London will be hosting celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the end of the second world war this week, writes Mary Clarke. Events are being held this week, as we are half way between the VE Day and VJ Day celebrations.
The events are aimed at highlighting the importance of remembrance, the contributions that veterans have made to society and the issues that affect them.
Concerts, exhibitions and parades are planned to mark the occasion. The week's events were launched in St James's Park with a "living museum", where visitors will see costumed characters perform re-enactments, have the opportunity to talk to veterans and to see wartime objects.
Every night this week, from 9pm, Buckingham Palace will become a screen displaying a 20-minute series of images showing Britain at War. This week will be an opportunity to view a number of items of historical interest, which have been supplied by the Ministry of Defence and are not usually available for public viewing. It will also be one of the last chances for Britain to commemorate the war alongside surviving veterans.
The work of women during the war will also be recognised as the Queen, accompanied by seven winners of the George Medal, will unveil a memorial to honour to the part played by women in the second world war. The memorial is a £1m monument by sculptor John Mills and will be unveiled in Whitehall.
The week reaches its climax on Sunday with a service at Westminster Cathedral, a lunch for 2,000 veterans at Buckingham Palace, and a fly past of British and American second world war aircraft. The BBC will be broadcasting Sunday's proceedings live.
