News

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.

Every year the monument is adopted by Group 7 of one of the elementary schools in the municipality of Dronten. These pupils take care of the monument for a year. Last year the pupils were from De Tamarisk from Biddinghuizen. They now pass on the responsibility to group 7 of De Dukdalf from Dronten.

Stichting 4 Mei Herdenking Dronten has finished the program for the Remembrance of the Dead on May 4, 2024. This year marks the 60th commemoration of the dead in Dronten. We reflect on this moment and mark it as a transition to a time when there will no longer be Airgunners present at the commemoration. In this message we inform you about innovative elements in the program and activities that will take place on and around May 4, 2024.

Since 2015, lights have been placed on war graves on Christmas Eve as the sun sets. Stichting Veteranen Gemeente Dronten took the initiative to light 7 candles at the monument on Lancasterdreef in Dronten in honour of the 7 crew members of Lancaster ED 357. The candles were lit with the Peace Light by the Flevo Scouts.

Pupils and teachers of Almere College in Dronten and board members of the 4 May Remembrance Foundation Dronten were in Edinburgh from 7 to 11 November to attend the Remembrance Day commemoration at Stewart's Melville College. The reason for this is the connection between the two schools in the person of William Middleton Ward. William Ward was formerly a student at Stewart's Melville College. He died in World War II and the propeller of his plane forms the monument in Dronten.

On May 6, 2023, the annual Tattoo took place on the Meerpaalplein in Dronten. Three corps presented a total of five shows.