NAIL Limburg

What do we do?

​

NAIL…

• Is an independent, non-profit, apolitical organisation.

• Maintains social, cultural and economic ties.

• Promotes friendship between citizens of the U.S.A, The Netherlands and other nations.

• Focuses primarily on the province of Limburg.

 

In short

Essentially the NAIL is a platform facilitating people to connect, to identify synergies and to establish networks resulting in mutual understanding and appreciation.  This platform generates a wide range of activities.  Major NAIL events are the annual Memorial Eve gathering and participation in Memorial Day Services the following Day, and the celebration of the birthday of the Netherlands King, Willem-Alexander. Other activities include themed dinner & dance events, beer calls, meetings, excursions/visits to local breweries, international organizations such as EUROCONTROL and European Institutions such as the EU Parliament & Commission, factories, historic sites, museums, castles and selected regional restaurants.  The NAIL also sponsors special guest lectures on topics of interest.  If you have a particular field of expertise or interest, we would welcome having you speak at a NAIL-organized event!

​

In keeping with an objective to broaden the appeal and reach of the NAIL over recent years we have sponsored a number of local and regional projects.  Amongst others, these have included the American Spouses Club Auction, the Open Air Theatre at Valkenburg, the Terry Fox Run and the Schutterij St. Gertrudis Amstenrade.   

But, we should not forget that we aim to promote & preserve the cultural, economic and social contacts between the Netherlands and the USA. Furthermore, the provision of information & assistance to Americans residing in Limburg and elsewhere in the Netherlands is an essential objective for us.

​

Background and Purpose

To continue a rich history of ongoing friendship and warm relations that began even before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Nederland-Amerika Instituut Limburg, or NAIL, was established to promote and strengthen Dutch-American relations. The desire for these relations can been seen in the large number of Dutch people who chose the New World as their home after its discovery.

​

Just as the Netherlands supported the United States in its early years, Americans, through the Marshall Plan, became the primary supporters of the realisation of the plans for the prosperity currently enjoyed in the Netherlands in its early years of post-war freedom. All of these historical events have been the foundation and strength of NAIL.

​

NAIL emerged in 1952 as an outgrowth of the close relations developed between the people of Limburg and their American liberators at the conclusion of World War II. Through NAIL the people of Limburg have been given access to American culture and economic opportunities. The success of this venture can be seen in an active exchange of Dutch-American scholars and in the fact that Dutch business represents one of the largest single groups of foreign investors in the United States.

Throughout its history, the underlying objective of NAIL has been to further Dutch friendship with the United States of America through social, cultural, educational and economic endeavours. While those remain NAIL's current goals, NAIL also maintains close contact with organisations in the Netherlands and other European countries that pursue similar objectives. This has helped NAIL to become a multi-national organisation.

​

Membership and participation in NAIL activities and events have therefore been open to all people who, regardless of nationality, are willing to support the objectives of NAIL. Today, the NAIL has well over 200 members of Dutch, American, Irish, German and Belgium nationalities. We have established strong ties with the US Embassy and its Consul General, the Schinnen Tri-Border Community, Allied Joint Force Command Headquarters Brunssum, Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base, AFNORTH International School, the Limburg Veteran Day Foundation, the SHAK 1944 (Foundation of the Commemoration of the American Christmas Eve 1944), the American Overseas Remember and the Foundation of the Adoption of American Graves, Margraten.

​

Objectives

The NETHERLANDS – AMERICA INSTITUTE LIMBURG achieves its objectives, namely developing and preserving the cultural, social and scientific contacts between the Netherlands and America, and Limburg in particular, through the following activities:

• Organising meetings, excursions, lectures, film evenings, social gatherings, etc;

• Disseminating cultural and general information to members and educa­tional institutions;

• Promoting contacts with Americans who reside in Limburg and elsewhere in the Netherlands;

• Providing information and assistance to American visitors upon request;

• Developing and preserving contacts with similar organisations in the Netherlands and throughout Europe;

• Promoting its objectives with leaders of government, trade and industry, and scientific and cultural institutions;

• Stimulating interest in the United States of America by European youth.