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About us

From Abel Tasman to Fonterra, from Petrus van der Velden to Ans Westra, from Olympians Dick Quax to Simon van Velthoven, from early refugees and migrants escaping a war-torn Holland to those who recently began to make their life in the New Zealand we enjoy today – we all have a common heritage and a lot to be proud of.

This site is about connecting all Kiwis with a Dutch connection - to foster ties and enjoy what we have in common.

According to research undertaken by the Netherlands Government and the New Zealand Netherlands Foundation (the Foundation), there are estimated to be between 130,000 to 200,000 people with a Dutch heritage in New Zealand; Of these between 40,000 – 50,000 are classed as first generation Dutch by the Department of Statistics.

However, the Dutch in New Zealand are "invisible" and the research indicates that there are those with a Dutch background who have lost their heritage and their connection to the Netherlands but who would like to reconnect.

To achieve this the Foundation has created this website as the first step in creating a virtual community where people who wish to explore and connect with their Dutch heritage can register with us and in doing so create a network for promoting activities with a Dutch flavour throughout New Zealand.

Or you can just enjoy the site and the stories of the contributions that the Dutch have made to New Zealand...

Our objectives

The objectives of the Foundation cover a range of endeavours but emphasis is on activities and projects which emphasise the "Dutch Connection" and connect New Zealand to the modern day Netherlands. Read more

History of the Foundation

The Foundation was established over 20 years ago and has a distinguished track record of supporting events and creating opportunities for the Dutch to connect with their roots in the Netherlands. Read more

Board of Trustees

Photos and details of the Board of Trustees. Read more

Become a supporter

Become a supporter! We want to connect and the only way we can do that is if you opt in for our newsletters and our sponsors offers. We'll tell you what's going on and when and where its happening so that you can opt in if you like the sound of the activities. Or, you can access our many resources available to supporters. Read more

Make a donation

We are very grateful for all the donations we receive as they allow us to continue our work. Read more

Become a sponsor

Why it would benefit your organisation to sponsor the Foundation. Read more

Our news

Read about what we've been up to that's made the news headlines... Read more

Friends of the Foundation

Read more