The Our Freedom: Then and Now project in the Western Isles began with a warm and welcoming launch event at Stornoway Library. Leabharlainn nan Eilean Siar invited the community to come together to commemorate the end of the Second World War and to reflect on what freedom means across generations.

The evening featured a screening of Battle of the Atlantic, the film that inspired the project, alongside appearances from special guests including the Hebridean Women collective and Kelly Macdonald (HTA). Storytelling, music and shared conversation created an atmosphere of connection and remembrance, setting the tone for the project’s exploration of freedom in the islands.