This week you can expect to emerge from your house to frosted cars, with night temperatures often reaching freezing point. During the day, temperatures will be average for the time of year: a balmy 10 degrees.
People living in the south or east of the Netherlands will have already noticed this morning that it’s time to bring that scraper out with you to defrost the car in the morning. Over the coming days, the rest of the Netherlands will need to do so as well. It’s time to get those scarves and gloves out, and maybe some hot chocolate as well: winter is well and truly on its way.
Dry and clear, despite the chill
This comes after a tropical weekend, with some mythical locations reaching 20 degrees. Over the next few days, the warm weather will be chased out by the cold, with some places in Gelderland, Limburg and Brabant reaching lows of minus 2 degrees tonight. The rest of the country can expect some frost as well. But on the plus side, it should remain dry and pretty clear, despite the chill. So you’ll at least be able to see to the other side of this flat country while you freeze.
Frosty cars, roads will remain clear
Until Thursday, the daily temperatures will be around ten degrees, and at night the temperature will drop to zero. We don’t need to worry about slippery roads just yet, as the residual warmth from the day will keep the ground too warm for frost to form on it. However, because cars are made from metal and glass, they cool much faster- so again, get that scraper at the ready.
Weekend: warmer, but also rainier
From Friday onwards temperatures will rise, but the weather will also be more changeable. The start of the week will be cold and dry, but the weekend will be wet and (kind of) (sort of) warm. Expect temperatures of about 13 or 14 degrees during the day, and 6 degrees at night. So we’re back to typical Dutch weather: rain. So much rain.
How to enjoy life despite the weather
If all this wintery weather talk gives you the chills (literally) then it’s time read our guide to to figuring out how to enjoy terrible Dutch weather. Our tops tips? Make plenty of tea, snuggle up on the couch with a good book, complain about the weather to your neighbours to foster a sense of community, and get your cat a rain jacket. This applies even if your cat is an indoor cat, because it will make your heart at least five degrees warmer.
Are you excited for the weather to get more wintery? Or are you already dreaming of summer? Let us know in the comments below!
A father of 53-years of age was stabbed on Sunday in Dam Square in Amsterdam. He was with his wife and children. The incident took place while they were waiting at the traffic lights in the square, reports De Telegraaf.
The stabber is still at large, but the police do have pictures of his license plate. He is said to have fled the scene with the knife on a black scooter towards Spuistraat. De Telegraaf also reports that the victim has been released from the hospital.
Op de Dam is omstreeks 18.00 uur een man tijdens een ruzie neergestoken. De man met het mes is op vermoedelijk een zwarte scooter gevlucht richting de Spuistraat. Het slachtoffer bloed behoorlijk maar is wel aanspreekbaar.
Translation: At 6 pm a man was stabbed at the Dam during a fight. The man with the knife has probably fled to Spuistraat on a black scooter. The victim is bleeding badly but is conscious.
Why did the stabbing take place?
The incident happened when a scooter driver got into an argument with another cyclist (not the victim) who was also at the traffic lights. According to eyewitnesses, the driver was enraged because the cyclist was a “little too far to the left”. He tried not to engage with the stabber.
It was then that he turned his anger towards the mother in a cargo bike with her toddlers in there. He hurled obscene language at her, of which we are not going to detail here. Coming in to defend his wife, the victim asked the man to calm down. He then jumped onto the man and stabbed him in the back, very close to his neck.
We hope the criminal is brought to justice soon. Stay safe, folks!
The Ocean Cleanup has announced that it has developed a plastic-catching machine, the Interceptor, that will help to clean up the most polluted rivers in the world. It has successfully trialled this machine in Indonesia and Malaysia.
With this plastic clean-up project, created by Dutchman Boyan Stat, we now have a new way to collect plastic from very polluted rivers. On Saturday, the newly developed Interceptor was presented in Rotterdam.
How does the Interceptor work?
So how does the Interceptor work? There are two long arms, which the plastic in the river comes up against. These two arms shunt the plastic onto a conveyor belt, which moves the plastic into the machine’s container. The plastic catcher can collect between 50,000 and 100,000 kilos of waste every day.
Why is The Ocean Cleanup cleaning up rivers?
