The Florimond Volckaert Fund has kept alive, since 1954, one of the most humane expressions of the Skål community
Cuando hablamos de Skål International solemos pensar en tourism, networking, business, destinations and professional relationships. But there is another dimension to the organization that deserves to be known and that perhaps does not always receive the attention it deserves: solidarity among Skål members.
Because if there is one word that forms part of Skål's identity, along with tourism and friendship, that word is precisely... fellowship.
A story that began more than 70 years ago
The Florimond Volckaert Fund It was created in 1954, after the General Assembly held during the World Congress in Majorca approved its creation. It was named after Florimond Volckaert, one of the founding figures of Skål International.
Its purpose is simple and, at the same time, profoundly human: to provide financial assistance to Skål members and their immediate families when they are going through serious situations of need..
In 1954, when the fund was established, health coverage and protection systems against certain situations were very different from what they are today. But seven decades later, the need for a support network has not disappeared.
Health problems, accidents, or other personal circumstances can change a person's life in a very short time. And it is precisely in those moments that the spirit of community acquires its true meaning.
Much more than financial aid
The Florimond Volckaert Fund represents an idea that is in Skål's very DNA: The relationship between professionals does not end when a meeting, a conference or a networking event is over..
For years, thousands of tourism professionals from different countries have built relationships within the organization. The fund makes that international community more tangible: a network capable of responding when one of its members faces a particularly difficult situation.
And it does so while maintaining the confidentiality of the people who request assistance. Applications and related communications are treated confidentially by the fund managers.
A solidarity that remains very much alive
The fact that the Fund is still necessary is not a matter of the past.
The data corresponding to 2025 show that he received 11,228.44 euros in donations, while the aid granted reached 41,653.06 euros, corresponding to eight applications. In that year, 59 clubs and four Skål members made individual contributions.
These figures highlight a reality: The fund is helping people who really need it, but it also needs the continued support of the Skål community..
In fact, the 2025 year-end report warned that in recent years, grants awarded had exceeded donations received. The organization itself appealed to clubs and members to increase their contributions.
The response from the Skål community
Solidarity was once again evident in April 2026, when clubs from around the world participated in various fundraising initiatives for the Florimond Volckaert Fund.
The result demonstrated the international network's ability to mobilize around a common goal.
€13,018 + US$3,910
Funds raised during international initiatives from April 2026 for the Florimond Volckaert Fund.
It's not just about raising money. Behind every donation lies a much more important idea: no Skål member should feel alone in a situation of extreme difficulty.
The true meaning of “doing business with friends”
Skål International has a philosophy we know well: doing business among friends.
But perhaps solidarity allows us to understand that phrase from another perspective.
Doing business with friends means sharing opportunities, knowledge, and contacts. It means opening doors and creating professional relationships that can last for decades.
But it also means being there for a friend when they need you most.
That is probably one of the least visible aspects of Skål and, at the same time, one of the things that best explains why a professional organization can become a true international community.
A community that takes care of its own
For Sinergia Skål, talking about solidarity doesn't mean distancing ourselves from tourism. It means showing another side of the people who are part of this industry.
Hoteliers, travel agents, entrepreneurs, destination managers, restaurateurs, aviation professionals, transport professionals or event professionals are all part of the same professional community.
And behind all those positions are people.
The Florimond Volckaert Fund was created more than seven decades ago as a reminder of precisely that.
Because the value of a professional network is not measured solely by the business it generates, but also by its ability to support its members when things get tough.
