FRIENDS OF AMSTERDAM CITY CENTRE

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When I arrived in Holland in 2005 I looked for local heritage organizations. I found many but I have chosen to be a member of an organization where I live, De Vereniging Vrienden van de Amsterdamse Binnenstad or Foundation of Friends of Amsterdam City Centre. It is a non-profit organization which was established in 1975 and run by volunteers. Sounds familiar to me. My obligation is only paying an annual fee which is affordable, euro 20, it is minimum and extra amount is always welcome, and I get newsletters regularly.

After few years become a member, I noticed how much the organization has done and to consider that it is run by volunteers, the achievements and methods of work are worth learning for me. They have regular programs for members (about 2400 of them), acting as a watchdog for municipality's policies and many more actions as far as I could observe from their newsletters. Lately they supported the application of Amsterdam Municipality to UNESCO as a world heritage city. If it is approved, in 2010 Amsterdam will be on the list.

I was thinking to be more active but so far I have enough things to do on my plate. It is on my things-to-do list. I really have to learn how to run an organization without subsidies in this country; something which is I am familiar in Indonesia and I know how to do it, but in Holland I have zero experience.

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