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On 4 May 2026, the Remembrance Day ceremony took place in Dronten. The large number of people gathered on the square, the invited guests, the wreath-layers, the music and singing, the speech, and the poem made a deep impression.

The documentary shows how a strong culture of remembrance has developed in Dronten, a municipality that did not yet exist during the war. Stories about Allied airmen, surviving relatives, and local residents involved are interwoven with historical footage and interviews with present-day Royal Air Force personnel.

On 5 May, Liberation Day, activities take place across the country, ranging from small gatherings to large celebrations and, in recent years, Freedom Meals. The core of a Freedom Meal is a shared moment at the table, where participants talk about freedom and the absence of it. You meet new people, listen to each other’s stories and get to know one another better. It is an initiative of the Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei. In the municipality of Dronten, four Freedom Meals will take place on 5 May.

The 4 May Remembrance Foundation Dronten has finalized the programme for the Remembrance Ceremony on May 4, 2026. In this message, we inform you about the programme and the activities taking place on and around May 4, 2026.

On May 4, 2025, the Remembrance Day ceremony took place in Dronten. The large crowd on the square, the invited guests, wreath layers, music and singing, the speech, and the poem made a deep impression. This year, we commemorated the end of World War II, which occurred 80 years ago.

The 4 May Remembrance Foundation Dronten has finalized the programme for the Remembrance Ceremony on May 4, 2025. This year, we commemorate the fact that the Second World War ended 80 years ago. In this message, we inform you about the programme and the activities taking place on and around May 4, 2025.

Each year, the Airmen’s Memorial is adopted by Year 7 (Group 7) of one of the primary schools in the municipality of Dronten. These students take on the responsibility of caring for the monument for one year. Last year, the students came from De Dukdalf primary school. They are now handing over that responsibility to Year 7 of De Brandaris in Dronten.

On May 5th, Liberation Day, activities take place throughout the country, ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale festivities — and in recent years, also Liberation Meals. The heart of the Liberation Meal lies in meaningful encounters at the table, where participants engage in conversations about freedom and the lack thereof. People meet new faces, listen to each other's stories, and get to know one another better. It is an initiative of the National Committee for 4 and 5 May. In the municipality of Dronten, four Liberation Meals will be held on May 5th.

On May 4, 2024, the 60th commemoration of the dead took place in Dronten. The large number of people on the square, the invited guests, the wreath-layers, the music and singing, the speech and the poem were impressive.

The first edition of pouring Freedom Soup at the Kite Monument on the Meerpaalplein was a success. Many interested people came to see the beautifully laid wreaths of flowers at the monument. Afterwards, they could participate in the Freedom Supper between 1 and 4 p.m.

Also this year, board members of the 4 Mei Dronten Foundation visited De Regenboog in Dronten. Jan Benning and Bart Doeze Jager gave a lecture for the residents, focusing on the foundation and the upcoming commemoration, but of course they went back to the Second World War.

Today the swimming association "De ZuiderZeeZwemmers" organized the annual swimming competition for the Airgunnerstrophy. All students of group 8 from the region were allowed to participate. The competition took place in the Aat de Jonge Zwembad in Dronten and started at 13:30. All official duties for the competition were fulfilled by enthusiastic youth swimmers and volunteers of the Dronten swimming club.