Connecting Across Borders: Summer & Exchange Edition | Newsletter - May/June 2025 | | New Members added to Board of Directors | | | At our annual members’ meeting on Thursday, May 15th, we proudly welcomed nine new members to the NAF Board of Directors. We are excited to have them on our Board and look forward to their contributions! | | | | Florien Bouwmeester-Derman | | | Read all NAF Director bios here. | | NAF Awards Cultural Grants | | | |
As summer sets the stage for new inspiration and connection, we’re excited to share that fourteen cultural grants have recently been awarded to artists and organizations across the Netherlands and the US as part of the NAF's Cultural Grant Program. Congratulations to the following, whose projects the NAF Cultural Committee is pleased to support!
USA
- Violinist Tosca Opdam's performance on June 18 in New York City aboard The Clipper
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Feel Me, Hear Me - Echoes from the Metropole by Extra Extra at the Performa Biennial in November 2025 (NYC)
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FOR REAL at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in November 2025 (NYC)
- Dutch-English edition of Anna Maria van Schurman: Two Devotional Poems, by for Albert J. Gootjes & John L. Thompson (2026)
Netherlands
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Alternating Lunes performance in November/December 2025 in Amsterdam and The Hague (Led by Leslee Smucker)
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Double Dutch: A Survey Exhibition of Marilyn Nance at Kunstinstituut Melly, December 2025-April 2026 in Rotterdam
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Penicillium chrysogenum: Making the Inaudible Audible in January 2026 in The Hague (led by Anna-Louise Walton)
| | | Across Oceans: Two Students, One Shared Journey | | | Laura Ernest is a Dutch student currently interning in Florida with the help of a Dutch2USA grant, and Chayti Biswas is an American student currently interning in Amsterdam with the help of a USA2Holland grant. They both recently started their internships, and we'll check in with them later this year to reflect on their experiences. For now, here are their reflections upon arrival. |
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What brought you to the United States?
My interest in pursuing an internship in the United States stemmed from its strong emphasis on innovation and excellence in academic research. The College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida, offered a unique opportunity to engage in high-level pharmaceutical research alongside leading scientists. It felt like the ideal environment to further develop my research skills and academic interests.
What is one word that describes your experience so far?
Enriching.
What has been the biggest (or smallest, but still impactful!) cultural difference you've noticed?
One small, but impactful cultural difference I've noticed, is how openly and frequently people express enthusiasm and encouragement here. Whether it's a “great job!” or a friendly “you got this!”. It creates a really positive and supportive atmosphere.
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What brought you to the Netherlands?
There’s a Bollywood film called Queen. Long story short, a woman gets ditched on her wedding day and decides to go on what would have been her honeymoon trip to Europe, except she goes alone. She travels to Paris and then to... Amsterdam. At first, she’s scared of traveling by herself and thinks about going back to India. But as she meets new people and gains new experiences, her confidence grows. In Amsterdam, she learns, grows, and thrives.
That film inspired me. It made me believe that I, too, could travel and grow from the experience. The Netherlands felt like the perfect fit: a place full of knowledge and culture. I was also curious to see how Amsterdam compares to New York City: one city to another, both vibrant, but uniquely different.
What is one word that describes your experience so far?
Empowering.
To elaborate, this is my first time flying to a different country and staying for an entire summer, completely on my own. As a woman, I feel empowered to be here (alone), experiencing life abroad without needing to be accompanied by someone. I’m making choices for myself, from grocery shopping to deciding where I want to bike. I’m learning what it means to be an adult from paying rent, budgeting my finances, cooking meals, and going to work (interning). It’s both liberating and eye-opening.
What has been the biggest (or smallest, but still impactful!) cultural difference you've noticed?
The biking culture in the Netherlands is incredible! I’ve seen more bikes than cars, which is a huge contrast to life back home in NYC. I haven’t heard a single honk, only bike bells!
What I love most is that everyone bikes! There are also actual bike traffic lights and even paths. It’s a beautiful part of daily life here, and it makes the city feel more connected, sustainable, and active.
| | | Summer is the perfect time to spark new connections - and this June, we invite you to be part of a special evening where transatlantic exchange takes center stage. | | |
Intercontinental Innovation
Friday, June 27, 2025
Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam
Limited tickets are still available for an engaging evening of fundraising, networking, and community building in support of the NAF's mission. Funds raised will support our educational, cultural, and business programs. Join us to connect with like-minded individuals and contribute to an important cause.
