View source for Boris van der Ham

{{Short description|Dutch politician and actor}}
{{family name hatnote|van der Ham|Ham|lang=Dutch}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name            = Boris van der Ham
| image           = Boris van der Ham kenniseconomie monitor 2010.jpg
| imagesize       = 
| caption         = 
| office          = [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]]
| term_start      = 23 May 2002
| term_end        = 19 September 2012
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|1973|8|29|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Amsterdam]], Netherlands
| birthname       = Boris van der Ham
| party           = [[Democrats 66]]
| spouse          = 
| residence       = Amsterdam
| alma_mater      = [[Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| occupation      = Politician, actor, writer, chairman Dutch Humanists
| signature       = 
| website = {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.borisvanderham.nl/biography/ Boris van der Ham website (English)]
{{Listen|embed=yes|filename=Boris van der Ham voice - en.ogg|title=<span align="center">Boris van der Ham's voice</span>|type=speech|description=<span align="center">[[:File:Boris van der Ham voice - en.ogg|Recorded November 2016]]</span>}}
}}

'''Boris van der Ham''' (born 29 August 1973) is a Dutch writer, [[Humanism|humanist]], former politician, and actor. On 23 May 2002, he became a member of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] for the [[Democrats 66]] (D66), a [[Social liberalism|social liberal]] party. From 24 November 2012 to 21 November 2020, he was the president of the [[Humanistisch Verbond]] (Dutch Humanist Association).<ref>[http://www.humanistischverbond.nl/english ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129225913/http://www.humanistischverbond.nl/english |date=29 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="HVvoorzitter">{{Cite web |url=https://www.humanistischverbond.nl/mardjan-seighali-nieuwe-voorzitter-humanistischverbond/ |title=Mardjan Seighali nieuwe voorzitter Humanistisch Verbond |publisher=Humanistisch Verbond |date=21 November 2020 |access-date=21 November 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Van der Ham was raised non-religious, though his parents were raised orthodox Protestant. Van der Ham is sympathetic to the [[Remonstrants|Remonstranten]], but calls himself an [[Agnosticism|agnostic]] humanist. He is openly [[gay]]<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.coc.nl/dopage.pl?thema=diversiteit&pagina=viewartikel&artikel_id=1173 |title=Roze plafond in het bedrijfsleven |language=nl |work=COC.nl |date=24 August 2006 |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-date=27 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127083030/http://www.coc.nl/dopage.pl?thema=diversiteit&pagina=viewartikel&artikel_id=1173 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and father of a son and daughter.<ref>[http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/984/SHOWNIEUWS/article/detail/3035584/2011/11/15/Boris-van-der-Ham-voor-de-eerste-keer-donor-vader.dhtml 'Boris van der Ham voor de eerste keer donor vader'], ''[[Het Parool]]'', 15 November 2011</ref> He studied two years of history in Amsterdam, and then went to the 
[[Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts]]; he graduated in 1998. He was active in politics from a young age in his hometown [[Nieuwkoop]], and later on national president of the youthorganisation of D66. After he wanted to have a break from public office, among other activities, he went back to his roots of theatre and film.

==Member of Parliament==

In May 2002, van der Ham was elected Member of Parliament. He was re-elected in 2003, 2006 and 2010 with [[Open list#Relatively closed list|preferential votes]]. Together with members of [[GroenLinks]] and the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] he drafted the bill that led to the [[2005 Dutch European Constitution referendum|2005 European Constitution referendum]], the country's first referendum in two hundred years. He drafted several other successful bills, among others: the possibility to correct parliamentary bills by people-initiated referendums, an amendment to put equal rights for gays and persons with disabilities in the Constitution, a bill to abolish the ban on [[blasphemy]], a bill to reform a ban on shopping on Sundays and a proposal to make the formation process of a new government more transparent. In November 2006, he also became deputy [[parliamentary leader]] of his party. He focused on matters of education, [[Drug policy of the Netherlands|drug policy]], culture, mass media, economic affairs, environment and energy, social equality, democracy, and freedom of speech. In 2007 he wrote a book ''Voortrekkers en Baanbrekers'' ("In the front row") about the role of the Netherlands in the European Union after the European Constitution referendum.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/02317 Parlement.com biography]</ref> In 2012 he published a book "The Morality of Freedom" ("De Vrije Moraal") about the history and dilemmas of permissive societies.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.liberales.be/boeken/boris |title=Liberales |access-date=2012-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116200808/http://www.liberales.be/boeken/boris |archive-date=2014-01-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2012 he decided not to run for a new term in Parliament, and said he wanted a political 'time-out'. He was MP until 19 September 2012.

==Out of parliament==

In his political afterlife he maintained a public figure. In 2014 he wrote the book ''De Koning Kun Je Niet Spelen'' ("You can't play the king") on both his acting and political work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/politiek/10082703/boris-van-der-ham-een-goed-politicus-is-waarachtig|title = Boris van der Ham: 'Een goed politicus is waarachtig'}}</ref> Currently Mr. Van der Ham has several board positions in the field of media, culture, healthcare, education and in the private sector. In 2018 he formed, with other members of his political party D66, the movement ''Opfrissing'' ("Refreshment"), to correct some conservative-leaning policies that were introduced by the party. He joined the Human Rights Committee of Liberal International, and is in the board of Humanists International.

