The Liberation Route Europe is going through lots of new developments and changes, as is its management and administration. Next year, the LRE will enter the special commemoration year 2020 under new leadership as Victoria van Krieken has decided to leave the Liberation Europe Foundation at the end of this year, after seven years as statutory director. Rémi Praud, deputy director since 4 years, will take over from January 1, 2020 as statutory director of the Liberation Route Europe Foundation (LREF) with offices in Utrecht and Brussels and members in ten European countries. After two full terms, Jurriaan de Mol will also step down as chairman of the Supervisory Board and will join the team and its management on 1 January 2020.
In recent years, Victoria van Krieken has made efforts for, among others, the further development of the Liberation Route Europe, the building of a strong and diverse international network and the long-term vision and quality of historical content within LREF. About her departure, Victoria van Krieken said: “After seven fantastic and intensive years at LREF, it is time to orientate myself into a new phase in my working life. When I look back on the recent period at LREF and see what has been achieved, I can only be proud. I have great faith in my successors Rémi Praud, Jurriaan de Mol and the rest of the team. I am convinced that Liberation Route Europe will continue to develop and, together with members and partners, will continue to play an important role in keeping this history alive in a way that appeals to younger generations, even after 75 years of the end of the Second World War.”
Jurriaan de Mol has been active as founder and chair for LREF since 2011 in addition to his positions in management of, among others, ‘Toerisme Veluwe Arnhem Nijmegen’ and the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Congresses (NBTC). Rémi Praud about his arrival: “We are very happy with Jurriaan’s expertise and network and the fact that he can start immediately. Based on his passion for the Liberation Route Europe and WWII heritage, he, I and the team will fulfill our future ambitions and tasks such as the realization of the international long-distance hiking trail in the footsteps of the Allies from London to Berlin.”
In addition to the management, there are also a number of changes to be reported in the LREF Supervisory Board. Heleen Huisjes (director VisitBrabant) is taking over the interim chair position in the beginning 2020, the Foundation will look for a new chair. Dieudonné Akkermans and Marc Kocken recently joined as members. Mr. Akkermans is the mayor of the municipality of Eijsden-Margraten. Due to his personal interest and the presence in his municipality of the only American war cemetery in the Netherlands, he is closely involved with Liberation Route Europe. Marc Kocken is the sector head of Heritage and Public at ‘Erfgoed Zeeland’ and, from that capacity, is an active participant in the ‘Province of Zeeland’ working group of Liberation Route Europe. Herre Dijkema, director of ‘Toerisme Veluwe Arnhem Nijmegen’, will also join the Supervisory Board on 1 January 2020.
