Impression: Independence Address by James Kennedy and Dutch Independence Award for the people of Greenland
11-7-2026
It was a memorable afternoon on July 3 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Hague. This historic church provided a beautiful setting for the joint celebration of #America250 and #Nederland445—two anniversaries that not only fall in the same month but are also closely intertwined. Our chairman Geerten explained this in his introductory remarks, referring to my book 'America, That’s Us', which was recently published. We resemble America, but the American republic also bears a much closer resemblance to its—two centuries older—Dutch sister republic than many realize.
Our keynote speaker this time was Prof. Dr. James Kennedy, who is related to several U.S. presidents and Founding Fathers, but who also has roots here in the Netherlands and has lived here for decades. In his 2026 Independence Day Address, the historian spoke affectionately yet with concern about the “community of values” to which his two homelands belong. His speech is available to read for free at EW Magazine.
In closing, former Greenlandic parliamentarian Ajaa Chemnitz accepted the 2026 Dutch Independence Award on behalf of the people of Greenland. Greenland is receiving our Award this year for the “sovereign composure” with which it has responded to the verbal and diplomatic aggression from the U.S. government. Chemnitz received the award from Uri Rosenthal, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and current chair of our Advisory Board.
Our board looks back on a lively, inspiring afternoon. We thank our visitors for their enthusiasm, the church for its hospitality, photographer Lera Manzovitova for the beautiful photos, and artist Riëlle Beekmans for creating the Dutch Independence Award 2026.
The board wishes you a vibrant, independent summer and looks forward to seeing you at our next event, on or around December 13: the Apology Lecture. Be sure to keep an eye on the newsletter in advance so you don’t miss a thing.
Click on the pictures to enlarge.
