Welcome to Breda!
International meeting in Breda
Introduction
The Turfschip Lodge No.94 in Breda hosted the 10th International Odd Fellow Meeting (IOFM meeting 2024 Breda) in Breda on April 12 and 13, 2024.
The program started on Friday afternoon with a ”friendly lodge meeting” based on how the Turfschip Lodge generally hold a meeting, with a second part after a break with various presentations and speakers. Then followed by a meet and greet buffet. Many participants have known each other for a long time from previous meetings and friendships are strengthened here again.
Saturday there was an optional program with a tour through the center of Breda, a cruise through the canals of Breda or your own interpretation. At the end of Saturday there was a meeting at a historic top location in the center of Breda, the Walloon church. In this historic ambiance, a good buffet was once again served and a performance by historical figure William of Orange about Breda, the city of the fatherland, was enjoyed, followed by performances by 2 singers and brothers of the order. Brother Alberto Gomez of the Maas Lodge in Rotterdam and Brother Bavo Tas of both the Turfschip Lodge in Breda and a member of the Mixed Brabologe in Zandhoven (B). Finally, there were several international speakers and finally the handover of the baton with ”See you in Wroclaw” as the conclusion.
The text from Brother Lars Stridsberg from Lodge B172 Fritiof Nilsson in Sweden), actualized for IOFM meeting 12-13 april 2024 Breda / The Netherlands, was spoken by brother Henk Jan de Heer for the handover of the baton to Czeslaw Wolinski, head organizer of the IOFM meeting in September 2025 in Wroclaw in Poland;
”Honored and distinguished guests, Dear brother and sisters Ladies and gentlemen”
We are all here in the wonderful town of Breda together in the spirit of Odd Fellow.
To make meetings like this to continue for the future I will give to the Zygmunt lodge this
fiery cross to pass on to the next lodge in the long chain of lodges in charge of arrange a meeting like this.
This fiery cross has on its outside the colors of the 4 levels of Odd Fellow education system.
White is the first one and the top-level is the red one. These colors are also to be seen on your regalia.
Odd Fellow is not just the outside of you. The Real ODD FELLOW is the inside of you.
Here inside is a document telling you of the lodges before you, in the chain of lodges in
charge of arrange meetings like this.
To get more people to share our ideas.
This ODD FELLOW SPIRIT will help all of us to a greater TOLERANCE.
Tolerance in between people
Tolerance in between religions
Tolerance in between politicians
Tolerance to your next-door neighbor
Tolerance to your wife / husband
Tolerance to yourself.
May this fiery cross help us to work for a greater tolerance within the limits of ODD FELLOWS SPIRIT”
It was a beautiful gathering and reminds us that we are part of a global order! The great thing about these meetings is that we all belong to the same order and recognize regional differences.
We look back with satisfaction at a wonderful IOFM meeting, which now also took place in the Netherlands in Breda and in the upcoming meeting a lodge in Poland will organize the IOFM meeting for the first time. Countries where the meeting has already been organized in the past in addition to the Netherlands are Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Germany.
With brotherly regards, Henk Jan de Heer, head organizer IOFM Meeting 12 and 13 April 2024 in Breda, Turfschip Lodge No.94
