Our WGA partners Partner SLEIPNIR, IONA STICHTING, DEMETER NL, MERCURIUS and ODIN were involved in the organisation. We asked Merle Koomans van den Dries, Managing Director of the ODIN food co-operative, a few questions. We want to encourage you as partners to take the initiative and set up similar formats in different countries! We are of course always available for questions and support (email WGA)!

WGA: What was the impetus for you to initiate such a meeting independently as a partner in the Netherlands?

Merle: Following on from the theme of the World Goetheanum Conference 2023: Renewing the anthroposophical world movement. And that the Dutch WGA members get to know each other (better).

WGA: Would you like to describe something of the process between the 5 organisations that invited?

Merle: We simply came together courageously. Then it was difficult to get going because our project didn't really come to life. We asked ourselves whether we were ‘beating a dead horse’, as we call it in the Netherlands, but came to the conclusion that it was a sleeping horse that we wanted to wake up with the meeting. And it worked.

WGA: What was the quality and structure of the meeting?

Merle: The aim of the meeting was for six people from different fields of work (including art, education, agriculture and processing) with a connection to anthroposophy to explain why they get up every day, what their contribution to a better world is and how they got to where they are now. And to bring this into dialogue with each other.

WGA: How was the response?

Merle: Presentations were quite long, but everyone in the audience hung on every word the speakers said. The reports and stories were inspiring, but also the meeting and the exchange with the other participants was fun and energising.

WGA: Is there anything that surprised you?

Merle: It was a really nice meeting where it felt like being on the power grid for a few hours: it was energising! I think everyone agreed on that. Antropia as a location was good and the delicious food was the `icing on the cake`.

WGA: Where do you see the potential?

Merle: The meeting whetted our appetite for more and we are therefore already in talks for a next meeting, probably including an excursion.

WGA: Thank you, Merle, for this inspiring exchange!

The next regional meeting in the Netherlands will take place on 12 November 2025, again in the Antropia congress centre in Zeist!