Event Description:

In The Bahamas, Remembrance Day is the day on which Bahamians memorialize their veterans who served in the British Army in World War I and II, 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, respectively.

It was King George V of Britain who was the first to institute Remembrance Day, when on the 7th November, 1919, he set aside a day during the month of November as a day to remember British soldiers killed during World War I.   The day chosen was specifically selected to coincide with the official end of World War I, “at the 11th hour (11:00 a.m.) of the 11th month 1918”.  In like fashion, the Bahamian Government made the decision to commemorate Remembrance Day on the nearest Sunday to the November 7th by designating the 2nd Sunday in November as Remembrance Day.  

On Remembrance Day, there are two services held, the first, an ecumenical service at Christ Church Cathedral, followed by a parade and a second service at the Garden of Remembrance.  In attendance at the services are the Governor General, the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Judiciary, other government dignitaries, heads of the Police and Defence Force Veterans from the Bahamian Chapter of the British Legion and their families.

Participating in the parade are Marching Youth Bands and Youth Organizations, including the Boy Scouts, Guides, Boys Brigade, Church Youth Groups, Cadet Sections of the Police and Defence Forces and government uniform branches.  Veterans who are now all above the age of seventy and are no longer required to march in the parade.   At the Garden of Remembrance a brief interdenominational service is held led by the Bahamian Christian Council followed by the laying of wreaths by the Diplomatic Corp and other Non Government Organizations (NGO) at the base of the Cenotaph.     

• Independence Events Calendar 2023 
• The National Honours Awards Nomination Form 2023 - Government - Notices (bahamas.gov.bs)

For further information:

Please contact Mrs. Antoinette Brown, 
Cabinet Office
Tel. (242) 322-3220
E-mail: antoinettebrown@bahamas.gov.bs
National Events Unit: nationalevents@bahamas.ogv.bs