King, Queen, PM Rutte to attend Remembrance Day ceremony

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will be attending the Remembrance Day ceremony in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam on May 4th. Prime Minister Mark Rutte will attend the opening of the National Liberation Day Celebration a day later in Groningen, the Telegraaf reports. After the Remembrance Day ceremony, during which Hella de Jonge will give the May 4th-speech, the King and Queen will lay the first wreath at the National Memorial on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb will speak at the national memorial. At 8:00 p.m. there will be two minutes of silence, followed by the traditional poem read by a school student - this year it will be 16 year old Sterre Wolthers from Haren. The next day, May 5th, Prime Minister Mark Rutte will kick off the Liberation Day Celebrations by lighting the liberation fire. Each year the celebration starts in a different province, this year is in Groningen. Journalist Thomas Erdbrink will give a lecture titled "Friend or foe?" during the celebration. The traditional May 5th concert on the Amstel river in Amsterdam closes off the the festivities. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and Prime Minister Rutte will all be there.