As a land shaped by History, Normandy carries within it the memory of conflicts.
Today, Normandy has chosen to transform this heritage into a strength, by committing fully to peace and supporting people affected by contemporary crises.
1944 : a universal turning point
In June 1944, Normandy became the setting for one of the most decisive events of the 20th century. The D-Day followed by the Battle of Normandy, reshaped Europe over the course of three months, at the cost of immense human sacrifice.
Time passes, but memory endures. Normandy continues to welcome visitors from all around the world, who came to pay tribute to the courage of soldiers, to understand and to remember. From the landing beaches to the Caen Memorial Museum, as well as military cemeteries and museums, each site reveals a different facet of this shared history. Normandy carries a universal memory, and with it, a responsibility: to share, to pass on, and create connections between generations.
Normandy Battlefields for Peace : Remember to Act
Launched in 2024, the “Normandy Battlefields for Peace” initiative transforms remembrance into a concrete act of solidarity. Donation boxes and QR codes, installed in museums, tourist offices and partner venues, invite visitors to contribute freely. Collected funds are donated to “Handicap International”, to support its global actions: mine clearance, assistance to victims, and aid for civilians in conflict Zones. There is no obligation, only an invitation to extend one’s visit through a meaningful gesture.
This initiative was inspired by “Somme Battlefields for Peace”, a similar project led by another French deeply marked by the First World War. Two regions, two Histories, one shared ambition: to turn memory into a contemporary driver of engagement.
Normandy World Forum for Peace: Thinking the Future
Since 2018, Normandy welcomes the Normandy World Forum for Peace, a space dedicated to collective reflection on today’s geopolitical and humanitarian challenges.
For two days, at the “Abbaye aux Dames” in Caen, debates, conferences, and screening bring together speakers from around the world, including Heads of States and Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The Forum also features a continuously animated public programme, with concerts exhibitions and activities for all audiences.
The Liberty Prize: Giving a Voice to Youth
Each year, 24 young people from 15 to 25, coming from Normandy, across France and throughout Europe, meet to select a person of organisation actively engaged in the fight for peace.
This is the Liberty Prize, led by the Normandy Region. These young jury embodies the spirit of the initiative: raising awareness among younger generations about peace, freedom, and human rights, inspired by the values brought by the D-Day landing on June 1944.
See D-Day Through a Different Lens
Our Selection of Norman Experiences Connected to D-Day
Courseulles-sur-Mer
Behind-the-Scenes Tour at the Airborne Museum
Sainte-Mère-Église
Family Day at Juno in the footsteps of Canadian Soldiers
Courseulles-sur-Mer