VVD Haya van Someren Stichting

The International Office of the VVD

The International Office of the VVD (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie or People's Party for Freedom and Democracy) is one of the six fields of operation fundamental to the running of our party. The International Secretary, who also is a member of the VVD National Executive Committee, heads the International Office. Currently Mark Dijk holds the position of international secretary. Our international programme officers, Willem van Haersma Buma and Lucie Wigboldus run the daily office.

The International Office focuses on five policy areas:

• World-wide bilateral contacts with like-minded parties and organisations;
• International networks (the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and Liberal International);
• Public support activities activities on international cooperation and VVD International;
• The Central and Eastern Europe Programme (CEEP);
• The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD).

The party itself finances the first two policies, while the NIMD and CEE Programmes are dependent on funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.