Jurriaan Kamp lives in Santa Barbara, California. While he studied international law, he spent his entire career working as a journalist. Jurriaan is the co-founder of The Optimist magazine, formerly known as Ode. Currently, Jurriaan produces a quarterly magazine Kamp Solutions, For People and the Planet. Alongside this, Jurriaan is a much sought-after public speaker and writer. In addition, Jurriaan has his own TV show on public television in America. In this show, he focuses on finding solutions to help better the lives of people and the planet.
NRC Handelsblad Newspaper
“I studied international law with the intention of entering politics. However, standing for a seat on a district council at twenty-five just didn’t seem like the right move. I needed to know more about the world if I was going to talk about it,” said Jurriaan Kamp. “I thought to myself, ‘how can I gain the necessary experience?’ In my search, I found journalism. The perfect place to build a wide knowledge base. I was offered an internship at the NRC Handelsblad, a Dutch daily newspaper. My time there was so successful any thoughts of a political career were placed on the back burner. I was offered a permanent position at the paper and eventually became editor-in-chief of their economics section.”
A Positive Outlook on Life
Jurriaan Kamp enjoyed his time working for the paper. However, he became jaded by the constant appearance of negativity on the front page. It was time for him to start his own publication with a focus on bringing a positive outlook to the reader. A publication with a primary focus on offering realistic solutions to ongoing global problems of sustainability and the environment. This paper was Ode later rebranded as The Optimist. “I think we need to invest our energies into solving problems and overcoming challenges. I want stories that tell of turning the tables and overcoming adversity; of being better. That is the only true way to motivate people to also stand up and be voices of change.
People and Planet
Jurriaan Kamp said goodbye to The Optimist a few years ago. “That’s when I started Kamp Solutions. I am able to do everything by myself. Modern technology makes this possible, and I enjoy the work more than having to deal with an entire editorial department. In the past, I have invested a lot of my energy into keeping a publication afloat and found it to be very distracting from the real reason I was working: to tell great stories. I enjoy working on a smaller scale because it means I do not need to worry so much about the smaller peripherals. I can focus on the content and getting the right message across.
Jurriaan wants his content to spread a positive message. Kamp Solutions spreads a positive message about environmental sustainability but also about the health and well-being of the people. That’s why the magazine is also For People and Planet.
A Television Program for PBS
Jurriaan Kamp also has his own television show on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), a free-to-air, non-commercial broadcaster in the US. “I make a talk show for PBS. But it’s more of a conversation with a guest. I also show new solutions to existing world problems. For example, I am now working on a series about the Hydrogen economy. We want to inspire people to start thinking about new possibilities and solutions. A lot of the episodes we film for TV are also turned into podcasts. That’s really cool because it allows us to reach interested people through different mediums.
Charitable Endeavours
Alongside all of this, Jurriaan Kamp has started to come full circle, moving back towards international law. He is an active board member of the American Human Rights Organization. “Human rights are a fundamental necessity; the basis of everything. In 2023, in San Francisco, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations on December 10th, 1948. The pact was signed in Geneva; however, the roots for it were laid in San Francisco. I am involved in the planning of a two-day conference which will follow the anniversary celebrations. I will also be attending the conference because human rights is a subject matter very dear to my heart.”