The foreign policy of the Netherlands is based on four basic commitments: to the Atlantic cooperation, to European integration, to international development and to international law. While historically the Kingdom of the Netherlands was a neutral state, since 1945 it has become a member of NATO, the United Nations, the European Union and many other international organizations. The Dutch economy is very open and relies on international trade. During and after the 17th century—its Golden Age—the Dutch built up a commercial and colonial empire. It was a leading shipping and naval power and was often at war with England, its main rival. Its main colonial holding was Indonesia, which fought for and achieved independence after 1945. The historical ties inherited from its colonial past still influence the foreign relations of the Netherlands. Foreign trade policy is handled by the European Union. The Dutch have been active in international peacekeeping roles.
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij, commonly known as Ruudvan Nistelrooy, is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. Widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, van Nistelrooy has been the top scorer in three separate UEFA Champions League seasons, and is the sixth-highest goalscorer in the competition's history with 56 goals. He has also been the top scorer in three different European domestic leagues. In 2004, he was listed in the FIFA 100 of the world's greatest living players.
The Suriname national football team represents Suriname in international football. The team is controlled by the Surinamese Football Association, which is a member of CONCACAF.
Theodoor "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch film director. He directed Submission: Part 1, a short film written by Somali writer and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, which criticised the treatment of women in Islam in strong terms. On 2 November 2004, he was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri, a Dutch-Moroccan Islamist who objected to the film's message. The last film Van Gogh had completed before his murder, 06/05, was a fictional exploration of the assassination of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. It was released posthumously in December 2004, a month after Van Gogh's death, and two years after Fortuyn's death.
K3 is a Belgian-Dutch girl group with a Dutch-language pop repertoire, consisting of Hanne Verbruggen, Marthe De Pillecyn, and Julia Boschman. In addition to music, they are also central to many cinema films, television series and musicals. The signature style and iconicity of K3 rely on all three girls mostly wearing the same outfit, and they are tradionally a redhead, a brunette, and a blonde. Throughout its career, K3 has built a space within Dutch and Belgian pop culture, becoming one of the most successful groups of the Benelux. The group's name is derived from the first letters of the three first members from 1998: Karen Damen, Kristel Verbeke, and Kathleen Aerts.
Hanna Verboom is a Dutch actress.
Halina Reijn is a Dutch actress, writer and film director.
Michiel Huisman is a Dutch actor, musician, and singer-songwriter, recognized for his roles in Dutch and international film and television projects.
Katja Schuurman is a Dutch actress, singer and television personality.
Tow Truck Pluck, also known as Pluk and his Tow Truck is a 2004 Dutch comedy musical family film directed by Ben Sombogaart and Pieter van Rijn. It's an adapation of the children's book Pluk van de Petteflet by Annie M.G. Schmidt, starring Janieck van de Polder as the titular character.
Yes Nurse! No Nurse! is a 2002 Dutch comedy musical film written and directed by Pieter Kramer and co-written by Frank Houtappels, based on the 1966 television show by Annie M.G. Schmidt and Harry Bannink.
Laws governing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights are complex and diverse in the Americas, and acceptance of LGBTQ persons varies widely.
Hoyte van Hoytema is a Dutch-Swedish cinematographer. He has received two Academy Award for Best Cinematography nominations, for the Christopher Nolan–directed films Dunkirk (2017) and Oppenheimer (2023), winning the Oscar for the latter.
Yolanthe Cabau is a Spanish-Dutch actress, model and television host.
Janieck van de Polder, better known by his stage name Janieck Devy or just the mononym Janieck, is a Dutch singer-songwriter, musician and actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Pluk in the 2004 film Tow Truck Pluck and the single "Reality" by Lost Frequencies, in which he took the melody, guitar, vocals and lyrics into account.
Johan Nijenhuis is a Dutch film producer, director and screenwriter.
Holly Mae Brood is a Dutch actress and presenter. She is best known for her role as Amy Kortenaer in the soap opera Goede tijden, slechte tijden and the spin-off series Nieuwe Tijden. She is also known as co-host of the Dutch/Flemish version of Love Island.
