Press Freedom in Eastern Europe
De Boomgaard Foundation was established on May 12, 2005 as a private grant-giving foundation.
The founders are two philanthropists who wish to support youth and children, initiatives to advance climate justice and local heritage and innovations. The foundation is partnering with ambitious charities or non-for profit organisations. It was ranked as public benefit organisation (ANBI) and can make and receive tax-free donations.
The mission of Stichting 2 Oktober is to support independent journalism in Russia and the CIS countries. Freedom of the press and freedom of information are vital for gathering and distributing reliable, fact-based news, making this available to everyone.
The Moscow Times produced two multi-media projects:
- The first project was about the generation of young people who grow up in Russia under President Putin
- The second about Mothers and Daughters and the changing role of women in Russia.
IWPR gives a voice to citizens, journalists and human rights activists in war zones and countries in transition. IWPR trains and provides platforms for local reporters, strengthening the institutional capacity of local media and community groups, to create space for a locally constructive debate.
Potamos Foundation owns The Moscow Times, an independent English- and Russian-language online newspaper.
The archive of The Moscow Times with articles between 1992 and 2016 was not fully digitalized and hence not available to readers. De Boomgaard helped to make this archive accessible through, among other things, a comprehensive search function and an archive landing page.
Wonderzine is an online Russian women’s magazine published since 2014. Featuring social stories, visuals and lifestyle, the magazine looks at issues impacting Russia and the post-Soviet region through a feminist lens. Funding of Foundation De Boomgaard contributes to rebuilding the audience of once 3.5 million people.
Potamos mission is supporting independent journalism in Russia. Foundation De Boomgaard, which contributed earlier to the relocation of Russian journalists to Amsterdam, contributes to a Master in Business Administration of an employee to help her in commercial management of The Moscow Times and Dozhd (TV Rain).
Artists against the Kremlin is the world’s largest exhibition of anti-war and dissident Russian-speaking artists held in Amsterdam. A catalogue was published also.
The Emile Foundation (before: Orphans Feeding Foundation) takes part in the “Bring Kids Back UA” programme, were children deported from Ukraine to Russia are traced and taken back home.