Youth for Freedom Award
One of the Roosevelt Foundation’s goals is to increase young people’s engagement with and awareness of our freedoms. That is why the Youth for Freedom Award is being presented for the first time this year. Eleanor Roosevelt stated that human rights begin in small places, close to home, such as at school and in the neighborhood. That idea also serves as the inspiration for the Youth for Freedom Award. With this award, the Roosevelt Foundation recognizes young people who are actively committed to our freedom and aims to make other young people aware of their own potential to advocate for human rights.
Youth for Freedom Award 2026
The Roosevelt Foundation is presenting the very first Youth for Freedom Award to Deel de Duif. This new award is intended for young people in the Netherlands who are making a difference in the areas of freedom and human rights and thereby inspiring other young people to do the same. The very first Youth for Freedom Award will be presented during the Four Freedoms Awards ceremony on April 16 2026, in Middelburg.
Deel de Duif
Deel de Duif is an initiative that was launched in October 2023 at the official residence of Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. Jewish and Muslim residents gathered there for a discussion on polarization, dialogue, and mutual understanding. This gathering was organized in response to Hamas’s incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent response in Gaza. Four young participants decided that this conversation should not end with that single evening. Noa, Oumaima, Selma, and Boaz - two Jewish and two Muslim youths - launched the initiative and, together with David, now form Deel de Duif.
Deel de Duif is committed to strengthening dialogue, connection, and solidarity by offering workshops and guest lectures at schools and universities. Through media appearances and discussions with politicians, the initiative has quickly built a wide reach.
Speech Deel de Duif
Presenter Youth for Freedom Award 2026
Natascha van Weezel presents the Youth for Freedom Award 2026 to the young founders of Deel de Duif. As an author and documentary filmmaker, van Weezel is known for her quest for nuance in times of polarisation, driven by her family history and her commitment to issues surrounding minorities and freedom. In her work, such as the documentary ‘Brug over de breuklijn’ and the book ‘Hoe houd je je hart zacht’, she emphasises how important it is to continue to see one another as human beings and to listen to one another more closely. She advocates for nuance, mutual understanding and connection. Van Weezel knows the founders of Deel de Duif through their role in the documentary and is a great supporter of their work.
Image: Cees Rutten
