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International Culture & Leisure in Holland 2009-2010
For the last three years, Feel At Home In The Hague has presented The International Community Fair which was conceived to create an opportunity for introducing the International community to the numerous social groups, clubs and associations providing activities for their leisure time in The Hague region.
During those three years the fair has secured its position as one of the highlights of The Hague’s International community agenda. Last year, the fair which is held in the atrium of the city hall attracted over 4,000 visitors and around 200 organisations participated.
The 2008 Feel At Home In The Hague Fair was nominated for the Den Haag Marketing Promotieprijs 2008 in the category Tourism/Economy. The prize is awarded each year to a person or organisation who or which has made a significant positive contribution to promoting the city over the past year.
For 2009 we have decided to use International Culture and Leisure in Holland 2009/2010 as the theme for the fair. By doing this we are extending an invitation to all Expats and Internationally minded people that live in Holland to attend the fair.
The fair will provide the Expat and International community with information about professional Cultural and Leisure performances and activities in Holland. There will be specific emphasis on the 4 major cities Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. This conurbation is often referred to as the Randstad and has around 120,00 Expat and International inhabitants who live within an hour travelling time from all the 4 major cities.
We will also publish and give to each visitor a magazine, produced in conjunction with Time Out Amsterdam to coincide with the fair listing the “Dutch no problem” Culture, and Leisure events in the Holland for the cultural season 2009/2010.
So if you are interested in the International Leisure & Culture possibilities within a hours drive from you home - the City Hall, The Hague on Sunday 20 September is the place to be.
We have not forgotten our roots and there will also be representatives from sports and social clubs in The Hague region present at the fair.
Last but not least, this year the fair will also be part of city of The Hague's International Peace day festivities.
TheHagueOnLine
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Feel at home in The Hague, nominated for ‘Den Haag Marketing Prize’. | 27th January 2009 |
For the 17th year in a row, Den Haag Marketing is awarding a prize to the individual, company or organisation, which has done the most to put The Hague on the map – to draw people to it. Nominations for the award were accepted from the public and of those received 12 have been nominated for this year’s prize. The categories for the nominations were: Events; Sport; Culture and Tourism & Economy. It was in the latter category in which Feel at home in The Hague – The International Community Fair was nominated, along with Madurodam and ‘Shopping Night’ which took place on July 21st.
Last year, for the third consecutive year, TheHagueOnLine.com, an English language website written by and for the international community of The Hague, organised this event to welcome international newcomers to their new home. In one day visitors were given the opportunity to meet with more than 190 exhibitors offering alternatives to the free and leisure time of the international community. Representatives of local and international groups were available to answer questions, provide advice and make everyone feel at home. In 2008 almost 4000 visitors attended the Fair and went home feeling that much more informed about all there was to do in The Hague.
To cast your vote for it as the 2008 Den Haag Promotieprijs winner visit www.TheHagueOnLine.com on June 23rd 2008.
In the movie 'Field of Dreams', Kevin Costner plays a farmer who becomes convinced that he is meant to build a ball field in the middle of Iowa, on prime farm land, so that a ghostly team of long-deceased baseball greats could play ball at night. He hears a voice saying, 'If you build it, they will come.' And he was right: the ghosts arrive, and the film ends with spectators approaching the ballfield. They - YOU - will come, because you know what is needed to make a new home in a new country!
Two years ago, Billy Allwood of TheHagueOnLine and Hazel O’Dea, then Director of ACCESS, pondered this issue, wondering if they could gather enough exhibitors and visitors to their brainchild, the International Community Fair, now known as Feel at home in The Hague.
No doubt the Carlton Ambassador Hotel, which invested its time, reputation and facilities, may have wondered the same. Hindsight is 20/20 they say, and there were ‘no worries’. Last year, on the eve of the second International Community Fair, as the Project Manager of the event, I wondered, 'Will they come?' I knew I had stand-holders: individuals, organisations, commercial operations of all magnitudes, ready to descend upon the Atrium at 7am that Sunday to set up for the Fair. But as I closed my eyes (ha!) the evening before, I wondered, 'But what about the people we're doing this for? Will they come?'
Almost four months before the third Feel at home in The Hague – The International Community Event, I can assure one and all that people will most definitely come. The stands are essentially sold and already there are more than 174 different groups, organisations, businesses, large and small signed up to participate or contribute to the Fair. Already there are ticket sales being requested via the online ticket sales option. The Fair has already been featured in the Expat Journal, ACCESS Magazine, and The Hague Times.
In all the planning and organising that goes into such an event, one thing comes up again and again: the Fair is not only a fun day out, but the premiere networking event for new arrivals, seasoned internationals and returning residents. People not only come, but return year after year.
Mark Sunday 21 September 2008 in your calendars! From 11:00-17:00 the Atrium of City Hall will be full of people to meet, things to do and learn about and discoveries to be made.
See you there,
Deborah Valentine
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