EN 
NL 
Dear FMS'ers, donors and supporters,
I hope you receive this Christmas message in good physical and mental health as much as possible. And I would like to thank you for the enthusiasm with which you have supported our foundation or participated in our numerous activities over the past year.
Despite Corona, our director Arjen Berkvens and the staff did all they could with great energy and commitment to draw attention to the big issues the FMS focuses on:
Inequality, democracy and the rule of law, climate justice and the consequences of our Dutch policies on the rest of the world, spearheaded by migration and tax evasion.
Reports have been written on migration and climate justice with incisive recommendations, we campaigned for fairer and better international policies, and we organised numerous webinars on pressing situations around Afghanistan, Bosnia, Belarus and Armenia. We are and will continue to be the progressive organisation in the Netherlands, really getting on and doing our political bit for the solutions of these increasingly important issues, which are at the centre of national and international political discussion. We do so with the new and old generations, with people from diverse backgrounds and as broadly as possible and with enthusiasm and élan. Because the Netherlands cannot and should not hide behind the dykes, and we will question a new government on this immediately!
I arrived from Africa last week and realised again how, for example, how vaccination-apartheid out in most of the world's poor countries. It hurts to see how the rich world forgets about the people who need the vaccine most now. As if solidarity and enlightened self-interest is something for more luxurious times but does not apply in times of pandemic.
The FMS cannot and will never accept that. The biggest challenge in 2022 should be to provide money and resources to close the yawning gap between the protected rich and unprotected poor, and thereby also end the underfunding of international public health. But even this week, rich countries could not agree on a fair price for vaccines for developing countries.
In 2022, we will move forward on these themes activistically and based on analysis and dialogue.
There is plenty to do in a world, where so many people are in dire straits, as their leaders become more authoritarian, their politicians more short-sighted and their choices increasingly unequal. Africa Day is coming up again on 28 May, hopefully live and in the presence of many of you.
The stakes are high, the Netherlands and the world must make sharp choices for a fairer, greener and more democratic future. What we can do about it, obtain as in 2021 hopefully your support and we desperately need them.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and hopefully a healthy and happy 2022
Bert Koenders, chairman Foundation Max van der Stoel