You might wonder why an organisation called The Ocean Cleanup would preoccupy itself with cleaning up rivers. In fact, this development is totally in line with the organisation’s goals, as almost all the plastic that enters the ocean first travels by river. About one thousand rivers in the world are responsible for 80% of the plastic that reaches the ocean.
Cleaning up these rivers is the next best thing to stopping plastic entering the environment at all, and should make the job of cleaning up the oceans a task with a finite end, rather than an endless one.
The Interceptor at its release in Rotterdam on Saturday. Image: The Ocean Cleanup
The Interceptor will come to the top thousand most polluted rivers
The Ocean Cleanup hopes to install their new device in the hundreds of most polluted rivers of the world. The machine has been working really well in Indonesia and Malaysia, and will be rolled out in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam very soon. Within the top thousand most polluting rivers of the world are enormous ones like the Nile, the Mekong, the Niger and the Yellow River, which this plastic catcher is designed for. There are also smaller rivers that heavily contribute to the amount of plastic in the ocean, but these will require a different device.
Success with ocean plastic catcher last summer
Earlier this year, at the end of the summer, The Ocean Cleanup announced their success with their ocean plastic catcher. This came after quite a lot of problems with the device: at first, it moved too slowly through the ocean, so the plastic it collected drifted away again; then one of the ends of the machine broke due to material fatigue. These problems were rectified in September. The introduction of a sea-anchor, in the form of a parachute, slowed down the plastic catcher. It is now capable of collecting microplastics measuring only a millimetre in size.
The plastic catcher has higher edges to prevent plastic spilling over. Image: The Ocean Cleanup.
Is the Interceptor actually sustainable?
Some experts have raised concerns about the device’s impact on wildlife in the oceans, noting that small fish, crustaceans and small insects can be caught by the device just as easily as plastic can. Furthermore, only 3 percent of plastic in the ocean floats in the upper layer: the rest lies below, out of the plastic catcher’s reach.
Chris Worp, from The Ocean Cleanup, responded to these criticisms by noting that if we do nothing, no plastic at all will disappear from the ocean. Additionally, the company has focused on making the plastic catcher as sustainable as possible: it runs on solar energy, is silent, and produces no gasses. Worp says they absolutely do not want to damage the environment they’re working to save.
How will governments pay for the Interceptor?
The Ocean Cleanup hopes to have tackled the thousand most polluted rivers in the world by 2025. That’s a tall order, especially as not all governments will be on board with the idea, or have enough money to fund the programme. According to Worp, that’s where financiers will come in handy.
If you’re hoping to see the Interceptor in action in the Netherlands, you might have to wait a while. Dutch rivers are polluted, but not nearly as badly as the top thousand, which are The Ocean Cleanup’s first priority.
What do you think of this new machine? And what other ways can we deal with the plastic crisis? Let us know in the comments below!
The Netherlands will be celebrating 75 years since the liberation of the country in 2020. To mark this very important time in history, Daan Roosegaarde, a Dutch artist and designer, will be lighting up the Netherlands early next year with his new project Levenslicht.
A circle of granite stones, coated with fluorescent ink and lit up with an ultraviolet light lamp, will be erected in all the places in the Netherlands from where people were sent to concentration and extermination camps in the Second World War. You can see a version at the Hollandsche Schouwburg in Amsterdam. It is from here that tens of thousands of Jewish people from Amsterdam were deported in 1942.
For the Levenslicht, the Volkskrant says that he was inspired by the Jewish tradition where they lay pebbles on graves or Holocaust monuments. He also says that the testimonies of Jewish victims transported by train really made an impact. He said, “in the wagon, light trickled in through a crack in the door. They saw that as a sign of hope.”
They are currently making 104,000 of these stones at their studio in Rotterdam. The Levenslicht will commemorate each of the 104,000 Jews, Sinti and Roma people who were deported from the country during the war.
Where will Roosegaarde’s Levenslicht be shown?
However, we cannot show you how the temporary monument of Levenslicht looks like as of yet because Studio Roosegaarde wants the big reveal of the whole monument to create a big impact. They have released a map of the Netherlands, marking all the locations where these interactive monuments will be set up.
