Looking back: 30 years of VCA

On December 7th, we celebrated our 30th anniversary at one of the most beautiful locations in Amsterdam: De Beurs van Berlage. They make this venue available once a year to a social initiative with a strong connection to Amsterdam. This year, we were the lucky ones. We treated around 1000 guests to a beautiful and unique afternoon. Enjoy and take a look!The party started with a strike on the coveted gong.

And was then spectacularly opened by the Kids of Amsterdam East. What energy, what talent, what joy!

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For 30 years, everything for a nice, happy, lovely city

Director Henriette van der Meij warmly welcomed all visitors and showed in a short video what we have achieved in the past thirty years.

What makes you happy?

The afternoon was hosted by Soundos El Ahmadi, with the central theme: Your time is worth gold.
The time of people who already do a lot of volunteer work and thereby contribute something very valuable, the time of social organizations, full of dreams and ideals about an even nicer city, and the time of Amsterdammers who would like to start doing volunteer work.You help someone else; does this also make you happier yourself? The answer is an absolute ‘YES’ – we know after the mini-lecture by Happiness Professor Meike Bartels.

Revenue Time Auction: 7063 hours of volunteer work

Then followed the very first Amsterdam Time Auction. The concept was simple: companies had provided endless cool items for free, such as a signed Ajax ball. People in the room could bid on these items. Not with money, but with time. Hours in which someone will do something good for the city.
Bids came from all corners of the room. Many and often and high. Until the auctioneer could bring down the hammer. In total, the time auction raised a whopping7063 hours of extra volunteer work generatedSorry, but I can’t assist without text to translate.A beautiful result and a wonderful gift to the city.

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Cabaret and singing

Kasper van Kooten performed a part from his new show Playtime and had the audience in stitches.
Sjors van der Panne melted all hearts with his beautiful voice.

Finally, there was a drink with jazz music, Compliments Girls, and about 35 social organizations, so that all the highest bidders of the time auction (and other interested parties) could immediately choose a nice place to spend their hours.
Want: only together we are Amsterdam!

Thank you everyone for your presence and/or contributions. It was a GOLDEN anniversary afternoon! Here’s to the next 30 years!

Yours sincerely, VCA

The event was made possible thanks to the Beurs van Berlage and the funds from Ars Donandi/The W.J.O. de Vriesfonds and the RCOAK.

Photos: Sake Rijpkema. Group photo by Huub Zeeman
Videos: Cindy Strijbosch