Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Erik van der Kooij, director Feeling EUROPE FNDN is living and educated in the Netherlands and worked for decades in several professions and business at financial institutions, mainly in the sector control.

Changing moral values and norms round about the millenium, brought Erik in 2004 into touch with the Dutch government’s notion to bring this challenge to the notice of the public through the international conference ‘Europe, a Beautiful Idea?’, organized by the NEXUS Institute. Erik was also abled to participate the follow-up conference ‘The Sound of Europe’, organized in 2006 by the Austrian government. These experiences triggered to share European values and affairs through foundation and this website.

The foundation contributes to better living conditions and human condition and acts as an independent observer, fosters and guides European values and affairs, takes position as nexus between citizens, institutions, Europe, her identity and everything that is related in wider sense, mainly concerning cultural, philosophical and political fields. Also economic and technical areas are subjects of attention.

Furthermore, the desk delivers resonance, provides presentations and does research work.

Would you like to live in an autocracy or in a theocracy? Or would you rather be a European and help build and protect our way of life?

Europe is not just a single market, a common currency and good in drafting regulation, but also the area where misery took place and where great artistic, literary, social & intellectual and religious movements emerged. Unfortunately, many of these trends have faded into the background. To feel European, it would be an enrichment for our continent if a new trend emerges, with which we could identify. But there is still more unfinished business in Europa: a fully-fledged government, conducting geopolitics and common foreign policy, and a military force to protect the territory.

Feeling Europe Foundation, an outgrowth of the international conference 'The Sound of Europe', aims to improve human condition and living conditions and fosters and guides the European way of life. The desk:

- brings European values and affairs in front;
- takes position as nexus between citizens and institutions;
- delivers resonance, builds, informs and connects;
- is doing research.

Knowledge was obtained through formal and informal teachings, autodidactism, and instruction and guidance from experts and community, as well as the opportunity to participate (high level) events. Training on EU organization, decision-making and governance, international politics, geopolitics, music history, history of art (colloquium) and getting acquainted with philosophy was taken in conventional manners.. Experiences in Brussels, the US (DC, NY (UN), SF, Aspen), Krakow, St. Petersburg, Rome, Athens, Wittenberg, Berlin, Budapest, Oxford, The Hague and Salzburg provided further food for thought and answers.

In order to keep up to date and to increase knowledge, following centres are engaged:

in relation to art, culture and philosophy the Nexus Institute;
Leiden University, because of the academic knowledge offered
concerning European policies CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies), and EBN (European Movement Netherlands):
due to economics KVS (Royal Society for Political Economy), Caux Round Table for Moral Capitalism, Council for Inclusive Capitalism and Convention of Independent Financial Advisors (CIFA)
on innovation GBBC and Odyssey.

EXPIERENCES:

CITIZENS INVOLVEMENT

(THE FUTURE
OF) EUROPE

ATTENTION
FOR
INDONESIA

CITIZENS INVOLVEMENT

June 2013, a unique gathering of European citizens and NGO representatives from all major civil society sectors discussing how to create a fairer, more socially-focused and sustainable future for Europe, organised by the Civil Society Contact Group (CSCG) and DEEEP
2011 / 2012 a serie of workshops on open dialogue between institutions and citizens

Volt, a pan-European, progressive politcal party

5 / 6 May '14: AIELP on European Democracy:
Multilevel Governance - from local communities to
a True European community

discussion telling a new story for Europe, the way it should be

open dialogue between citizens and institutions

(THE FUTURE OF) EUROPE

Memorial walk in The Hague, marking the anniversary of the full-scale ivasion of Russia to Ukraine
Honorary lecture President Emmanuel Macron
Debrief EU Summit June 2021 (CEPS event)
CEPS Ideas Labs
A Roadmap for the EU, narrative for Europe (December 2019/January 2020)
70th Anniversary The Congress of Europe (May 2018)
CAUX 2015 / Initiatives of Change: Europe's Unfinished Business
About Rethinking Capitalism (ELP 2012 event)
Attendee Mandeville Lecture 2012 by Jean-Claude Trichet
presentation on EU's governance Leiden University, Public Administration - Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence
Attendee Brussels Think Tank Dialogues on the State of the European Union: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Guest Europe lecture 2010 by Herman Van Rompuy: 'Europe 2030'
Annual Conferences CEPS (federalism, the euro and cooperation, How to get the European economy back on track, Implementing Lisbon, the Quest for European Leadership, Thinking Ahead to the Next 25 Years)
High level meeting Tuesday 4 November 2008 at CEPS in cooperation with the Konstantinos Karamanlis Foundation: on the Future of Europe marking the 10th anniversary of the passing of Konstantinos Karamanlis
Lecture at NEXUS INSTITUTE 2008 by one of the most greatest thinkers of this time Jürgen Habermas: 'The Post Secular Society. What Does It Mean?
Participant INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE "THE SOUND of EUROPE", organised in Salzburg by the Austrian government during their EU-Presidency 2006

A ROADMAP
FOR
THE EU

Europe has a territory, what now?