There will be a huge monument erected in Rotterdam, a city that was bombed extensively during the war. It will have a diameter of over 20 meters and will be revealed on January 16. Versions of this monument will be sent to the places marked on their map, where it will be open to the public to view for two weeks. De Volkskrant says that 100 municipalities have already signed up to have this “active commemoration” to the victims showcased.
According to Gerdi Verbeet, chairman of the National Committee 4 and 5 May, every municipality can also “add their own activities and rituals”. So they can choose how to make this temporary monument that much more special by finding ways to commemorate the victims.
Will you be going to check out Roosegaarde’s Levenslicht monuments around the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments below!
According to data from Buienradar, yesterday was the warmest 24 October ever in De Bilt. The temperature rose to 19.6 degrees celsius during the afternoon. This is the fourteenth time this year that the daily temperature has been a record breaker.
The previous heat record for yesterday was 19.4 degrees, which occurred in 1995. Measurements have been recorded since 1901.
You may be wondering why temperature measurements are always taken from De Bilt. If a record is made there, it’s an “official” temperature record. If a higher temperature is recorded elsewhere in the Netherlands, then it counts as a “national” record, but not an “official” one. Basically, this is all done for consistency’s sake.
Opnieuw sneuvelt een #warmterecord in 2019! Het is vandaag de warmste 24 oktober sinds het begin van de metingen ☀️? Nummer 14 dit jaar… Hoe bijzonder is dat eigenlijk? En zegt het wat over klimaatverandering? Ontdek het hier: https://t.co/1z06onZOHVpic.twitter.com/TKkxzsziyM
TRANSLATION: Another heat record in 2019! Today is the warmest 24th of October since measurements began. The fourteenth of the year… How strange is that? And does it have something to do with climate change?
This year there have been fourteen records made for the hottest daily average, but only one (from October 6) that was colder than average. According to Philippe Schambergen, a spokesperson for Buienradar, this is evidence of climate change. In an interview with RTL Nieuws, Schambergen noted that “[w]ithout climate change we would have had about as many heat and colder records every year, but in recent years we have had more and more heat records than colder records.”
Have you noticed the warmer weather this year? And what did you get up to yesterday? Let us know in the comments below.
The municipality of Rotterdam is waking up to the need of the hour and taking control of its energy consumption – starting from January 1, 2020, all the municipal electricity consumed will be generated only through sustainable sources.
This means the electricity the municipal pays for like public buildings, lighting in public spaces and sewage pumping stations will all come from solar or wind energy!
This is after Aldermen Arno Bonte of the GroenLinks and Alderman Arjan Van Gils of the D66 signed an agreement with Eneco and Greenchoice. It was ratified for 10 whole years so that sustainable energy will be supplied to the second-largest city in the Netherlands.
Wind energy and solar energy will soon power Rotterdam! Image: Pexels/Pixabay
Goodbye fossil fuels, hello green energy?
Alderman Bonte says that this new energy contract will surely push Rotterdam forward and help it transition into a “leader in clean energy”. He said, “we not only switch to 100% green energy but also provide additional wind turbines and solar parks in Rotterdam. That brings us a step closer to achieving our independence from fossil fuels.”
He asserts that “sustainable procurement is of paramount importance to us” and believes this agreement is an important step forward. Hans Peters, Eneco’s Chief Commerical Officer is “particularly proud” of this collaboration and is happy to get down to business to push the local energy transition forward. About time, eh?
Half of the volume of energy will be generated locally
Alderman Van Gils also says that a large part of the energy will be generated right here in Rotterdam. Additionally, any new energy installations will be supplied by Eneco and Greenchoice.
Also, have you heard about all these amazing new buildings that will be gracing Rotterdam’s skyline? If what they say is true, they will only be supplied with green energy!
“Green energy for and by Rotterdammers”
The Aldermen also wants to get local residents and businesses involved. In Greenchoice’s vision, they believe this agreement will be successful only with their involvement. “The starting point is that every Rotterdammer must be able to participate in the energy transition: green energy for and by Rotterdammers,” Marieke van den Hoek, Commercial Director of the company states.
Do you think this announcement is too late, or is it better late than never? Let us know in the comments below!
Asylum seeker centres in the Netherlands are completely full, according to a statement released by the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) today, reports nu.nl.
The number of asylum seekers currently staying in centres across the Netherlands is nearly 27,000. This is just under the number who were staying there in 2016, when the Netherlands was dealing with the aftermath of the refugee crisis.
