Fleur Oude Voshaar 7 June 2024

Press Release: We Are Live Provides Worldwide Livestream of 80th D-Day Anniversary in Normandy

Amsterdam, June 6, 2024 – We Are Live, an Amsterdam-based producer of digital and hybrid events, has been honored with the task of providing the global livestream for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. This event marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation that took place on June 6, 1944 – a historic moment that signaled the end of the German occupation during WW-II.

The commemoration, which occurs only once every five years, was attended by approximately 12,500 people this year and followed by hundreds of thousands of viewers worldwide. One of the most touching aspects of this event was the presence of a large group of veterans, about 200 in total, now aged between 95 and 104. This is likely the last time such a large group of veterans can attend, making this commemoration especially significant.

The ceremony takes place at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, the American military cemetery in Normandy. The livestream assignment came from the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). This year, both President Biden and President Macron attended the commemoration.

Thomas Mulder, partner at We Are Live and Executive Producer of this production, stated: “The fact that as a company you not only receive approval from the federal government but also the responsibility for the entire show feels like an enormous vote of confidence.”

“The location is remote and covers a large area, which presents some technical challenges,” Mulder continued. “Additionally, there are many parties we need to coordinate with, ranging from the White House, Secret Service, and the U.S. Department of Defense, to international media parties and AV companies for lighting and sound. This makes the event large and complex, and thus interesting for us.”

The We Are Live team provided the World feeds for major broadcasters such as ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, Reuters, AP, and TF1, making the event accessible worldwide to millions of people who wanted to follow the historic commemoration. Besides the world feeds, the We Are Live team was responsible for show calling and screen direction for this special event.