Pink Amsterdammers
Since 2014, the Roze Amsterdammertje is an initiative of and annual award given by the Amsterdam Gay Pride foundation to people who play an important role behind the scenes or provide extraordinary support to the organisation of the Pride. The pink heart with the stripe and three crosses of Amsterdam, symbolises the warm and pink heart the recipient has for Pride.
The Roze Amsterdammertje designed and made by artist René Rikkelman, is awarded to a person who has shown extraordinary commitment to the organisation of Amsterdam Gay Pride in the broadest sense of the word.
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2022:
Anton Koolwijk
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2022 went to Anton Koolwijk, humanistic spiritual carer at Amstelring. He received the award for promoting gay-friendliness in elderly care. Since 2006, he has been the driving force behind the development of policy on sexual diversity in nursing homes, stimulated making this visible and open to discussion by organising Senior Pride activities and promoted the roll-out of the Roze Loper in Amsterdam care homes. He is a pioneer, inspirer, collaborator, go-getter and connector.
See more about Anton Koolwijk here .
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2019:
Marco Altena
Marco Altena recently received the prestigious 'Roze Amsterdammertje' from Pride Amsterdam director Lucien Spee. With this award, the Pride organisation puts the more than four thousand employees and volunteers of the festival in the limelight. Speaking to De Gaykrant, the winner commented. "It is an absolute crown on my work."
Read the interview with Marco Altena
Pink heart
Director Lucien Spee: "The Roze Amsterdammertje is an annual award given to people who play an important role behind the scenes or provide extraordinary support to the organisation of Pride in Amsterdam. The pink heart with the stripe and three crosses of the flag of Amsterdam, symbolises the warm and pink heart the recipient has for Pride in Amsterdam. "We want to take a moment every year to remember the role these individuals play or have played behind the scenes."
Real daddy
Marco Altena is the silent force behind Youth Pride. Three years ago, he became the proud chairman. "Like a real dad, he organises a unique and special programme for young people in cooperation with more than 17 organisations," says Spee. "An important part of Pride Amsterdam. After all, young people are the Pride bearers of the future." The aim of 'his' Youth Pride committee is to give young people a platform where they can be themselves, in any form imaginable. Being, doing and making together, regardless of origin, orientation, gender, age, skin colour or religion is their focus. Under Marco's inspiring leadership, the activities during Pride Park in the Vondelpark get better and bigger every year. Earlier, for instance, he also had great success with the scouting boat.
"Marco enables the link between young and old"
Bedazzled
Marco Altena responds: "It was a total surprise for me. I really didn't expect it. You sometimes talk at the office about how well things are going and that they are happy with you. But then this is extra nice! I thought to myself no that can't be... me? Besides all those people who also do such wonderful things for Pride." He looks a little perplexed. It is an absolute crowning achievement for Youth Pride, he says. "But the motivation also included other things I have done for the community over the past few years. That's hard work sometimes. Of course, that's extra cool!"
Tomeless
You have an unbridled commitment to Youth Pride, among other things. What can we expect from you in the coming period and what is your dream? "Our success in Amsterdam has not gone unnoticed. Cities like Rotterdam and Alkmaar followed suit earlier and also had a Youth Pride programme there. We are in talks with new cities; Utrecht, Zwolle and even abroad there is interest. How cool would it be for Youth Pride to also be known outside the country as a "brand" for young people to be who they want to be. All this with the ultimate goal of reducing the number of suicides among LGBT youth."
According to Pride Amsterdam, he deserves this recognition. Driven and passionate, Marco goes to work. Throughout the year, he is active. "He has really managed to create a link between young and old. Moreover, he and the young people are now also active outside Amsterdam."
"My dream is to realise Youth Pride Netherlands"
Dream
What Marco's dream is? "That is to realise Youth Pride Netherlands." Making other people happy and being able to mean something to others is high on his list of priorities. In addition, Marco has been active for the LGBT community for some time. For instance, in addition to Pride Amsterdam, he chairs the pink network of the NS and has a pioneering role there. The Roze Amsterdammertje is a recognition of his commitment and our appreciation for him and his efforts, Lucien Spee said proudly.
