Conference Programme

If you have informed us on your registration form that you would like transportation to the dinner venue, please come straight down to the dock at 5pm and step aboard one of the boats for the canal cruise! Members of the Organizing Team will show you the way.

If you prefer to go by bike, tram or just walk, we welcome you at De Duif around 6.30 Get your best route via https://9292.nl/

Conference Dinner

@De Duif, Prinsengracht 756, Amsterdam

Every year iPRES hosts a dinner in a special location. This year we chose a neoclassical church from 1857 called De Duif (The Dove) to dine in style. No worries, the last official mass was held in 1974. After that the building was squatted by an action group stemming from a group of parishioners who made out a case for conservation and restoration of ‘De Duif’. At present the building is available for concerts, church services, congresses, receptions and wedding ceremonies.

A little history

Back in 1795, a church was built on the spot where the sugar refinery ‘Het Fortuyn’ burnt down. This church replaced the hidden church Peace Dove (‘het vrede-duifje’) in the nearby Kerkstraat. The new ‘Dove church’ was crumbling already 60 years later and was replaced by the current ‘Duif’.

When dining, also pay attention to:

Have a look at the altar table which has the shape of St Willibrord’s tomb and dates from 1905. In the side altar, the 18th century sculpture of Mary and child on a cloud came from Modena, Italy, and was transported to the Netherlands by the consul. The Joseph altar is on loan from the Rijksmuseum since 1928. The organ was built in two parts because of financial reasons. The first part was ready in 1864. In 1882, some 25 years after completion of the church, there was enough money to finish the whole organ. And last but not least look at the frescoes that depict the Twelve Apostles. These frescoes suffered a lot from humidity. In the course of time several paintings have been made on top of each other. During the renovation of 1999 the old paintings reappeared.

Enjoy the dinner!