Present during the CEPS dinner 2010 with Jerzy Buzek, President Europarliament and Onno Ruding chairman of CEPS: Implementing Lisbon, the first steps.

CEPS Annual Conference 5 March 2009: The Quest for European Leadership

The role of the EU
in the world

International conference The Sound of Europe in Salzburg

HUMANITIES:

Participated in the celebration of Nexus Institute 30th anniversy
Conference Nexus Institute 'The Future of Western Civilization'
Speech on the occasion of 25th anniversary the NEXUS Institute
Participant XVIIth International CIFA Forum on "How to Mobilize Private Finance towards Funding the UN SDGs?"
The Battle Between Good and Evil (2018 conference NEXUS Instituut)
Lecture Margaret Atwood: 'Greetings Earthlings! What are these Human Rights of Which You Speak?'
Participant research and practice seminar 'Tribalism or Humanism: Will Humanity Ever Resolve the Tensions? Global Dialogue 2018, CAUX Round Table for Moral Capitalism
as friend, the Nexus events 2008 'Identity please!, 2009 'Tolerance versus fundamentalism "PASSION for FAITH, DEATH and FREEDOM', 2010 'The Return of the Ghosts' and ''What's next for the West?', 2011 'The Questor Hero', 2012 'How to change the World', 2014 'War and Peace', 2015 "Waiting for the Barbarians", 2016 'What Will Save The World?', 2017 'The Last Revolution'
Guest during the presentation of the Dutch version of the book 'Nobility of Spirit' September 24, 2009. Previous to presentation of the first copy to Mr. R. Lubbers, former prime minister of the Netherlands, the author of the book, Rob Riemen, lectured and reflected on European Humanism. He remembered Socrates, Spinoza, Nietzsche and Thomas Mann and made a passionate and convincing plea for classic humanistic values: cultivation of the human soul, the incessant search for truth and the courage to dare to be wise
course participant during the seminar in 2007 by NEXUS Institute about "Compassion: the Art of an Ethical Problem. Compassion in moral, artistic and social respect. On one side askings for and questions were at the centre. On the other side five intellectuals (Jean Clair, Mitchell Cohen, George Klein, Ingrid Rowland and George Steiner, thinkers of universal stature, brought several examples of compassion. Very welcome on European identity
NEXUS-lecture 2007 by Sonia Gandhi 'Living Politics: What India Has Taught Me''. India's many identities, languages, faiths and customs cannot coexist peacefully if any one assumes dominance, or if the collective will of the majority denies rights and space to any of the minorities," Gandhi told a select gathering of leaders and academics.

How to Change the World. Audience of 900 people (picture Dolph Cantrijn)

More than 1200 people visited the conference

FINANCE and ECONOMY

Midyear Council for Inclusive Capitalism
Global Dialogue Caux Round Table on Moral Capitalism calling for a reformation of capitalism (November 2017)
February 2013 participant CEPS Annual conference'The Three Unions: From banking to economic to political?
June 2011 attendee Greek Power Summit
May 2011, a policy dialogue in the European Parliament on governance issues, with the help of Paul De Grauwe´s (University of Leuven and CEPS) paper on ´The Governance of a Fragile Eurozone
Meetings Club de Warande: Prospects for European Wholesale Banking (March 2009)
and A Deposit Insurance Scheme for Europe (January 2011),
European Parliament : ECB Banking Supervision and beyond (2014)
A debate April 2008, arranged by CEPS with George Soros about the New Paradigm for Financial Markets (book)

Seeking vocational inspiration

CRT 2017
Global Dialogue

CEPS Annual conference 'The Three Unions, session banking union

Prospects for European Wholesale Banking

TRANSATLANTIC

Thanksgivings day
All American Night
Dutch America Friendship Day(s)
Invitee Aspen Institute's Annual Awards Dinners Participant Aspen Ideas Festival (AIF) 2008, 2009, 2010
Present person The Atlantic Festival (former Washington Ideas Forum (WIF) 2009, attendee / patron 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Aspen Ideas Festivals 2008, 2009, 2010

Nancy Pelosi, the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011

FeelingEurope present in the Newseum due to the First Draft of History

INNOVATION

guest during knowledge exchange event helping innovators, builders, governments, corporates, and non-profit partners to turn knowledge into impactful action: Odyssey Connect
Together with a global multi-stakeholder community from national and local governments, international policy makers and institutes, NGOs, civil society, the ICT industry and platforms, as well as other relevant organizations on Accountability in the Digital Age
A meet and greet Jason Silva on 'Disruptive technologies, exponential change and a new way of thinking'
Participant sessions and discussions on visions of the future of our societies and visions of the future internet
Participant 'The 2012 European Cloud Computing Conference
Participant CAPS 2014
Attendee the VF new establishing summits 'The Age of Innovation' 2014, 2015
meeting November 2016 in EP on DSI, helping communities share data, collaborate to solve societal problems, and scale their initiatives

participant vf summit The Age of Innovation, a new establishment

CAPS2020, collective awareness platforms

ATTENTION FOR INDONESIA

The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the 7th century, when traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders brought the now-dominant Islam, while European powers brought Christianity and fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands during the Age of Discovery, starting in the early 15th century and continuing to the 17th century. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II.

