect freedom, we have to work together.

No individual is stronger than the team.

Freedom gives us so much.

It is the foundation for who we are and for all that we do.

But freedom asks something of us too.

Freedom is not to be taken for granted.

At 20:00 on 4 May, at each note of the Tattoo bugle call ….

At each syllable of the Wilhelmus [national anthem] …

We will remember our colleagues who made the ultimate sacrifice.

And all those people who gave their lives for freedom.

To honour their sacrifice, we must do more than just remember in silence.

We must resolve again and again to fight for the ‘we’ in a world of ‘me’.

To serve a purpose that transcends self-interest.

Together… we are stronger.

Together… we are more.

Together… we are free.

To all the Allied veterans who paved the way to our freedom: THANK YOU!