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Leiden International Film Festival: get your popcorn ready for 2019!

Ailish Lalor
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Leiden International Film Festival: get your popcorn ready for 2019!

Pop your popcorn, jump into your cosiest of sweaters, and get your artificially coloured sweets ready: Leiden International Film Festival (otherwise known as LIFF) is back, from the 31st October to the 10th November in the historical city of Leiden.

LIFF began in 2006, and since then it has been one of the most important events of the Dutch film calendar. This year, you can look forward to eleven whole days of film in cinemas all around Leiden. And this isn’t a festival aimed only at indie film nerds. Whether you love a good story, beautiful scenery and framing, or heart-wrenching drama, there will be something for you at this festival. Old favourites like The Blair Witch Project, The Life of Brian and 10 Things I Hate About You will be playing throughout the week for you to enjoy. And who knows, maybe you’ll discover some new favourite films or genres, if you’re adventurous enough!

Probably not the best film festival in the world

As you might already have guessed, LIFF prides itself on being open to anyone. In line with this welcoming image, they’ve come up with an amazing (and hilarious) theme for this year’s festival. It is, and we quote: “Are we the best film festival in the world? Probably not.” We adore this brutally honest (and very Dutch) promotion tactic. But just in case you’re taken in with this modesty, it’s worth saying that LIFF attracted well over 40,000 visitors last year, and has really made its mark on the international film scene over the last fourteen years.

Opening Film at Leiden International Film Festival

The opening film for this year is Jojo Rabbit, a film that I, at least, have never seen the likes of before. It’s about a young boy in Nazi Germany who is fully behind the regime- to the point that his imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler. However, his beliefs become conflicted (to say the least) when he discovers that his mother has been hiding a Jewish girl in the attic of their house. The film is weird, heartwarming, and very funny: we can’t wait to see it.

Bye Bye Britain Brunch at Leiden International Film Festival

Ok, we are massive fans of this concept– not only because it’s brunch (though that’s enough to get us interested in anything) but also because this event is all about British film. Munch on your English breakfast, and potentially nurse a hangover following Brexit maybe, actually, happening on the 31st. We’re excited to join LIFF in watching the best of British film at this event, while eating a fry-up for the added rise in blood pressure.

Leiden International Film Festival’s competitions in 2019

LIFF is hosting two competitions during this year’s festival, and we’re beyond excited about them. The first is the American Indie Competition, which does exactly what it says on the tin: it showcases independent movies that give you insights into contemporary and historical America. You can expect unusual romances, young adult films, and fascinating, innovative ways of looking at life itself in this competition. Eight films will be shown throughout the week, so we advise trying to see them all, if you can. You can find the full list of American Indie Competition films here.

The second competition is a new addition to LIFF: a competition for debut filmmakers. LIFF has always been a place for you to discover new films from new talent. Now the festival’s reputation in this regard is being consolidated with a competition to find the best of the best. This competition has twelve contenders, which you can check out here!

3 films you absolutely have to see at Leiden International Film Festival

There are so many films that we’re excited to see at LIFF, and we do advise you to run through the entire programme yourself to pick from the wide array of choice there. BUT. There are three films we couldn’t resist yelling about here. So without further ado, here are our top three films at Leiden International Film Festival 2019.

Sorry We Missed You

Sorry We Missed You is directed by Ken Loach, who created I, Daniel Blake (for those of you who haven’t watched this emotional film about being caught in the bureaucratic nightmare of the British benefits system, you need to do so right now). So we’re incredibly excited to see this new film from Loach, which follows the family of a delivery driver. The family struggle to get by in the current economic climate of zero-hours contracts and low wages. It will make you think totally differently about the people who deliver your packages.

 

Luce

This film is about a boy called Luce, who was adopted by an American family after being a child soldier. He’s been an A-student all throughout high school, but when he writes an essay in favour of political violence, his teacher and family are worried. This film promises to be fast-paced, exciting and heartrending. It’s also one of the films competing in the American Indie Competition.

