Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

In 2005 Mr. Bot, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the celebration of 60 years of independence in Indonesia. In so doing, he established that The Netherlands for the first time recognized Indonesian independence since 1945. Mr Van Baalen, then MP for the VVD, also called for effective recognition of August 17, 1945 as the date of Indonesian independence "as a gesture of goodwill, friendship and realism towards Indonesia.

As governors of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) Mr Van Baalen and Mr Bot have continued to promote closer ties between the Netherlands and Indonesia. In April 2007 representatives of seven Indonesian political parties visited The Netherlands at the invitation of NIMD. In June of that year Mr. Bot led an NIMD mission to Indonesia to attend the launch of a national platform for interparty dialogue in Jakarta.

In Indonesia NIMD promotes interparty dialogue and supports a programme of democracy schools. At these schools young people are trained in democratic values and practices.