Harlem van Hayzer presents the Briefcase during V-100 in House of Representatives

We are proud to share that our founder, Harlem van Hayzer, was present at the V-100 in the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) at the invitation of the head office of the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA).

He was invited because of his personal experience as a refugee and his years of dedication to the rights and position of LGBTI+ refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands.

During this special moment, he had the honor of presenting the symbolic briefcase to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Martin Bosma — a respectful acknowledgment of his commitment and voice.

We thank COA for this recognition and are proud of our founder's contribution to the public conversation on inclusion and refugee policy.

This post will be updated once the House of Representatives shares more information on their website. From the House of Representatives via Instagram:

Today, the House of Representatives invited one hundred people who are in direct contact with one or more public service providers. During the V-100, they critically reviewed the accountability the cabinet has provided regarding the policies implemented in 2024.

Since 2017, the V-100 has taken place shortly after Accountability Day. The "V" stands for "Verantwoording" (Accountability), and the number 100 refers to the one hundred citizens invited by Parliament to critically examine the ministries’ annual reports.

Harlem van Hayzer was one of the participants: "I found it very special to be here today and to reflect on what could be improved at the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers. In the end, I also got to present the briefcase to the Speaker. That was exciting, especially because I’ve only lived in the Netherlands for eight years and still sometimes struggle with the language. But I’m glad I got the chance."

At the end of the day, Speaker Martin Bosma received a briefcase in the plenary hall containing all the submitted questions from the participants. These questions will all be answered in writing by the cabinet. Members of Parliament can also use this input during the Accountability Debate on June 4 and during the various committee debates on the individual annual reports.

"You have focused today on good and critical questions for the cabinet regarding the implementation of government policy," said the Speaker.