Civic events to commemorate the First World War

Saturday 2^nd August – Monday 4^th August 2014

Birmingham City Council is committed to commemorating the First World War with a 5 year programme of events and activities.  This year the city will commemorate the Centenary of the Outbreak of the First World War with a weekend of events.

On Saturday 2^nd August, 1pm Birmingham Hippodrome will be hosting the Minimum Monument art installation by Brazilian artist Néle Azevedo; an interactive piece of art located in Chamberlain Square, where the public can place small frozen men shapes which melt in the sun.

On Sunday 3^rd August a Civic Service will be held in Birmingham Cathedral which will commemorate the Centenary of the Outbreak of the First World War.  The service is by invitation only and will be attended by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Shafique Shah and representatives of the Armed Forces who have received the Freedom of the City.

11.30am – 6.00pm in Victoria and Chamberlain Squares there will be a full day’s entertainment programme: The event will open with Charlie Chaplin silent movies on the Big Screen in Victoria Square with the stage programme from 12pm – 6pm.  The Military Community Choir will be performing, plus the Alan Warner Band and Music Hall Show with Maggie O’Hara.  Birmingham’s Young Poet Laureate Lauren Williams and Birmingham’s Poet Laureate Joanna Skelt have both written specially commissioned poems for the event and will perform them from the main stage.  The Band of the West Midlands Fire Service will also be performing with music popular in 1914.

There will be talks in the Council House by the Western Front Association for those who wish to learn more about the First World War and its links with Birmingham.

As well as the stage programme there will be representatives of the Armed Forces at the event, with weapon displays by the 1^st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and a field hospital display by the 202 Field Hospital comparing modern day army resources with those of 1914.  Suffragettes, Home Front Life and a 1914 Army Recruitment Post will be part of the  Living history displays, plus a craft workshop, Travelling Military Museum and Shared Histories display and Charlie Chaplin Walkabout character.  The Gold Medal winning Chelsea Flower Show display will also be open to the public.

On Monday 4^th August, a Candlelight Vigil will be held at Birmingham Cathedral 5.30pm – 11pm open to the public.  It will be an event of quiet reflection with music from Birmingham City Council Choir and Birmingham Cathedral Choir, plus a live broadcast of the service to be held at Westminster Abbey, 10pm -11pm.  The event will be part of Lights Out 14-18 which is a UK wide event which aims to have one light on at 11pm to mark the time at which war was declared on Germany in 1914.

For more information contact 0121 303 3008