[Chapter-delegates] Thank you!

[Dick Kalkman]

Dear all,

On behalf of the Netherlands Internet Society Chapter I want to thank all the Internet Society Chapters, Board of Trusties, ISOC staff members, and all those ISOC members and partners who send us their congratulations for our 15-year anniversary.

It was a long road from those early days in the 90s, when we started promoting internet access for everybody. The Netherlands are now one of those countries with the highest percentage internet access. Even more, the Netherlands is the first country in Europe to implement net neutrality by law. In addition we protect users against disconnection and wiretapping by providers.

However these rights are never granted. There are lots of challenges ahead. Facing the threats and opportunities for the internet, isoc.nl organized 4 taskforces / working groups to face these challenges: Internet Transparency, Open Internet provision by ISP’s, Law & Governance and Internet education.

Celebrating our anniversary we awarded the ISOC 2012 awards in five categories. The winners are:
- the Internet Protection Lab with organize worldwide concrete and targeted support to journalists, bloggers and activists who are threatened;
- the new Netherlands law on net neutrality;
- Lektober, a journalistic guerrilla action to promote internet security;
- the Constant Dullaart art project on conventions and interfaces of internet;
- the AMS-IX Amsterdam Internet Exchange.

I’m looking forward to next 15 years of successful Internet Society activities. Activities in close collaboration with all those passionate people who have a warm heart for the open and free internet.

Best regards,

Dick Kalkman

President Internet Society
The Netherlands
ISOC Netherlands Chapter

E: d.h.kalkman at isoc.nl
I: http://isoc.nl
A: Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 5
   Kamer i4.310
   2595 BE Den Haag
   The Netherlands