Built 1964–1969 Province South Holland | Broke ground 30 June 1964 Opened 14 March 1969 Capacity 5,000 | |
Former names Nederlands CongresgebouwNederlands Congres CentrumWorld Forum Convention Center Owner Municipality of The HagueTCN (2001–2009)GL Events (2009–2013) Similar Museon, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Madurodam, Circustheater, Peace Palace Profiles | ||
The World Forum (originally known as Nederlands Congresgebouw and formerly Nederlands Congres Centrum and World Forum Convention Center) is a concert venue and convention centre in The Hague, Netherlands, near the buildings of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and one of the administrative offices of the International Baccalaureate. It was opened in 1969 and was designed in the Dutch functionalism style by architect Jacobus Johannes Pieter Oud. His son, Hans Oud, completed the construction after his father’s death in 1963.
In 2006 a part of the convention center, including the Statenhal, was demolished to make place for the Europol building. Many concerts and festivals had been held there before, such as the annual North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Eurovision Song Contests of 1976 and 1980. Between 2006 and 2010 The Hague Jazz festival was held at the World Forum (to replace the moved North Sea Jazz festival, which is now held in Rotterdam). Since 2011 the festival is held in the Kyocera Stadium.