The number of new asylum seekers is not the problem
The reasons for the current overcrowding of asylum seeker centres are complicated: it isn’t just because there are more asylum seekers arriving in the Netherlands (there are, but not by much). It’s also because of the housing shortage: many status holders haven’t been able to find housing, so they’re forced to stay in the centres longer than would be ideal. Finally, those who are processing asylum seeker applications need more time, more money, and more staff for the process to run as efficiently as it should. This means that processing times are longer, which creates a bottleneck.
LGBTI+ asylum seekers no longer protected
Misschien hadden we de intersectie van asielzoeker en lhbtqiar moeten benoemen ? (niet het hele bericht) pic.twitter.com/i3AgjnmHDx
TRANSLATION: Maybe we need to pay attention to the intersection between asylum seeker and LGBTQI+’r.
Since the middle of 2018, the COA has been using reserve capacity to house asylum seekers. There are 2000 reserve places, and they’re all being fulling utilised at the moment. The largest reception centre in the country, Ter Apel, is almost full, and as a result the protected spaces for LGBTI+ asylum seekers have recently been opened to heterosexuals. This is far from ideal, as many LGBTI+ asylum seekers feel unsafe in this situation.
Effect of the housing shortage
About 5500 people living in asylum seeker centres have actually received residence permits: but they have not been able to find housing because of the housing crisis in the Netherlands. This is a municipality problem, who are obligated to find housing for those with resident status. According to the COA, “[t]here are municipalities that comply with the agreements to place asylum seekers, but also municipalities that are behind.”
Een asielzoeker wacht soms wel anderhalf jaar voor zijn aanvraag in behandeling wordt genomen. Daardoor zijn nu alle plekken in de centra bezet. https://t.co/lGfO5BpsVk
TRANSLATION: An asylum seeker sometimes waits a year and a half for their application to be handled. It’s because of this that all the places in the asylum seeker centre are full.
Processing times are really slow
There are fewer asylum seekers and travellers arriving in the Netherlands than this time last year. According to provisional figures released by the COA, in the first three quarters of this year, 16,530 asylum seekers and 2,920 family migrants came to the Netherlands. That’s a lot of people, but it’s not the number of asylum seekers that’s causing the problem. Apart from housing shortages, processing times are extremely slow.
Waiting time has risen by five weeks
The COA has tried to deal with this by hiring new staff last year for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND), who complete asylum seekers’ applications. Yet more measures were taken in April, but nothing has worked to speed up waiting times: in fact, the waiting time for asylum seekers’ applications has risen by five weeks. Workers are managing to handle the applications within the legally prescribed period of six months less and less frequently.
According to the Dutch Council for Refugees, applications are taking about 10 months on average, which creates a bottleneck in the system, as asylum seekers continue to arrive, but fewer are processed within the allotted time. The COA and the IND have not yet commented on this.
Slower application process means less effective integration
Being kept in an asylum seeker centre for so long does not help the asylum seekers’ integration into the country, of course. Although they work on learning Dutch and integrating as much as possible while living in the centres, staying too long can have negative effects. According to VluchtlingenWerk Nederland spokesperson Martijn van der Linden, “They get used to being dependent on others and receive social assistance benefits for longer […] The bill ultimately falls to the municipality.”
Money troubles for asylum seekers
Furthermore, the asylum seekers are limited in their ability to earn money: in the first six months of their application they are not allowed to work at all. This is especially problematic for men who come here before their families follow them. The money their family is surviving on may run out during the asylum seeking procedure, especially if there are delays.
The COA opened more asylum seeker centres last year, because people are needing to stay there longer. However, this doesn’t seem to have helped with the overcrowding problem.
How can the Dutch government speed up the asylum seeker application process? Let us know in the comments below!
When I initially sat down to brainstorm for this article, it was quite difficult to think of a topic that had not been discussed by writers before me about integrating into Dutch life.
Every author who writes about Holland talks about the same themes and usually begins by stating that Holland is the land of clogs, tulips, cheese, bicycles, marijuana or something along those lines.
However, it was only after hours of pulling my hair out that I realized that most had forgotten one crucial thing in their articles: to discuss what an immigrant really needs to know once they arrive in The Netherlands.
