Henk Jan van Schothorst is founder and Executive Director of Christian Council International and its sister organization in the US. As the consultative organization's representative he brings a Christian voice at international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), the African Union (AU), the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) and in memberstates. He is also committed to the strengthening of the indispensable Transatlantic bond, especially between the Netherlands and the United States of America (US).
From 2000 – 2007 Henk Jan served in the European Parliament (EP) as staffer to a Member of Parliament and a political group with Christian and conservative origins. He was senior staff member on behalf of this political group in the Foreign Affairs Committee and in the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue between the U.S. Congress and the EP, and in the Israel delegation.
From 2009-2022 as Boardmember of the international department of Dutch political party SGP he was advisor to Christian networks, movements and political parties in several countries in (South) Eastern Europe on how to strengthen and improve their organizations and impact. From 2007 until 2011 he was assigned on behalf of the Dutch political parties to the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) to assist political parties from both sides of the political divide in Kenya and Tanzania.
Before serving in the European Parliament, he was a teacher and chair of a parent-school association. He attached much importance to freedom of Christian education, with the family as the most important and basic unit of society.
He started in Dutch military service as a non-commissioned officer during the Gulf war in 1991 and then as teacher at a home school for missionary children in Guinea, West Africa.
Henk Jan holds an M.A. in History with a specialization in European Integration from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, his home country. He is married and has six children.
