hh. - Wim Koole (Dr. Willem Jacobus Koole), who died on Easter Sunday, 12 April in Muiderberg (The Netherlands), was Honorary Life Member of the International Church Film Organisation INTERFILM and one of the earliest Honorary Life Members of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC). In the course of a long life dedicated to his belief in Christian principles of communication, Wim was a pioneer in many aspects of audiovisual work, loyally serving his own company, IKON, and WACC’s European Regional Association.

Wim Koole studied theology in Utrecht from 1950-1954 and became Minister of the «Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk». At this time, he developped a strong interest for the „beauty and importance“ of cinema and became a friend of Jan Hes, who was Director of the Nederlands Film Instituut in Hilversum and General Secretary of INTERFILM from 1955-1991. Wim Koole was managing director of IKON (1963-89), chairman of the supervisory board for video information, vice-president of the Dutch Film Fund, formal and informal advisor and initiator of many WACC-related activities. He offered thoughtful and inspirational support to many directors and producers. He was the founder and long-time editor of The Co-Production Connection, a bulletin linking church-related and secular producers of television programming.

In 1989 Wim received the highest possible award for Dutch broadcast journalism for his work, the Nipkowschijf. Philip Lee, Deputy Director of Programm, WACC, writes: „Communicators in Europe and elsewhere will mourn the loss of a gentle man who, among all his outstanding professional and human qualities, always chose to meet people with a smile that, in itself, was a heartfelt embrace.“ INTERFILM mourn the loss of one of the eldest and faithfullest friends who was supporting INTERFILM always with sympathy. # More on http://www.waccglobal.org