When I say what they really need to know about integrating into Dutch life, I’m talking about how to integrate as seamlessly as possible into life in the lowlands. While everyone knows the boring facts about obtaining your BSN or finding the best mobile data package, I have compiled a list of the do’s and don’ts to living in Holland and really integrating into Dutch life, this to ensure that your fellow Dutch inhabitants will not be able to tell that you have just stepped off the plane at Schiphol.
The most obvious place to start on our journey to successful integration into Dutch life begins in the first place you find yourself in after the airport: The Train Station.
Get yourself a bike when integrating into Dutch life. They say there are more bikes in the Netherlands than people! Image: djedj/Pixabay
The train stations in Holland are incredibly scary and if, like me, you come from a country where you miss the train, think “f*ck it” and go to the nearest pub for a pint until the next one comes along, then being in a train station in Holland will probably send you into a stress-induced coma.
The station is a hotpot of lost tourists, time-conscious, working commuters and beautiful blonde-haired creatures, gracefully Olympic sprinting through the station and down the escalator to catch their departing train with a minute to spare. Then… there’s me, one foot below the rest of the Dutch population, squinting at the departure screen, furiously scrolling to find when the next train departs to Amsterdam Centraal, while also weighing up the potential success rate of me obtaining a koekje from the Albert Heijn before catching my train.
However, after several episodes in various train stations across the country, I have finally cracked the code of how to blend into the crowd in the train station and have compiled a simple list of dos and don’ts to ensure that you too can fit into this mystifying maze of excellent time-keeping and public transport in the Netherlands.
DO purchase an OV Chipkaart and DON’T buy paper tickets
Step one of integrating into Dutch life: buy an ov-chipkaart! Image: Elisa Triolo/Flickr
Having an OV Chipkaart is the equivalent of having a backstage pass to the Oscars if you’re a tourist. No longer must you face the embarrassment of carrying around a paper ticket for every journey you embark upon.
Now, you hold the holiest of all grails: For just €7.50, you too can be the owner of such a magical card and can strut into the station, nonchalantly avoiding the pay machines and arrogantly swiping your card at the check-in point without even stopping in your stride (that is until you realize that you have no credit on your card and have to return red-faced to put €20 on your Chipkaart.)
If used correctly, this card will ensure that Dutch people will have a very hard time identifying you as a tourist and if you can manage to find yourself a Dutch friend (with a special discount card that you mere mortals wouldn’t even understand), it will allow you take advantage of a 40% discount on every journey. Ka-CHING!
DO attempt to board the train as soon as possible and DON’T allow on-board passengers room to disembark
No matter what country you come from, the majority of individuals are brought up to obey certain public transport etiquette such as letting an old person have your seat or thanking the bus driver on your way off the bus.
One such train etiquette for those waiting to board any form of public transport is to allow room for those disembarking the vehicle to safely exit so as to avoid any injuries or potential stampedes. Such etiquette is not the case in Holland and should you stand back to allow your fellow commuters to disembark, you have failed at your attempt at Dutch integration and must return to your home, pack your bags and head for the airport.
No, this rule is one that is not and probably will never be practised in Holland and should you wish to remain living in the Netherlands you must follow these crucial steps to blend in while boarding a train:
Wrap your belongings as tightly to you as you see the train approaching in the distance.
Slowly begin taking steps closer to the edge of the platform, linking up with fellow passengers on your left and right to create an impenetrable, compact herd.
As soon as the train stops, rush with your herd towards the opening door.
Those in the middle may find themselves obliged to create a small pathway to allow those on the train to get through the masses to the platform, however, should you find yourselves on the side of the herd, feel free to continue to push your way towards the door.
If you feel that your herd is failing you and not making progress, you can always jump ship to the next entrance and push from the rear.
Board the train and elbow your way to the nearest free seat in second class.
DO stare at your fellow passengers and DON’T mind your own business.
Success! You’ve boarded the train and you have now taken your seat along with your fellow peasantry in second class.
Now, to complete the initiation process, you must focus all of your intentions on your fellow passengers. Dutch people on trains have an incredibly annoying habit of staring at anyone who opens a bag of crisps, answers their phone or sneezes and coughs too loudly. To become one of them, you too must stare at these culprits, boring your disapproving, inquisitive eyes into their soul until they are shamed into a cone of silence for their entire journey.
