IT
From 17 to 21 May 2023, the magnificent city of Istanbul hosted the 62nd Colloquium and Grand Assembly of CLIPSAS (CENTRE DE LIAISON ET D’INFORMATION DES PUISSANCES MAÇONNIQUES SIGNATAIRES DE L’APPEL DE STRASBOURG), an organization that brings together over 100 Masonic Orders of four continents.
Born in January 1961, CLIPSAS was founded by some European Masonic Orders who, faced with the growing intransigence in mutual recognition by the so-called “dogmatic” Obediences, united to appeal to all Freemasons to come together, in respect for their sovereignty, their beliefs, their rites and their symbols, in a true and indissoluble Chain of Universal Union. Thus was born the so-called “liberal” Freemasonry, which does not impose constraints or obstacles on mutual recognition and fraternal relations between Masonic Orders of each Country.
CLIPSAS organizes a meeting every year in a host country, a meeting which includes a “Colloquium”, i.e. a conference open to the public on issues of social or humanitarian relevance, and a Grand Assembly reserved for delegations from the member Orders, in which associative issues are discussed and applications for membership from non-member Orders are evaluated. The days also include sightseeing tours organized by the host Masonic Order and moments of conviviality that encourage mutual friendship among Brothers and Sisters from all over the world. The events then conclude with a solemn ritual meeting which sees all the members of the participating delegations and the Brothers of the host Country gathered fraternally in the specially set up Temple.
The Liberal Grand Lodge of Turkey and the Grand Feminine Lodge of Turkey, perfect organizers of the Istanbul events, allowed the participants not only to live a few days in peaceful brotherhood, but also to enjoy magical evenings among the beauties of the Gold Horn and the Bosphorus Strait.
Our delegation, led by Grand Master Bro. Marco Galeazzi, was particularly honoured at the meeting in Istanbul, as on that occasion the Grand Liberal Lodge of Italy was definitively admitted as a member of CLIPSAS. An important recognition that brings the Grand Liberal Lodge to the attention of the international Masonic community.
