Victory in Europe Day 2025

80 years ago on the 8th of May, The German Third Riech surrendered and Imperial Japan not long after. Bringing to a close the most destructive war in Human History. We honour and celebrate all the Allied services persons and civilians who worked, fought and died to consign fascism to the trash heap of history.

We must never forget to combat fascism before it grabs hold of nations. We must commit ourselves to building a world where all may breathe free. A world where naked aggression and imperialism have no place and are actively fought against.

As the world now stares into the abyss of conflict once more, it is even more important than ever to remember that the peace we enjoy is incredibly fragile. However, no matter how hopeless things may seem; there is always the power within us all to keep up the fight. We can resist fascism in our everyday lives, in our politics, in our choices, in our families.

So let us celebrate and honour the brave generation who fought the Axis, the generation that refused to give in, even as entire nations fell into darkness and occupation. The generation that resisted even when governments surrendered. The generation that liberated the extermination camps.

This has been your Premier William Alexander, signing off.