Bureau de Helling

Bureau de Helling,  is  the independent  Research Foundation linked  to the Dutch political party  GroenLinks, a founding member of the European Green Party.  The name Bureau de Helling refers to the nautical history of The Netherlands:  the site from where newly  built ships are launched  as well as the site where ships are brought  for inspection and  maintenance. This is how the Foundation sees its mission:  to launch new projects, to question existing truths and to venture  into new territories. Bureau de Helling  receives its funding from the Ministry of Interior as well as from the political party GroenLinks.  Bureau de Helling was established in 1990 as Stichting Wetenschappelijk Bureau GroenLinks, received its current name in 2011. Since 2009 dr. Dick Pels is director of the foundation.

In 2008 the international foundation SDS (Stichting Duurzame Solidariteit, established in1995)  fused with the current Bureau de Helling.  Awareness raising for development issues,  international democracy support and capacity building of green movements and parties hassince then been part of its core tasks. This part of the work of Bureau de Helling is mainly  funded by the MATRA programme  of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Anne de Boer has been aco-founder of  and  current coordinator of the Green East-West Dialogue, the green network nowadaysoriented on capacity building of Greens in countries of the EuropeanNeighbourhood Policy.