A tribute to war veterans is being held tomorrow afternoon at Commissioner?s House in Dockyard.

The event recognising local war veterans is being organised by the Department of Cultural Affairs and will be held at 2 p.m. near the Defence Heritage Exhibit.

Local war veterans will be honoured by the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Veterans from the Second World War, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, the Gulf and the Falklands will be honoured, as well as those who served in Northern Ireland.

?We encourage all veterans, family, friends and the general public to come to pay tribute to our war veterans who are part of our living history and to honour those who gave their lives,? said Minister of Community Affairs and Sport Dale Butler. ?We also encourage veterans to wear their medals.?

Eighty Bermudians were killed in combat during the First World War out of a total of 373 who served.

Five hundred men and women from Bermuda served in the Second World War in overseas forces such as the Royal British Navy, Royal Air Force, Merchant Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, US Forces and the First Battalion Caribbean Regiment. Thirty-six Bermudians were killed in combat in WWII.

Registrar Linda Abend said the Defence Heritage Exhibit at the Maritime Museum pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of Bermuda?s many war veterans and was only made possible by the contributions of war vets and their families.

?Many of them were instrumental in making this unprecedented and very popular exhibit possible by donating their photographs, memories and artefacts to us in order to preserve their legacy and to help the Museum to expand its collections of wartime memorabilia,? Ms Abend said. ?We are particularly gratified that this tribute will continue the effort to document and honour the life stories of servicemen and women.?

As the tribute is being organised in conjunction with the Department of Cultural Affairs? Historical Heart Beats Series, it is going to be documented to replay at local schools.

?The Department of Cultural Affairs will continue to invest in our people by raising the awareness of Bermuda?s history and culture through the promotion of the ?Historical Heart Beats Series? that is dedicated to the exploration of our diverse cultural heritage and history,? Mr. Butler said. ?To this end, we recognise the educational value of such an endeavour, by ensuring that this information is documented and made available to our schools and the public at large.?

Mr. Butler thanked the Bermuda Maritime Museum for opening their doors free of charge this Sunday.

?(Bermuda?s Defence Heritage) is a fascinating exhibition of photographs, research, artefacts and rare artillery on Bermuda?s Military History,? Mr. Butler said.