Who we are

We are an independent foundation with a historically driven mission that will always be relevant in society.

Our vision and mission

The Democracy and Media Foundation was established by the brave people who founded the illegal resistance newspaper Het Parool in the Netherlands during World War II. This history gives us a deep-rooted awareness that the democratic rule of law and a healthy, free press need ongoing awareness and support. Together, they form the foundation of a free, just and open society in which the equality of all citizens is guaranteed.

We are committed to ensuring a strong democratic rule of law and well-functioning, diverse journalism and media. We do this by investing time and money in initiatives that contribute to this and, where necessary, developing these initiatives ourselves.

Our values

Our core values are courage, commitment and independence. They are at the heart of everything we do and form the basis of our relationships.

Courage

Following in the footsteps of our founders, we openly and passionately seek to protect the democratic rule of law, encouraging others to do the same.

Commitment

We provide support and carry out activities purely from our vision and mission, and this makes us highly driven partners.

Independence

We are a financially independent foundation, which allows us to have an autonomous position. But we also believe it is essential to be accountable for our choices at all times.

Our history

Our historical origins lie in journalistic resistance to the Nazi regime. Through the illegal newspaper het Parool our founders fought against totalitarian rule and for the return of freedom and democracy in the Netherlands. Their passion and courage continue to inspire us in our day-to-day work. On the history page, you can read more about how the foundation has developed over the years. Our objectives are laid down in our articles of incorporation.

Finances

We are a financially independent foundation. The proceeds from our invested assets finance all our activities and enable us to achieve our mission, every day. Our investment policy is designed to be socially responsible, with special emphasis on freedom of the press.