The predecessors
The Roze Amsterdammertje was awarded for the first time in 2014. Back then, events coordinator Akkelien Zuiderhof of the Amsterdam municipality won. In 2015, Jan-Willem de Bruin of COC Netherlands received the award for his years of inspired effort. And in 2016, the award went to entrepreneur Pierre Karsten because he has been Pride Amsterdam's biggest sponsor for many years and has a real 'pink heart'. In 2017, Twente entrepreneur Olaf Kok received the award for his unbridled commitment to Pride Amsterdam. And last year, Oebele Kooistra, the producer of Senior Pride, won the award for his passion, enthusiasm and inspiration.
Photo: Jeroen Ploeger
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2018:
Oebele Kooistra
During the concert at the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam, Oebele Kooistra received this year's Roze Amsterdammertje from Pride Amsterdam director Lucien Spee. "The Roze Amsterdammertje is an annual award given to people who play an important role behind the scenes or provide extraordinary support to the organisation of Pride in Amsterdam," Spee stated. "The pink heart with the stripe and three crosses of the flag of Amsterdam, symbolises the warm and pink heart the recipient has for Pride in Amsterdam. "We want to take a moment every year to remember the role these individuals play or have played behind the scenes. To reinforce that, the Roze Amsterdammertje, created by artist René Rikkelman, was created."
This year's award goes to Oebele Kooistra, the silent force behind Senior Pride. "He set up the festival in 2006. He is the founder of this event. A festival with burlesque elements, humour and, above all, content. Those are the solid pillars," states Spee. "All these years, Oebele has been doing this as a producer with great passion, enthusiasm and inspiration. His famous saying is: 'Don't forget: we are doing this for the oldies'. In 2014, he started organising the event from the Amsterdam Gay Pride foundation. It is an important event. A part that gives attention to its heroes of the past. But Oebele is a hero himself.
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2017:
Olaf Kok
In 2017, the award went to Olaf Kok a passionate entrepreneur from the East of the country who had been involved with our festival since 2010. Every year, Olaf drove from Enschede to the capital with many trucks and a bus full of volunteers to then set up camp for almost a week and produce the main stage for Pride.
Over the past seven years, we have come to know Olaf as a real rule-boy and a true friend of our Pride. He has never been able or willing to earn a dime for all his tireless efforts. And when 2016 did see a small profit, it went straight to the volunteers to thank them for their selfless efforts.
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2016:
Pierre Karsten
On 4 August, the Roze Amsterdammertje 2016 was awarded to Pierre Karsten. He has been Pride's biggest sponsor and donor apart from the municipality since 2013.
Pierre is involved from the heart and is doing everything he can to support us. Pierre explains his involvement as follows; "Unlike nationalities, LGBT people cannot flee to their own country if they are discriminated against, for example. After all, there is no gay country. Moreover, he thinks Pride is the city's most beautiful event and would like to contribute to it as an entrepreneur and personally.
The Pink Amsterdammertje 2015:
Jan-Willem de Bruin
The organisers of the Rainbow Awards and Pride Amsterdam joined forces, and so that year's Roze Amsterdammertje was awarded at their red-carpet gala on Monday 29 June in theatre Tuschinski.
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2015 went to Jan-Willem de Bruin of COC Netherlands. He received the award for his years of inspired effort. De Bruin has been working for the COC since 2003 and was previously involved as a volunteer with youth association Expreszo. He is typically the one who arranges everything, but hardly ever gets on stage himself.
The Roze Amsterdammertje 2014:
Akkelien Zuiderhof
In 2014, The Roze Amsterdammertje was awarded for the first time and went to events coordinator Akkelien Zuiderhof of the municipality of Amsterdam.
At times when interests of different government bodies are not quite in sync, she ensures that the permit process still runs smoothly. In addition, she proved on several occasions to have a pink heart for the event.
