“When ICDI was born, from the brave minds of Nico and Rekha, we had this wild dream: to help create a world so safe, just, and joyful for children that our job would eventually become… unnecessary. A world where we’d close shop, and say, ‘Mission accomplished’”
-Giulia Cortellesi, co-director
This year, ICDI is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Since its founding in 1994, ICDI has been dedicated to promoting the well-being of children and young people growing up in difficult circumstances. To mark this milestone, we decided to celebrate in two meaningful ways.
First, it was essential for ICDI to celebrate this special occasion with the children we work for. That’s why we chose to support ten mini-projects focused on climate action, all developed and implemented by children and young people.
The winning projects, which are being implemented in 2024, were selected based on a 1-minute pitch video participants made about their initiative. Each project received a €500 grant, You can read more about each of the winning projects here.
Second, on Friday, November 15th, we invited friends and family living in the Netherlands, where ICDI is based, to join us in celebrating our anniversary with a party in our new office in Leiden. Since climate action is one of our core principles, it was fitting to celebrate with those who live in the country, as we strive to be climate-conscious. Although some of our partners couldn’t attend in person, they were with us in spirit as we marked this special occasion.
During the party, we held a fun quiz about ICDI to see how much our guests knew about us… and it turns out, they really do! Afterwards, we heard speeches from the Chair of the Board, Mathijs Euwema; Nico van Oudenhoven, ICDI’s co-founder; and ICDI’s co-directors, Giulia Cortellesi and Asia Koerten. All shared their admiration for ICDI’s partners and spoke about our bold dream: to help create a world so safe, just, and joyful for children that our work would eventually become unnecessary.
“…like ICDI’s founders, we’re not ones to shy away from a challenge. For 30 years, we’ve followed a clear path—not one of growth for growth’s sake, but one rooted in justice and equity. We’ve always stood with the marginalized child—the one often overlooked by quick fixes and one-size-fits-all solutions”.
-Asia Koerten, co-director
The party was a wonderful occasion to launch the latest book by Nico van Oudenhoven, ICDI’s co-founder, No Mask, No Filter: A Bold Conversation and Guide for NGOs in the Global South and Global North. The book, co-authored with Rona Jualla van Oudenhoven, challenges what the authors view as a privileged narrative often upheld by NGOs in the Global North regarding their relationship with counterparts in the Global South. It offers approaches for jointly generating new knowledge, building high-quality networks, and fostering reciprocal, validated collaboration.
We are grateful for the continued support of our partners, supporters, and the incredible children and young people who inspire us every day. Here’s to another 30 years of making a difference.
Click here to read Asia’s and Giulia’s speeches.
You can buy the book No Mask, No Filter here.
