April 14, 2025

Call for Stories: #IRemember 

On May 8th, Europe commemorates Victory in Europe (VE) Day, the moment in 1945 when the Allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, marking the end of World War II in Europe.  However, the end of WWII is not a one-size-fits-all story.  While VE Day is recognized across many countries, the timeline of the war’s end varied across Europe and beyond. In some places, fighting continued, occupations persisted, and the return to peace was anything but immediate.  For many, the true end of the war wasn’t marked by a headline or a date, but by quieter, more personal moments: a family member coming home, the sound of silence replacing sirens, or the reopening of a school or shop.  So we ask: How did your family, your neighborhood, or your community experience the end of the war? 

The Campaign:  

To mark the 80th anniversary of WWII’s end, Europe Remembers is launching a digital storytelling campaign across social media to reflect the wide range of experiences connected to the war’s conclusion.  

We want to hear stories about how your family, neighborhood, or town experienced the end of the war—and when it really felt like peace had arrived.  

Call to Action:  

We invite you to share your story, in your own words or images via a short video. Whether it’s a family memory, a local event, a personal discovery, or a forgotten moment in your community’s history—we want to hear it.  

You can contribute:  

  • Your Family’s Story: Share memories passed down through generations, photos, letters, diaries, or interviews with relatives who remember how it ended.  

  • Your Neighborhood or Town’s Story: Is there a plaque, monument, or building in your area connected to WWII’s end? Are there untold or overlooked stories worth bringing to light?  

If you’re not comfortable filming a video, you’re welcome to send a written story.  

There’s space for creativity!  
Your contribution can take the form of an interview, a personal reflection in first person, a narrated story in third person, or anything else that pops into your mind. The format is flexible, and we encourage you to get creative in the way you bring the memory to life.  

Feel free to speak your native language.  
Stories can be shared in the language that feels most natural to you. If needed, we’ll work with you to add subtitles so your voice can reach as many people as possible.  

Submission Guidelines:  

  • Video format: Vertical, max 1 minute 30 seconds  

  • Deadline: May 5, 2025  

Visibility:  

Selected stories will be featured on Europe Remembers’ official Instagram, Facebook, and Website as part of our #IRemember series.  

We also encourage you to share your stories on your own platforms using the hashtag #IRemember to help amplify a more inclusive and diverse remembrance of WWII’s end. 

Join us in sharing these stories and creating a more inclusive narrative of the end of WWII.

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