Nathalie Oldenstam, as project leader and founder, is the driving force behind the foundation De Kids van Amsterdam. www.dekids.net – she has a strong connection with Oosterpark and is happy to share more about it here.
Oosterpark is the place where, a few years ago, we danced with around 1,000 young people to celebrate freedom during Keti Koti. We also organized a dance marathon with De Kids van Amsterdam at the Music Pavilion, a day when we got to know the neighborhood better and welcomed our Afro dance instructor. He has now been teaching with us for more than six years. Oosterpark is a place of connection, and for us, it has become a new garden after we had to say goodbye to our previous garden by the water at Zeeburgerdijk, which we had enjoyed for nine years.
The park is also a place where residents of Amsterdam Oost are brought together. For me, the Music Pavilion is a spot where I can relax and enjoy watching the moving yoga groups and training sessions during the summer. When my son (now a 14-year-old teenager) was younger, I would cycle through the park with him, and he would play weekly in the playground with the other children. In short, it’s a place for relaxation and a space for meaningful encounters.
I have a special memory of the day the sculpture by Erwin de Vries was installed, as well as the memory of Theo van Gogh’s murder on Linnaeusstraat and the beautiful monument that was later placed in the park. I greatly enjoy the walking paths and the sense of tranquility, while at the same time appreciating the lively energy of the park.
In Oosterpark, young and old come together, where background or religion does not matter, and where the diversity of Amsterdam meets during the summer. It is a place where we perform, picnic, and hold meetings with De Kids van Amsterdam. A place where my son learned to ride his bike, could play freely in the playground, and made friends. An indispensable place that brings people together—just like the foundation De Kids van Amsterdam.
