As Academie van de Stad team in the neighbourhood Transvaal in Amsterdam we organized a liberation day lunch with rock & roll dancing for elderly residents on the 5th of may. We collaborated with Het Danspaleis and Streetdinners. The event started with a healthy lunch for the residents of the Transvaal neighbourhood (and surroundings). Children from the neighbourhood came by to narrate war stories from some of the elderly who had experienced the war. The Transvaal neighbourhood has a fascinating and mournful history as it was one of Amsterdam's Jewish neighbourhoods around the time of WWII. After the lunch we celebrated liberation with rock & roll music provided by a glamorous DJ from Het Danspaleis. One of the residents performed a traditional Balinese dance as a tribute to Indonesia's independence. It was a really successful and special event!

 

Academie van de Stad coordinators run civic projects to improve the liveability and social sustainability of a number of neighbourhoods in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities. Coordinators are provided with a residence in the respective neighbourhoods to be able to fully commit to improving local social environments.