Amsterdam
Spirit
Welcome to the KLABU Amsterdam Spirit where newcomers and local Amsterdammers come together for weekly workouts and other social activities.
The Amsterdam Spirit activities take place at various locations, check our agenda below for details.
Old-school workout with ApenkooiGym
The KLABU Amsterdam Spirit is a strong community of people from all walks of life connected by the love for play and sport.
7,500 refugees and 15,000 undocumented migrants currently reside in our hometown of Amsterdam. Many face a multitude of challenges ranging from loneliness, discrimination, cultural and language barriers, and most importantly, feeling excluded from the local community.
We founded the Amsterdam Spirit to change preconceptions or misunderstandings between communities that are living together in the city. During fun weekly workouts and other social activities, newcomers are connected with local Amsterdammers through the power of sports and games. Read more in the agenda below about our activities and how you join if you're around, we love to see you!
Amsterdam Spirit Agenda
Whether you're a newcomer or you've lived here for a long time: everyone is welcome. All our activities are free of charge and open to all levels. No need to sign up, just come. Wear something comfy and we'll take care of the rest. Contact us at lisa@klabu.org if you want to know more.
Thursday
10 September ’26
14.00
Cycling Course
Every Thursday, we offer cycling lessons in collaboration with Sciandri to Wereld Moeders, a project of Wereldhuis. Learning to cycle unlocks Amsterdam in a way nothing else can. It brings independence, mobility, and a deeper sense of belonging in the city. Want to know more? Email us at lisa@klabu.org!
Thursday
10 September ’26
18:00
Basketball with 3x3 Unites
Join our weekly basketball sessions with 3x3 Unites! Basketball runs from 18.00-20.00 at Burgemeester Vening Meineszlaan 50. Whether you're looking to improve your skills or meet new people, our group welcomes players of all levels. Come make friends and enjoy the game, no need to sign up, just show up and have fun!
Sunday
13 September ’26
11:00
Run Club
Join our Sunday community runs! Meet up at Mooie Boules West (Danzigerkade 8) at 10.00 for a run through Westerpark. Coffee, tea and pastries afterwards are on us. It's a great way to start your weekend, get fit and build connections with fellow runners. All levels welcome, no need to sign up, just show up and join the KLABU!
Sunday
13 September ’26
13:00
Chess Club
Join Our Weekly Chess Club! Every Sunday, 13.00–16.00 at Mooie Boules West (Danzigerkade 8). Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned player, you're welcome at our friendly chess gathering. Drop in for an afternoon of strategic fun, warm drinks, and good company. Come solo and make new friends, or bring someone along. No registration required, just show up and play!
Sunday
13 September ’26
13:00
Games & Karaoke at Mooie Boules
Join our games & karaoke afternoon! Every Sunday, 13.00–16.00 at Mooie Boules West (Danzigerkade 8). Try games like jeu de boules, shuffleboard, table tennis, cornhole, sjoelen and lots of board games, or sing your heart out in one of the karaoke rooms. There's something for everyone. Come with friends or come alone, either way you'll make new ones!
Monday
14 September ’26
18.00
Football
Join our Monday football sessions! Football runs 18.00-20.00 at Balboaplein 24. Whether you're looking to improve your skills or meet new people, our inclusive group welcomes players of all levels. Come make friends and enjoy the game, no need to sign up - just show up!
Tuesday
15 September ’26
16:00
Board Games at Mooie Boules
Join our games afternoon! Every Tuesday, 16.00-18.00 at Mooie Boules West (Danzigerkade 8). Discover games from around the world in a relaxed, multilingual atmosphere. Whether you love strategy or party games, there's something for everyone. Come alone or with friends!
Tuesday
15 September ’26
18:00
Dance Club with MVNG MTTRS
Join our weekly Dance Club! Every Tuesday, 18.00-19.00 at Mooie Boules West (Danzigerkade 8). Each week we explore a different dance style. It's more about having fun than skill, so no experience needed and all levels are welcome. A great way to stay active and meet new people in a friendly, supportive setting. No need to sign up, just show up and join the fun!
Workout with ApenkooiGym
Basketball workout with 3x3 Unites
Board Games in the KLABU Amsterdam Clubhouse
Workout in the park with ApenkooiGym
Amsterdam Spirit Team photo
Dance workout by Katie Süter
Games & fun with ApenkooiGym
KLABU Amsterdam Spirit football team
Workout with ApenkooiGym
Meeting new people
KLABU at Vunzige Deuntjes festival
Majdy & Amsterdam community
The Amsterdam Spirit badge
The badge was designed with input from the community. Members chose a water fountain as its central symbol because it's accessible to everyone, just like our activities. Around it, two different birds represent newcomer and local communities coming together. No matter our differences, we are one club.
Impact so far
- Since the start of Amsterdam Spirit in 2021, over 1600 newcomers and locals have joined our workouts and other activities.
- Our WhatsApp community has grown to 644 active members, who use it to stay informed about upcoming activities and connected with each other.
- We're lucky to work alongside amazing organisations like het Wereldhuis, HVO Querido, Here to Support, de Kruispost, ASKV, Boost, Life Goals and Swimpact, who invite their communities to come and move with us.
- Our sessions are led by brilliant professional trainers like ApenkooiGym, 3X3 Unites and MVNG Matters, as well as by members of our own community who bring their own expertise to the table, like Omar, who initiated our chess sessions, Joud, who initiated and coaches basketball, and Joshua and Hamid, who coach our football team.
- Together, we move in many different ways: from football and basketball to chess, running, dance and ApenkooiGym workouts. There's something for everyone, whether you're looking to try a new sport, share a skill, or simply connect with others.
- The numbers tell a nice story too: 80% of our participants keep coming back, 45% of our members are women and girls, and our community is roughly evenly split between newcomers (54%) and locals (46%).
- When newcomers and locals train side by side, newcomers feel more welcome, more accepted, and more at home in their new city, and that connection runs both ways: locals walk away with more understanding and empathy too.
- We also offer activities tailored to help newcomers navigate and settle into everyday life in the Netherlands, like cycling lessons and swimming courses with Swimpact.
- And because life is about more than movement, we bring people together over food too. Our monthly community dinners have become our best-attended activity, with an average of 39 guests and peaks of up to 60 people! Around the table, newcomers and locals cook and celebrate each other's cultures.
- The community is at the heart of everything. From our programme to the badge you see on this page, everything is designed with our members. It's their club, their shirt, their badge.
- The bridges built at the clubhouse also lead to friendships beyond it: people have gone on to join local amateur teams, take language courses together, and organise activities of their own.
Want to meet some of the people behind these stories? Scroll down and get to know the members of Amsterdam Spirit.
00:00
"I would say KLABU is one of the best things that have ever happened to me. Being with KLABU is like having a family away from home."
Clubhousestories
Clubsupport
Amsterdam Spirit is supported by these great organisations and individuals.
The project could not have been realised without many more contributors:
00:00
"From sport, from working out, from the KLABU we have managed to build a whole community. Today when I cycle and I see someone wearing a KLABU shirt, MY MAN!"
Wear the Amsterdam Spirit
By wearing KLABU sportswear, you support refugees in Amsterdam and around the world.
