REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EXTERNAL RELATIONS
To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Minnesota:
During the past year, your committee on External Relations has received the following information or requests for recognition:
Grand Orient of Rio do Norte, Brazil.
The Grand Orient of Rio do Norte, Brazil was officially created June 8, 1973.
The “GORN” suggests that the resulting grand lodge is composed of 1005 Masons with 30 lodges practicing regular Masonry. Pending a report from the North American Commission, the committee recommends NO ACTION.
Grand Lodge of Georgia AF&AM (2015)
This Grand Lodge sent a request for recognition in 2023. The North American Commission for recognition found that based on the facts presented by Grand Lodge of Georgia, AF&AM, which was founded in 2015, the Grand Lodge did meet the Standards of Recognition. However, The United Grand Lodge of Georgia (2018) asked the North American Commission to reconsider the finding of 2023 and the commission has subsequently requested additional documentation from both grand lodges. With this ongoing confusion as to the legitimate Grand lodge in the country of Georgia, the committee recommends NO ACTION.
Grand Lodge of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan sent a new request for recognition in April 2023. The Grand Lodge consists of six symbolic lodges and approximately eighty members. We previously considered them in 2018 and took no action at that time. Based on no new compelling information the committee recommends NO ACTION.
Grand Lodge of Cuscatlán of El Salvador
El Salvador sent a request for recognition in April 2023. Our records indicate we have recognized them since at least the late 1980s, in reviewing the provided information, questions have been raised to ensure it’s the same group. The committee recommends further investigation and NO ACTION.
REPRESENTATIVES
M.W. Grand Master Dayton L. Berg has given his consent that the brother listed below be appointed Grand Representative of Grand Lodge of Minnesota near Bulgaria.
Nickolai Kolarov United Grand lodge of Bulgaria
Fraternally submitted,
Andrew Rice, PGM, Chairman
John L. Cook, Jr., PGM
Douglas J. Campbell, Grand Secretary Emeritus
Keith W. Reierson Grand Secretary