The Royal Couple will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Oranje Fonds on 30 January 2027 at the GelreDome in Arnhem. With this jubilee event, the Oranje Fonds aims to thank all initiators, volunteers, donors and partners who have been working with dedication for a connected society over the past 25 years.
The announcement was made on Monday during the 250th Oranje Fonds working visit, which took place at Wijkpaleis in Rotterdam, a neighbourhood meeting place.
The power of connection
The Oranje Fonds was established on 1 February 2002 and was presented to the then Prince and Princess as a wedding gift from the Netherlands. From the very beginning, the ambition of the fund has been to make a meaningful difference for everyone in the Kingdom. The most important lesson from the past 25 years, according to the fund, is that connection works.
“All across our Kingdom there are places where people meet, support one another, and take action together to address challenges and strengthen their neighbourhoods and communities. Seeing so many people selflessly committed to others gives us great hope and energy. As long as we continue to seek one another out and support each other, we remain resilient in a turbulent world. The Oranje Fonds helps make this possible,” the King and Queen said.
With the celebration at the GelreDome, the Oranje Fonds wants to shine a spotlight on and thank initiators, volunteers, donors and partners throughout the Kingdom.
A celebration of stories and inspiration
The jubilee will be a festive event filled with music and stories. These are stories of initiators whose ideas grew into something meaningful, and of the warmth and energy they bring to society. That spirit is intended to be visible and tangible both in the stadium and for viewers at home.
The event will be broadcast live by the NOS, allowing people across the country to watch and take part. The celebration aims to inspire and to show what happens when people look out for one another and stand together.
Investing in places to meet
The jubilee is more than a celebration. Meeting one another is becoming less self-evident, and more people are experiencing loneliness. For this reason, the Oranje Fonds is launching the ‘Celebrate Connection – Jubilee Fund for Meeting Places’ during the anniversary year.
Through this fund, the Oranje Fonds will support places where people truly meet, where a cup of coffee leads to conversation and where people feel they belong again. In 2027 and 2028, the fund aims to strengthen 1,000 meeting places across the Kingdom, helping them bring people together now and in the future.
This initiative is made possible through essential start-up funding from the Postcode Lottery, Rabobank and VSBfonds. The Oranje Fonds invites others to contribute as well.
Advisory committee
The Oranje Fonds has appointed a Committee of Recommendation to contribute its knowledge and expertise to the jubilee programme. The committee consists of Kim Putters, Chair of the Social and Economic Council; Carola Schouten, Mayor of Rotterdam; and Etienne Ys, former Prime Minister of the former Netherlands Antilles.
25 years of the Oranje Fonds in numbers
- Over €600 million invested in strengthening social connections
- More than 100,000 Burendag activities made possible
- Support for over 125,000 NLdoet activities and 7,000 Cariben Doet activities
- Nearly 29,500 projects across the Kingdom received regular funding
- 72 organisations received an Appeltje van Oranje from the King or Queen
Image: © Patrick van Katwijk
More about Oranje Fonds: https://www.oranjefonds.nl
A connected society: that is the goal of the Oranje Fonds. The thousands of initiatives supported by the Fund prove that this is possible. Because care and kindness are part of who we are. These are ordinary people, but what they do is extraordinary. From small actions to large initiatives, their organisations, projects and ideas make society warmer and give people hope.
Sometimes good plans need a helping hand. That is why the Oranje Fonds supports them with funding, knowledge, advice, and a strong network. With around 25 years of experience and more than 100,000 supported social initiatives, the Oranje Fonds knows what helps people and neighbourhoods move forward.
In addition, the Fund mobilises people through initiatives such as Maatjes Gezocht, Burendag, NLdoet and Cariben Doet. In this way, together with partners, volunteers, donors and its Patron Couple, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, the Oranje Fonds works towards a connected society in which everyone can take part and no one is left to stand alone.