Skål History

Shortly after the inauguration of the first joint Swedish and French air service between Stockholm and Paris in 1932, a group of travel people from the French capital were invited to make an exploratory flight over the new route. The welcome they received in Stockholm led to many pleasant friendships. Realizing the importance of closer relationships among those who strive to develop and promote both national and international travel, the men who made the flight to Stockholm determined to found a permanent organisation whose primary aim would be the creation of goodwill and friendship in travel and transportation circles throughout the world.

Paris Club is formed

The Paris Skål Club was formed on 16 December 1932, with Rene Genestie as President. On 27 April 1934 twelve other Clubs from five countries had been formed and Florimond Volckaert conceived the idea of uniting them into an international organisation. The "Association Internationale des Skål Clubs (A.I.S.C.)" was created on 28 April 1934 in the Hotel Scribe and Volckaert became its Founder President.

On 27 April 1934 a cocktel was held in the "Cintra Bar", which served to "warm up" the atmosphere, after which dinner was had at the Pennsylvania Hotel. This meal will always be remember has a "marvellous culinary experience, with cascades of speeches". Afterwards there was a reception at "Scherezade" for a glass of champagne and they were able to appreciate good music for hours.

On 28 April 1934 the working sessions were held and it is for this reason that it is considered as the founding date. The Agenda for the meeting was as follows:

1. Study of the Statutes
2. Nomination of the A.I.S.C Committee
3. Organisation of the General Secretariat
4. Organisation of the Treasury
5. Report by the Secretary for the Skål Bulletin
6. Responsibilities of the delegates on the Committee
7. 1934 Action programme
8. Next meeting - date and place
9. Any other matters

The meeting opened at 10.15 and twenty-one official delegates were present representing eleven Clubs and two observers from London. The recently formed Copenhagen Club was absent but agreed to the decisions that would be taken.

The delegates represented Antwerpen, Bruxelles, Budapest, Lucerne, Montreux, Marseille and Provence, Netherlands, Paris, Stockholm, Wallonia, London.

At the beginning of the meeting and as it was an "amicable" it was decided that voting would be by a show of hands and each delegation would have one vote. Florimond Volckaert read the articles which were discussed and approved. During the elections all the candidates were unanimously approved except Axel Ekstam and Honore who received nine votes each.

Camille Mathez, who was elected unanimously, gave his post to Axel Ekstam so that Sweden would be represented. All countries were represented on the committee and they were elected for one year with the possibility of re-election. The first committee looked like this: