The goal: 130 illuminated tents in Westerpark, symbolizing the more than 13,000 homeless people in Amsterdam. On October 5, 2026, De Regenboog Groep will hold an illuminated tent protest in Westerpark to draw attention to the growing number of people without a place to call home. The event will take place during the national Week of Homelessness, organized by the coalition Dakloosheid Voorbij!
Each tent symbolizes one hundred people
During the illuminated tent protest, each tent symbolizes one hundred people without a place to call home. De Regenboog Groep is calling on Amsterdammers to set up a tent and thus literally shed light on homelessness.
Homelessness Awareness Week
The initiative is part of the national campaign “Don’t Wait, Just Live” organized by the partnership Ending Homelessness!. In its 2022 National Action Plan on Homelessness, the Netherlands set a goal to end homelessness by 2030 at the latest. Given current trends in the number of homeless people, the organization states that the Netherlands is completely off track.
13,000 personal stories
With this illuminated tent protest, De Regenboog Groep wants to show that behind every statistic there is a human being. People without a home cannot keep waiting for housing.
More than 13,000 people in Amsterdam are homeless. Homelessness isn’t just about Amsterdammers sleeping on the streets. It also includes fellow residents sleeping on friends’ couches, young people forced to stay at temporary addresses, and people who lose their homes after a breakup or job loss.
Everyone has the right to a comfortable and safe home, but in Amsterdam, people wait an average of 8 to 15 years for public housing. For someone who is already homeless, such a long wait is not a solution. What starts as a housing problem often becomes a health problem as well. A stable home can therefore prevent people from getting into further trouble.
About the National Action Week Against Homelessness
The event in Amsterdam is part of the National Action Week Against Homelessness, taking place from October 5 through 10, leading up to World Homeless Day on October 10. In various municipalities, social organizations are organizing events under the hashtag #NietWachtenMaarWonen.
The week will conclude on October 10 during the national Housing Protest, starting at 2 p.m. on Dam Square in Amsterdam.
In addition, there will be a House of Representatives debate on homelessness on November 11. De Regenboog Groep calls on the House of Representatives to actually implement the recommendations for a structural approach to homelessness, so that homelessness will truly be a thing of the past by 2030.
Practical Information
What: Illuminated Tent Protest: “Shine a Light on Homelessness”
When: Monday, October 5, 7:00–8:30 p.m.
Where: Westerpark, Amsterdam (exact location to follow)
Sign up with your tent using the button below.
Image created using AI.