Should you find yourself as the culprit, well, I usually just stare back and wink until they look away.
And there you have it! You’ve done it. You have passed as a Dutchie in the train station and stage one of your integration process is complete.
Are there any do’s and don’ts we missed out on? Let us know in the comments below!
As Turkey crossed the border and attacked the Kurdish held section of Syria, the fate of ISIS members detained in the region remains uncertain. Some European nations are using the fragile ceasefire to bring them back. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) wants to bring back 29 Dutch-Syrians to try them for terrorism in the Netherlands.
Before we talk about possibly bringing back these ISIS members, let’s have a good look at the latest state of affairs.
On October 17th the US negotiated a five-day ceasefire with the Turkish government. Turkish president, Erdogan, celebrated the deal, while Trump tweeted it was “a great day for civilization.”
Trump announced yesterday that the ceasefire would be made permanent while lifting sanctions against Turkey, but this information should be taken with a grain of salt, given Trump’s track record on creating consistent foreign policy.
Nevertheless, the international outcry over the invasion continues. After all, 11,000 Kurds died fighting against ISIS, with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) being America’s most important ally in the fight against the spread of terrorism in the region. Now, they are left on their own to fight against Turkey.
Before the end of the ceasefire, the Turkish and the Russian presidents met for marathon talks in Sochi and agreed on a deal that would establish their power in Syria. Under the agreement, forces from both countries will be deployed across most sections of the northeastern border between Syria and Turkey in order to fill the void left by the sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Turkey will control the areas on the Syrian border captured during its invasion. Russia and Syria will oversee the remainder of the border region. No provisions have been made for an autonomous territory for the Kurds at this point. Russian and Syrian forces would be deployed immediately in order to certify the Kurdish retreat 30 km from the border within the granted 150 hours, as per the Russian and Turkish deal.
As the Kurds spearheaded the fight against ISIS in Syria, they hold in improvised prisons and camps 11,000 ISIS fighters and many more thousands of their wives and children. The United States’ Department of Defence estimates that 800 of those fighters are European. Since the US military withdrawal that paved the way for Turkey’s invasion, the escalating chaos in the area has raised the alarm about the fate of those ISIS members.
Because of the Turkish invasion, reports say almost 800 detainees from one prison escaped, among them ISIS members. NGOs said the ISIS members from this camp were not radicalized, but as the region heads for the unknown who knows which detainees will go free next?
Attempts to retrieve women and children
A huge policy impasse for western nations with foreign fighters, women and children held in Syria, there was never a clear answer about what do to with them. However, things might be turning now.
Belgium has contacted the families of the detainees to let them know the government was trying to use the ceasefire to bring back Belgians with links to the terrorist group. France and Germany are also investigating alternatives to take advantage of the time window to bring back women and children.
Will the Netherlands follow the example?
In September, the Dutch Justice Minister Fred Grapperhaus told parliament in The Hague that the Netherlands decided against repatriating women accused of joining ISIS and their children. According to Grapperhaus, the ministers are also concerned about the living conditions of the women and children, but it was ultimately their decision to join ISIS and call Syria home.
'Er wordt een nieuwe oorlog rond deze kinderen uitgevochten en de uitkomst is onzeker. De kinderen moeten daar weggehaald worden voor het te laat is', schrijft @Kinderombudsvrwin in @nrc over de kinderen in Syrische kampen. https://t.co/DtC0dmAyX3
In January, the Dutch Ombudsman for children, an independent institution that checks if children’s rights are being respected, renewed calls for the government to bring back the children. “The development of these children has been seriously threatened by their parents’ choices,” the ombudsman declared. “If parents cannot protect their children, the government should step in.”
Dutch Public Prosecution Service wants to bring 29 Dutch-Syrians back
On Wednesday evening, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) revealed that it would like to bring 29 Dutch-Syrians back to the Netherlands for trial: this is almost three times the number it requested earlier in the year. It is not just women and children who are included in this number: the OM also wants to add men to the list, who are currently held in prison camps in northern Syria. All people on the list stand accused of terrorism, reports nu.nl.