==Chairman of the Dutch Humanists==

In November 2012 Van der Ham was elected chair of the Dutch Humanist Association. In this position he is focusing on issues of freedom of speech, education and solidarity with atheists and humanists in Muslim-majority countries. Since January 2010, he has maintained a weekly [[vlog]] on [[YouTube]] about [[Freethought|freethinking]], [[humanism]] and [[liberalism]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/borisvdham|title=Boris van der Ham|website=YouTube}}</ref> On 9/11 2009 he produced his first English spoken "Freethoughtvlog"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freethoughtvlog.com/|title=Free Thought Vlog - Free Thinking historic text, commented by Boris van der Ham/D66|website=www.freethoughtvlog.com|access-date=2010-09-27|archive-date=2010-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123215831/http://www.freethoughtvlog.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> about the [[Mosque near Ground Zero|Ground 0 Mosque]]. He is also publishing English written blogs on his website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://borisvanderham.nl/biography|title=Biography of Dutch liberal politician, humanist and entrepreneur Boris van Ham|website=borisvanderham.nl|access-date=2014-01-16|archive-date=2013-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029221358/http://borisvanderham.nl/biography|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2015 he featured in the documentary ''Among Nonbelievers'' about the hardships of ex-Muslims, and spoke at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the topic of blasphemy laws.<ref name="NRC">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2016/12/12/documentaire-ongelovig-vrijdenkers-op-de-vlucht-npo-2-2255-2350u-5767639-a1536303 |title=Ongelovig: vrijdenkers op de vlucht NPO 2, 22.55-23.50u. |work=NRC Handelsblad |date=12 December 2016 |access-date=30 September 2017}}</ref> In 2016, he featured in the follow-up documentary ''[[Non-believers: Freethinkers on the Run]]'' about the dismal situation of irreligious asylum seekers in Dutch refugee camps.<ref name="Trouw">{{Cite news |url=https://www.trouw.nl/home/ongelovige-asielzoekers-moeten-zich-bewijzen~a876073e/ |title=Ongelovige asielzoekers moeten zich bewijzen |author=Marije van Beek |work=Trouw |date=11 December 2016 |access-date=29 September 2017}}</ref> In 2018 he published the book 'Nieuwe Vrijdenkers' ('New Freethinkers'). On 21 November 2020, he was succeeded by [[Mardjan Seighali]].<ref name="HVvoorzitter"/>

==Acting career==
After leaving office he played in several tv-productions, and in some theatreproductions.  In 2016/2017, Van der Ham featured in the musical ''[[Ciske de Rat]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stage-entertainment.com/productions/GzDGMq0JYpEk7/|title=Stage Entertainment|first=Stage|last=Entertainment|website=Stage Entertainment|access-date=2017-08-19|archive-date=2017-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819235017/https://www.stage-entertainment.com/productions/GzDGMq0JYpEk7/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He did the voice-over of the Dutch version of '{{ill|The Secret Life of 4 year olds|nl|Het Geheime Leven van 4-jarigen}}'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moodkids.nl/opvoeden/2017/02/18/tvtip-geheime-leven-van-4-jarigen|title=Televisietip: het geheime leven van 4-jarigen - MoodKids|date=18 February 2017}}</ref> In 2018 he returned to the stage in the Dutch adaption of [[Kwame Kwei-Armah]]'s play 'Beneatha's Place'. In 2020 he released his debut album as a singer and writer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.limburger.nl/cnt/dmf20210407_94270385|title = Boris van der Ham: 'Ik heb door schade en schande geleerd dat tijd maken belangrijk is'| date=18 April 2021 }}</ref> In 2021 he played [[George Orwell]] in the adaption of '[[Nineteen Eighty-Four|1984]]' from the [[New European Ensemble]], both on film and stage.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/3Q6mLs9uy-E Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20211115210205/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q6mLs9uy-E Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q6mLs9uy-E| title = 1984 {{!}} New European Ensemble | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In this year he also came out with a new single and music video about his kids who are currently living in New Zealand. A new album was released in 2022 and new singles in 2023.

==Books==
*''Voortrekkers en Baanbrekers'' (2007)
*''De Vrije Moraal'' (2012 and 2020)
*''De Koning Kun Je Niet Spelen'' (2014)
*''Nieuwe Vrijdenkers'' (2018)

==Decorations==
* In 2012 he was awarded Knight of the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]] by Queen [[Beatrix of the Netherlands]].
* In 2018 he was awarded as ‘Freethinker of the year’ by the Dutch Freethinkers Association.

==References==
* {{in lang|nl}} [http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/02317 Parlement.com biography]
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* {{in lang|en}} [http://www.borisvanderham.nl/biography D66 biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609204404/http://www.borisvanderham.nl/biography |date=2011-06-09 }}
* {{IMDb name|id=1577564|name=Boris van der Ham}}

{{Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2010–2012}}
{{MPs of House of Representatives of the Netherlands 2006-2010}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ham, Boris Van Der}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from Amsterdam]]
[[Category:Democrats 66 politicians]]
[[Category:Dutch agnostics]]
[[Category:Dutch male bloggers]]
[[Category:Dutch humanists]]
[[Category:Dutch male stage actors]]
[[Category:Former Calvinist and Reformed Christians]]
[[Category:Dutch gay actors]]
[[Category:Dutch gay politicians]]
[[Category:Dutch gay writers]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau]]
[[Category:LGBTQ members of the Parliament of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2010–2012]]
[[Category:Dutch video bloggers]]
[[Category:Dutch actor-politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Dutch LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:Dutch MPs 2006–2010]]