No national Open Reception Centre Day, have an online look inside a reception centre
The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), Repatriation and Departure Service (DT&V), and the Dutch Council for Refugees (VWN) organise an Open Reception Centre Day annually on Neighbour Day. On this day, many reception centres open their doors to the public to give an impression of daily life in a reception centre and so that Dutch people and residents can meet one another. Last year, the Open Reception Centre Day attracted 19,000 visitors. Because of the coronavirus, there is no Open Reception Centre Day this year, but there is a virtual tour in a reception centre in the film 'Azc in Beeld' (picture of a reception centre).
A picture of a reception centre
In the film 'Azc in Beeld' (picture of a reception centre), a resident and staff of the COA, IND, DT&V, and VWN tell what daily life in a reception centre is like. Through this film, we aim to give a face to refugees and asylum seekers. Resident Ayoub, of the Den Helder reception centre, takes us along for a tour in his reception centre. Staff of the organisations tell about their job in a reception centre: the admission and registration, the reception, guidance and support of asylum seekers towards a home in the Netherlands, or the process of return to the country of origin.
Reception centre paper
Some locations produce a reception centre paper about living in a reception centre. With the help of residents, the reception centre paper will be delivered in the immediate surroundings before or on Neighbour Day.
Neighbour Day
'Azc in Beeld' coincides with the celebration of Neighbour Day. This is because the organisations want to emphasise that asylum seekers and refugees are neighbours of us all. The Oranje Fonds organises Neighbour Day because neighbourhoods become more pleasant, safer, and more social when neighbours meet one another and work together to improve their neighbourhood. The COA, IND, DT&V and Dutch Council for Refugees are happy to join this effort.