During the Freedom Days on May 4 and 5, 2026, the Residentie Orkest will Residentie Orkest how music can contribute to remembrance, celebration, and connection. With RO in the city , the orchestra brings musicians to various locations in The Hague, right in the heart of the city and close to the people. The performances are part of Symphony 2030, the social pillar of the Residentie Orkest.

Symphony 2030 stems from the ambition to be relevant and meaningful to all residents of The Hague, regardless of background or age. The program is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a special focus on the theme of Peace. This is no coincidence: when one thinks of The Hague, one thinks of peace and justice. That is precisely why, during the Freedom Days, the music will be heard not only in concert halls, but specifically at various locations throughout the city.

May 4 – Commemoration of civil servants from The Hague who lost their lives

Trekvlietplein, Binckhorst

On May 4, musicians from the Residentie Orkest will give Residentie Orkest solemn musical performance at the memorial service for fallen municipal employees on Trekvlietplein. At the gate to the City Maintenance Department’s municipal yard, there are four memorials that together honor 34 civil servants from The Hague who did not survive World War II.

The memorials consist of three plaques and a column and were brought together at this location in 2012. The men and women commemorated here worked for municipal departments such as the parks department, the energy company, the gas company, and the sanitation department—the predecessors of today’s City Management Department, HMS, and Eneco. Among them were people of Jewish descent, Jehovah’s Witnesses, resistance fighters, forced laborers, and victims of bombings and V2 rocket strikes.

The music of the Residentie Orkest a space here for remembrance and reflection. A moment of shared silence, carried by sound.

For more information, see the Monument at Trekvlietplein in Binckhorst - NHDH

May 5 – Young People Join the Table at The Hague Freedom Dinner

Liberation Festival – Madurodam Children’s Fund Freedom Dinner

On Liberation Day, the focus is on coming together. At the Hague Freedom Dinner for young people, organized by the Madurodam Children’s Fund, “the whole of The Hague” gathers around the table. Young people between the ages of 14 and 18 are invited to meet new people, share stories, and celebrate freedom together.

The meal will take place during the Liberation Festival and features a unique program: participants are welcome free of charge, will be the first to enter the festival, and will take part in an inspiring morning filled with conversations, music, and new encounters (doors open at 10:30 a.m., program runs until 1:00 p.m.).

The Residentie Orkest young musicians from the Residents Academy, among others, Residentie Orkest alongside the De Legendairs brass band. The music serves as an energetic and unifying element within a program that invites young people to broaden their horizons and discover their place in the city.

Click here for more information and to register for The Hague Freedom Dinner for young people! | Madurodam

May 5 – The City Meal at Amare

Eating together to celebrate freedom

Later in the day, freedom will be celebrated in grand style during the City Banquet in Amare. On the stage of The Hague’s cultural center, no fewer than 500 residents of The Hague will gather for a special Freedom Meal. Eating, talking, and listening together—at an iconic location, in the heart of the city.

Musicians from the Residentie Orkest , together with various guests, Residentie Orkest a rich cultural program that surprises, connects, and sparks conversation. There’s plenty to experience not only in the auditorium: activities will take place throughout the theater and on Spuiplein, ensuring that as many residents as possible are involved in this festive May 5 celebration.

Music about freedom and togetherness

One of the musical works to be Residentie Orkest by the musicians of the Residentie Orkest is *Butterfly*, a serene and classical piece by composer Haytam Safia, arranged especially for this occasion by Marijn van Prooijen for ensemble and oud. Safia, a virtuoso on the Arabic lute and originally from Palestine, joins forces with the Residentie Orkest to bridge Residentie Orkest gap between Western classical music and Arabic musical traditions.

Also featured is “Mevrouw Geschiedenis,” a song by composer Han Kooreneef, written for the commemoration at the Oranjehotel National Monument. Kooreneef drew inspiration from his father’s wartime story—his father was himself imprisoned in the Oranjehotel—and from the universal longing for peace. During the City Banquet, the song will be performed by Luyi van der Lingen, a talented student at the Royal Conservatory in Amare.

For more information, see City Meal | The Hague Freedom Meals