Medicine Hat and Steenbergen Netherlands Mayors Sign Friendship Proclamation
2025 is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. Canadian troops were instrumental in the liberation; the Dutch remember the sacrifice of our troops.
On May 5 (the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands) the Dutch flag was raised at Riverside Veterans Memorial Park by Paul Nederveen and Ron Payne.
L-R Paul Nederveen, Ron Payne, Paul Mast
May 8 2025 is the 80th anniversary of Germany’s surrender, now known as the Victory in Europe Day. This ceremony was held in the Helen Beny Gibson lounge in City Hall where Steenbergen Mayor Ruud van den Belt gave a heartfelt speech.
The mayors signed proclamations of friendship; they also exchanged city flags and gifts. The group proceeded over to Riverside Veterans Memorial Park for a wreath laying ceremony and to ring the bell which was a gift from the people of Steenbergen. They brought it to Canada in 2016 and presented it in Edmonton. That same bell is now with the South Alberta Light Horse at their Medicine Hat base. When the bell is rung here on November 11, a bell will be rung at the same time in Steenbergen.
The two mayors started the bell ringing; the ringing continued until everyone involved in the ceremony had a chance to ring it.
