Holding on to Hope: A Year-End Message from the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam

Dear friends, students, faculty and staff, sponsors and strategic partners of the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam:

One year has already passed, and we are now approaching the end of the year.

When we look at our world today, it often feels as if everything is in upheaval: wars, mass killings, crimes against humanity, radicalization, environmental disasters. From a distance—from the helicopter view—it can seem as though we are living in a great tribulation, with no clear way out.

Yet when we zoom in, a different reality appears.

We see wonderful people. Individuals, communities, and organizations who still believe that a better and more beautiful world is possible. People who understand that hope does not start with abstract systems, but with us—with human beings who choose to make a difference. Even in the harshness of life, politics, rules, and regulations, they take small but courageous steps toward justice, dignity, and compassion.

This is where the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam stands.

In 2026, the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam will celebrate its twentieth anniversary. Over the past twenty years, with the dedication of our volunteer faculty and staff, and with the faithful support of our sponsors and partners, we have been able—despite very limited financial resources—to contribute to justice in higher education. We do so because we believe that access to higher education is a fundamental human right.

In 2026, the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam will celebrate its twentieth anniversary.

During these twenty years, we have offered education to nearly one thousand people who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to study at this level. Today, these alumni are active in their communities—whether in exile or in their countries of origin—working for change, justice, and human dignity.

On behalf of the Foundation Academy of Amsterdam, I express my deep gratitude to all of you. I also encourage you to continue believing in a better and more just world—not only imagining it, but truly believing in it, and helping to shape it through your actions.

I wish you a beautiful Christmas season and, in advance, a peaceful and hopeful New Year.

With gratitude and hope,

Dr. Samuel Lee

Founder and President

Foundation Academy of Amsterdam