Dutch Café Radio is an activity organised by members of the Dutch Language Café in The Hague, The Netherlands. It brings native speakers and learners of the Dutch language together. The shows are in Dutch and they offer a fun way to learn it, whilst building a community of internationals and nationals based in the city of peace of justice.
When the prime minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte announced the latest string of measures against COVID-19 at a press conference on 3 November 2020, there was no other choice than closing the Dutch Language Café.
All bars, restaurants and cafés had already been closed on 14 October but the additional measures meant that all museums, cinemas, theatres, libraries, and social places such as the DLC Café had to be closed.
Beppe, a DLC community member, came up with the idea of having a radio show during the lockdown to reach other members and spend an hour bonded by familiar voices and a diverse selection of music.
Over time this has evolved into a real internet radio station, created by Dutch natives and Dutch learners and for them. A radio committee was also set up and works together in a team. This is made possible thanks to a subsidy by Haella Stichting.