First cross-border freedom meal

It was a case of "standing in line..." before the approximately 300 guests had the traditional "freedom soup" on their plates in two shifts. On the Council of Europe Day, the first cross-border "Vrijheidsmaaltijd" (Freedom Meal) took place on the Prins-Claus-Plein in Dinxperlo. A committee of more than 20 people from the Bocholt district of Suderwick and the neighbouring Dutch town of Dinxperlo prepared this event.

This year, a corn soup was on the menu as a freedom meal. Every year, a top Dutch chef creates the soup on behalf of the "National Committee 4 and 5 May". It is served at various locations throughout the Netherlands on 5 May.

"Happertjes" for all

With this freedom meal, the "National Committee 4 and 5 May" wants the guests to also think about freedom. Therefore, it developed special "happertjes'" (finger play heaven and hell), which were adapted by the GrenzBlickAtelier to the German-Dutch situation in Dinxperwick. Everyone could fold a "finger game" and play the game with it. And of course, the guests simply chatted with their neighbours in the cosy pavilions in front of the Dinxperlo parish centre.

Kilometre donation for the city cycling campaign in Bocholt

For the soup, guests had to buy a placemat for a nominal fee. However, anyone who had cycled more than five kilometres to the Freedom Meal in Dinxperlo got the placemat for free. All they had to do was give Europe Direct Bocholt the number of kilometres they had cycled. They will directly benefit this year's city cycling campaign in Bocholt.

Support from EUREGIO

The meal is made possible by a large number of sponsors and subsidies from the municipality of Aalten and the city of Bocholt. Volunteers came from the Bocholt Volunteer Agency, among others. This first cross-border freedom meal was funded by the INTERREG programme Germany-Nederland with money from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).