It's not about the past anymore, but about their future, building and expanding relationships and boosting economies

The next articles, papers and presentations were published:

2024

December
October
September

May
February
January

Why literature is important (years end message)
What does the world expect from the EU?
- Letter to the European Commission + reaction 3 October European Commission
- EUROPA, queen and architect
- 9/11 (flyer)
We have to learn again what liberalism is about
Russia and the challenges of the global governance
This far and further (on Israel and Palestine)

2023

December
May
April

Introduction letter and Years end message 2023-2024
The Challenges of the Global Governance and The European Union (final draft) and the brochure
Letter to President Emmanuel Macron

2022

December
October
July
April

The economic system of capitalism: Time to change functioning?
Letter to President Putin
ESG: what are the goals? How to proceed work in progress?
Peace is an interval between wars

2021

December
January

Get on Track
Every human being is entitled to humanity, contribution to The Race Card project of Michele Norris

2020

December
May
February
January

Pillars of Creation and the Condition of Man
The Case of Moral Capitalism (booklet)
From Soldier to Peacekeeper: 75 Years of Peace and Freedom
A Roadmap for the EU (booklet)

2019

August
February

Business in a different way?
- Europe, Death throes or Power Surge
- Europe's culture and national borders: will contradictions ever be resolved?

2018

October
June
May

January

21st Century: Beyond the Shock, Homo Humane?
SHARING EUROPE
- THAT's WHY FREEDOM and HUMANISM ARE THERE!
- Europe, Battlefield or Area of Prosperity? (70 years of Congress of Europe)
- Sharing an environment (here the printable version)
- If we all pull together

2017

September
May
April
March

February
January

Take care of it (on SDG's)
Europa tells: narrative on her experiences
Europe is what unites us: The Enlightenment
- A TOP PRIZE for MAN
- Dreams, Cultures and Destiny
- A Europe of the Grandeur
Quello che è successo a te, l'Europa della grandezza?
- The Populares
- Agenor and the Quest

2016

November
May
June
April
January

From accretion to 7 billion dreams
Time to fight for Europe
Truth Please! (published in Dutch online newspaper 'Metro')
Supremacy, Roots and Passion
Strength and Desire

2015

November
October
June

March

Reformers will come
Human Condition and World Affairs: Past, Illusions and Expectations
- #Greece, #identity, #migration, #terrorism, energy is not obvious, economics & money
- presentation Europe, a flowing river (corresponding text)
On cradle Greece, which brought us values as freedom, truth and beauty, Europe and euro's

2014	March	Letter to the President of the Russian Federation
2013	November August July April February January	Europe ahead through Germany? Humanity encountered: Some elements, effects and an appeal Exchanging views with Iran: Between idealism and realism Europe's perpetuele variables 'You, the nation state, Europe and the European Union' (flyer) On democracy in the EU, citizens involvement and US approach to connect local people to administration in order to have actions work
2012	November September May March January	Letter to President of the United States of America Route Europe (lecture) - Letter on Europe - 'The Twist' (national newspaper article) - Letter to Mr. A. Tsipras - Reminder Life in Europe (power point presentation) - Forms of government and communities (message to Hungarian politics) - Interview by The Hague Newspaper
2011	November October June May March	It touches BoP's and thus everybody There is a new reality coming, is that bad? (also on YouTube) Mental Relief can govern Financial Markets - Europe, just a view - The Next Opportunity to Make Headway (information and views on innovation) Economic governance: From Intentions to Results
2010	September August April February	- Manifest Destiny: Will WIF Kick off a Suitable Era? - Getting the Knack (Lisbon Treaty) Presumably rejection of a contribution to the ESF Euro for Europe and big profits elsewhere? A strong Europe of Results ´Out and in the Cave´
2009	December June March	Russia's return as superpower - Short cuts to Europe - Who starts next? - From Ice-Bound Banking Sector to Valid Financial Service Providers - Unity Produces Strength: Keep Europe out of Disintegration
2008	September June February January	People, Politics and the 14-days Caucasus war - Can relationship be recovered? Ever took along with Zeus: EUROPA Europa, an alliance of nation states where the world could not round about and that is measured up to developments Priorities Slovenian EU-Presidency
2007	November	Public opinion resonance about the Treaty of Lisbon, implementing the institutional innovations
2006	December November	The Constitutional Treaty Enlargement
2005	November	Prosperity and Society