This year, we are excited to announce that we have added a C-suite Business Roundtable at the Grand Amsterdam at 1 pm CET. "Unlocking the US Market: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Expansion" the roundtable will unravel the complexities of entering the US market, making it an unmissable opportunity for C-suite executives and business leaders from the biotech, pharma, med tech, life sciences, and technology sectors.
A limited number of discounted accommodation rate has been secured for the night. If you are interested in receiving this rate, please contact Renée Hofman, Event Director, at reinettah@gmail.com.
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Traveling to Amsterdam for the Dinner?
Here are some NAF-supported cultural events taking place in late June and early July.
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Longing for Egmond
June 28-November 2, 2025
Alkmaar
"Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar pays tribute to Egmond - a village that inspired artists for centuries. For the first time, seventeenth- and nineteenth-century masterpieces are brought together in the region where they were created. The exhibition shows how this special place managed to enchant generations of artists - from the Dutch masters to the American painters who made Egmond internationally famous."
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The Big Sing Festival
July 2-6, 2025
Amsterdam and Haarlem
Supporting "America's Voices" program
"America’s Voices will present the European debut of three relatively new professional choirs and ensembles from the U.S. Each of them demonstrates exceptional musical quality and a high degree of social engagement. At the same time, they represent an appealing mix of musical genres, from contemporary composed works to world music, and from R&B and jazz to renaissance. We are very proud to announce that the three ensembles - Lorelei Ensemble, Lyyra, and Kings Return - will all make their European debut at The Big Sing in 2025."
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Forum on European Culture
June 25-29, 2025
Amsterdam
Supporting Anne Appelbaum's participation
"When thinking of a dictator, one often imagines a malicious villain – someone we know from an action movie. Historian, journalist, and Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Applebaum challenges this image. In her latest book Autocracy, Inc., she describes how autocratic regimes are intertwined in intricate, international networks with the primary goal of self-enrichment. Autocrats are doing more business with each other than ever before, protecting each other and working together to destabilize the democratic order. What threat do these modern dictatorial networks pose?"
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Windows can provide a lens on history. Some windows are intended to look through, some to look at. The Grotius Memorial Window in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft is in the latter category. It plays an important role in the early history of the NAF.
The person it is commemorating, Hugo de Groot (1583-1645), better known in the English speaking world by his latinized name Grotius, provided such an inspiration to the founders of the NAF that the first major fund-raising effort was aimed at realizing this beautiful artistic and artisanal display in a place of deep historical and religious significance to the people and nation of the Netherlands, the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. By providing the funding for this window, they linked the histories of the Netherlands and the United States of America together even more closely.
Where did this admiration and inspiration among Dutch Americans over 100 years ago come from? How did the initiative come about and what does this reflection on this founding father of the rule of law mean today
Read more Rule of Law- A Window on Hugo de Groot by Merijn Boender
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Save the Dates
After a vibrant summer of cultural exchange and connection, we look ahead to exciting events that continue to bring together our transatlantic community.
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New England Gala and Business Roundtable
September 19, 2025
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NAF Ball
November 21, 2025
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NAF Alumni Column
A Fulbright Journey Across the Atlantic
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This month, we meet Raychel Bahnick, a member of the NAF Alumni committee in NYC.
Hi! I am Raychel and I am a water engineer living in New York City. I get to dive deep into the design and planning of coastal resiliency projects in the City. This is fascinating because it both requires understanding existing infrastructure and getting to help make decisions about how to best build in the future. I love the complexity of water systems in the urban environment. No two projects are alike because no two river or estuary systems are the same. This results in constantly learning new things! There are many elements that are considered in each project as well: social, environmental, economic, and more recently resilience. The way these elements interact and have different tradeoffs are also something I find very interesting.
How did you become involved with the NAF?
I got involved in the NAF through the Flood Management Fulbright Fellowship I completed in the Netherlands at TU Delft in 2022-2023. The NAF helped financially sponsor my fellowship and provided social support during my time abroad. I want to give back to the organization that gave me so much opportunity to learn and grow. I do this by participating in the NAF Alumni committee and try to grow the NAF NYC chapter by attending and organizing events.
