Bond Heemschut

“The Jury lauded the remarkable perseverance of Bond Heemschut in following its mission and goals throughout a full century. Its impact on the heritage scene in the Netherlands has been of major importance, and through the association’s sustained efforts, Bond Heemschut has managed to save a great number of precious heritage sites for future generations. The widespread activities of Heemschut are judged to be of high value and exemplary on a national and international scale.”

Heritage association Bond Heemschut is the oldest private organisation for protecting heritage in the Netherlands, in 2011 celebrating its centenary. Heemschut, meaning ‘protecting one’s premises’, raises awareness and commitment to the conservation of monuments and cultural landscapes all over the Netherlands. In recent years it has encouraged creative educational projects on heritage, and also highlighting the sector in public consciousness through popular, printed and digital media. Over the century, Heemschut has encouraged and initiated the creation of more specialised heritage protection NGOs for various building types or management structures.

Its volunteer members actively support local initiatives for the protection of monuments and landscapes, and advocate on local, regional and national policy, over the years strongly influencing the heritage protection policies and regulations of the country. With 7,000 members, it is the most widely-orientated non-profit organisation for heritage in the country and it strives for a broader and more integrated heritage sector.

More information
www.heemschut.nl