The cabinet, however, has not changed its position on bringing these people back to the Netherlands: it does not want to. They would prefer to see the nationality of these Dutch-Syrians taken away, and have them tried in Iraq. The OM has said it “wants to try everyone, but that is only possible if they are out of those camps and come within the reach of the Dutch justice system”.
As the situation has dramatically changed, do you think the Dutch should take a page out of its neighbours’ book? Sound off in the comments!
Over 32,000 people will flock to Museumnacht Amsterdam 2019, inspired by a night of open doors, jaw-dropping exhibits, and unique once-off exhibitions. How can you join in? We’ve got everything you need to know about Museumnacht Amsterdam 2019, from what it is, what you should so, and how you can join the fun.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Tickets for 2019 are now officially sold out! Check out some reputable ticket swap websites and be smart to try and get your hands on one!
Museumnacht literally translates to Museum Night. While the name alone may conjure up the 2006 film Night at the Museum, you won’t be seeing the classic duo Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson here. Instead, Museumnacht Amsterdam promises a smorgasbord of cultural events, music and artistic expression in varying forms- easily a better offering than the movie!
What is Museumnacht Amsterdam – and where is it?
Museumnacht Amsterdam is an incredibly interesting, dynamic and a much anticipated annual event, much like many of the cultural events hosted in the Netherlands. It’s a one-off night where a stack of Amsterdam museums offer ultimate access, unique activities, incredible music, and delicious food.
When you consider how many museums are peppered about the Netherlands, it’s understandable Museumnacht is not just unique to Amsterdam (hallelujah!). At other times of the year, Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden (to name just a few of Amsterdam’s charming siblings) host their own Museumnachts. But let’s dive deep into the upcoming Amsterdam event!
Everything is art at Museumnacht 2019. Image: Oscar Aukes/Museumnacht
During Museumnacht Amsterdam you can visit whichever museums are participating in the 2019 Museumnacht Amsterdam program, giving you an incredible opportunity to visit as many museums as you can fit into the evening!
When is Museumnacht?
The 20th annual Museumnacht Amsterdam takes place on Saturday November 2, 2019. The festivities begin at 7 pm and round out late at 2 am – that means it’s is your chance to see if any of the exhibits do come to life a la the movie!
Feeling a little overwhelmed by all the emotions and aesthetics you’re seeing at your chosen museums on 2 November isn’t a problem either! This year you can mentally bookmark the museums you want to return to and sort through those feelings. Your ticket for the evening also allows you one repeat visit between 3 November 2019 and 31 December 2019!
Who is Museumnacht Amsterdam for?
Museums are the playgrounds of the middle-aged and seniors, right? Of course not! In fact, in this case it’s much the opposite. Museumnacht is overwhelmingly attended by under 35’s, making up 80% of tickets sold. That also means tickets are selling fast – go go go!(UPDATE: tickets are now sold out!)
What is there to see at Museumnacht?
Personally, in my tickets seven hours, I’m planning to have my cup runneth over with cultural stimulation and fun.
Museumnacht will caress or assault all your senses. Image: RachelEcclestone/Museumnacht
TNO Sound Invites Various DJs is another event I’m mentally gearing up for at the Stedelijk Museum. The program promises it will be ‘a cross-border evening full of fashion and music inspired by Paris then and now.’ I’ve visited the Stedelijk in the day-time and I’m looking forward to a whole new experience in the nighttime!
But this is only a thimble of the range of activities that are on offer on the evening – check out the full program to find the one that takes your fancy.
What can you eat at Museumnacht Amsterdam?
There’s also some drool-worthy food on offer over the evening. If you’re thinking of going vegan like me (a decision which is currently still in the ‘potential’ phase because I love halloumi a little too much), then a visit to Vegan Fat Break at the Maritime Museum could be the perfect fuel for all that uhmming and ahhing over the art.
Image: Jaap Beyleveld/Museumnacht
How can I go to Museumnacht Amsterdam?
A night of fun events, food, drinks and getting to feel cultured and sophisticated all for one €22.50 ticket? Count me all the way in!Tickets can only be purchased on the website and not through participating museums.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Tickets for 2019 are now officially sold out! Check out some reputable ticket swap websites and be smart to try and get your hands on one!
Planning on heading over to Museumnacht Amsterdam 2019? Let us know what events you’re looking forward to in the comments below!