What’s your fondest memory from your (study) experience in the Netherlands?
My fondest memories include the experiences I had with the great friends I met in NL. I loved exploring the country by bicycle with my new friends in places like De Hoge Veluwe National Park in Arnhem, Westduinpark in the Hague, and Kasteel de Haar outside of Utrecht. Also, the NS transit system made the entire country accessible. Nearly every weekend I was taking it to explore different Dutch provinces and learning about the history.
What’s your favorite local activity now?
My favorite thing to do in NYC is explore new neighborhoods, especially to try restaurants and bakeries! I have brought my bicycle with me to NYC and use it as my main mode of transport which feels very Dutch!
My dream is…
…to one day having a large garden! This is a challenge in a place like NYC where I don’t have a yard but I have joined a community garden in my neighborhood this year so I am starting with a small plot of zucchini!
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NAF Rewind
Exchanges in Motion - Spring Highlights
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Dutch2USA interns in Boston
On May 11, Dutch2USA interns in the Boston area came together to celebrate their shared journey of international exchange and personal development across continents. From left to right: Dinara Sayfullina, Eliza Zantema, Golshan Akbari, Thomas Westerhuis, Henry, Jacob-Jan Haaksma, Elena Vazquez Alferez, and Johan Diepeveen.
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NAF Ambassadors' Awards Dinner
On May 14, we had the privilege of gathering at the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. for the Netherland-America Foundation's Ambassadors’ Awards Dinner. This event was a celebration of transatlantic friendship, collaboration, and the remarkable contributions to Dutch-American relations.
Congratulations to Mark Heine, CEO of Fugro, the recipient of this year’s Holland on the Hill Freddy Heineken Award, presented by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and to Hanneke Faber, CEO of Logitech, who received the NAF Ambassadors’ Award, presented by former Ambassador and NAF Board Member Timothy Broas.
Thank you to Heineken, The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Dutch Congressional Caucus, Holland on the Hill, and of course, to Andrew Enschede and Wendy Gowdey, Co-Chairs, and the entire Organizing Committee for their hard work and dedication! Click here for photos of the night.
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Student sendoff in Amsterdam
The annual student sendoff took place in Amsterdam on May 15, bidding goodbye to American Fulbright students and Dutch interns on their way to their US-based internship. Pictured in Sjaña Holloway, NAF Alumni Committee Chair, speaking to the students and interns.
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Book talk in Washington, DC
NAF Board Member Stan Veuger (right) hosts a discussion with Michael Douma (left) about Douma's latest book, The Slow Death of Slavery in Dutch New York: A Cultural, Economic, and Demographic History, 1700–1827 (Cambridge University Press).
The event took place on April 25 at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.
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NAF Connection NYC
The NAF Connection NYC was held Friday, April 4, with many Dutch students and interns in attendance for an illuminating panel discussion about exchange, as well as networking and even bingo! Pictured above, NAF Executive Director Caroliene Hermans moderated a thoughtful panel with contributions from Nudrat Tahir (Dutch2USA grantee), Eli de Graaf (loan recipient), Matteo Demorest (Dutch2USA grantee), and Anna van Poucke (Dutch2USA grantee).
| | Spot the Exchange: A Transatlantic Photo Quiz | | Can you recognize these locations? We’re showcasing three photos that highlight unique places connected to the spirit of exchange. Test your knowledge and see how well you know the landscapes that shape transatlantic experiences. Answers are provided on the bottom of last page. | | | |
Question 1: This national historical site includes the birth home, church, and final resting place of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who shaped the American civil rights movement.
In which U.S. city can you walk in his footsteps?
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Question 2: This city, once home to Johannes Vermeer and now a hub for technical innovation, bridges the old and the new in Dutch culture.
Which city is it?
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Question 3: This iconic semicircular fountain stands tall in a city known for its energy and aerospace industries.
Name the city.
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The Netherland-America Foundation
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| | Answers photo quiz: 1. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park – Atlanta, Georgia, 2. Delft, 3. The Gerald D. Hines Waterwall – Houston, Texas | | | | |
