On Friday, the Netherlands celebrated the end of World War II with various festivities, including parties and festivals, and a special dish called 'freedom soup.' However, the KNMI weather
bureau issued a warning about thunderstorms that could disrupt the celebrations.
Despite the warning, the day started with a meaningful event in Wageningen, where Marie Scott, a 96-year-old British veteran, lit the Freedom Flame alongside Mayor Floor Vermeulen. Scott served in the British army communications department in Portsmouth and is one of 16 British veterans who participated in the ceremony.
Afterward, approximately 1,500 Dutch and other veterans marched past in Wageningen. From there, the flame was carried by relay to the 14 locations nationwide where official freedom festivals were being held, with around 1,700 runners from 97 different local councils taking part in the run.
Additionally, former Belgian prime minister and European Council chairman Herman Van Rompuy gave the traditional May 5 reading in Zwolle, Overijssel, which was also the start of the 14 formal Liberation Day festivals.
The celebrations concluded with the traditional May 5 concert on the Amstel river in Amsterdam, attended by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. While Liberation Day is a national holiday, it is only a paid day off work once every five years in most pay and conditions agreements, although civil servants are mainly free, and schools are closed. Shops can remain open if they choose. Photo by Archangel12, Wikimedia commons.