American President Barack Obama will make the trip to France in June to mark the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. He made the announcement on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, at the beginning of a joint press conference with the French President, Francois Hollande.
President Obama’s trip will be second to mark an important anniversary in Normandy. He was there in 2009 for the 65th Anniversary. At the White House arrival ceremony on morning of the 11th, Hollande made a public invitation to the president as the two honored veterans of that landing.
“I wish to demonstrate the fact that France will never forget the spirit of sacrifice shown by these American soldiers, nameless heroes who left their homes to liberate my country and Europe,” he said. “We shall pay tribute to them during the celebrations that will take place in France to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landing. And I hope, Barack, that you will join me on the 6th of June, 2014, 70 years after D-Day landing.”
When Obama accepted the invitation, Politico reports that Hollande added that he was pleased that Obama would join him to honor the soldiers who sacrificed their lives on that day in 1944. He also said that the invitation would “celebrate reconciliation and peace.”