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Welcome from the Bailiff of Jersey
On this, the 78 Anniversary of Jersey’s Liberation, I warmly welcome you to celebrate Jersey’s national day as a community.
This year we mark the anniversary in Liberation Square with friends and family as part of an annual tradition, on this occasion the finale of a four-day weekend which has let us witness another significant moment in history, the Coronation of King Charles III
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Joining together on Liberation Day will always be important as we gather to reflect on the Occupation Whether we are a survivor or a descendant of someone who lived through the Second World War, be it as a member of the armed forces, occupied civilian, deportee, internee, evacuee, slave worker, or indeed as anyone who has come more recently to Jersey and embraced and become a part of our community, this day is significant to us.
As a vibrant and mature community, we have, since the Liberation of Jersey, opened our island up and welcomed many nationalities which now call it home and within our diverse community we have developed and strengthened our relations with other jurisdictions around the world.
I am pleased that today we welcome friends from Germany, led by the German Ambassador His Excellency Mr Miguel Berger as well as the Mayors from the German towns of Bad Wurzach and Dorsten. These relationships have matured and grown over the years through a desire to reconcile and it is thanks to this reconciliation and the growth of real friendship that we all sit here today
Jersey was a very different place in the wartime years, as indeed was Europe, and the racist and oppressive regime that Nazi Germany no longer exists. That is behind us, but there are many countries around the world, even of course in Europe, suffering conflict and wars today. We can hope on this Liberation Day that they can, in the future, resolve differences or overcome oppression to live the peaceful and harmonious life as that we are fortunate to do here
Sir Timothy Le Cocq