Flatland

Finally, there’s Flatland– a western with a twist. Now, you may be wondering if DutchReview is living in the past, reccomending westerns in 2019. But no: this is a western unlike any you’ve ever seen. After a disastrous wedding night in which an accidental killing takes place, Natalie flees from her husband with her best friend Poppie (who happens to be heavily pregnant). The film is based in a South African rural town.

Other events at Leiden International Film Festival

Now, we wouldn’t complain if the entire festival was comprised of film screening after film screening. But for those of you unaccustomed to staring at a screen for extended periods of time, LIFF also offers you the opportunity to take part in film-themed events around the city. There are club nights like Funked Up and Leiden Soul Night, LIFF’s famous Film Quiz, and a VR Experience on Saturday 9th November. That’s just a sample of what’s on offer: more events can be found in the Programme.

So, will we see you at LIFF? And what’s your favourite film? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature image: Annick Elzenga/Supplied. 

Turkish counter-demonstrators light fireworks and cause trouble at planned Kurdish protest in Rotterdam

Ailish Lalor
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Turkish counter-demonstrators light fireworks and cause trouble at planned Kurdish protest in Rotterdam

Yesterday, dozens of people were arrested at a Kurdish protest against the Turkish invasion of northern Syria. The protest got out of control when Turkish counter-protestors unexpectedly arrived at the Kurdish protests which had a nice protest-permit and everything.

At the protest yesterday in Rotterdam, dozens of Kurds and Dutch sympathizers protested against the recent Turkish invasion of northern Syria. Kurdish forces were controlling the area, with an American presence, since they bought Isis under control. Almost two weeks ago, Trump handed over control of the region to the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following this, Turkish forces and their jihadi-proxies invaded the area, since then we’ve seen awful images coming from the area.

Kurds demanded economic sanctions against Turkey

At the protest, the Kurdish demonstrators waved banners and shouted slogans like “Erdoğan, terrorist!” from 7pm onwards. They did this in the area assigned to them by the municipality. They were demanding a no-fly zone over Turkey, and economic sanctions, along with other measures from Europe following the Turkish invasion and attack on the Kurds in northern Syria.

Turkish counter-demonstrators arrived

The protest went according to plan until the arrival of Turkish counter-protestors. While the Kurdish demonstrators did have a permit to hold the protest, the Turkish demonstrators did not, and the police did not expect their arrival. Fights broke out pretty quickly and the Turkish protestors also acted out of control by lighting fireworks, and refusing to stay in the section assigned to counter demonstrators.

Police officers injured

Several fights broke out, and the police used force to shut down the protest. The police  made the decision to end the protest in consultation with the mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb. The police escorted demonstrators back to their vehicles, and by 9:30pm the streets were quiet again. A number of police officers were injured at the protest, with one coming away with a broken wrist.

Further protests to be expected

Kurdish protests will also take place in other cities, including Arnhem, Amsterdam and The Hague this week. The Kurds believe that the Netherlands and the European Union are being held hostage by Turkey, which threatens to let all the refugees from Syria that currently live in Turkey through to Europe, if countermeasures against their invasion of northern Syria are taken by the EU.

Will one of these protests be taking place in your city? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature image: Source – twitter/politie_rdam

Dutch Design Week 2019: check out the best of Dutch design in Eindhoven!

Ailish Lalor
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Dutch Design Week 2019: check out the best of Dutch design in Eindhoven!

Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven showcases the best of the Netherlands: from futuristic cars to bio art, this is the place to be. It will be running from 19th to 26th October in lots of cool locations around Eindhoven.

The Netherlands has some iconic pieces of design- from that typical Dutch architecture to our blue and yellow trains, there are some things you see that feel just completely Dutch. That’s what Dutch Design Week is all about: looking at all the new pieces of design work in the Netherlands, and generally getting excited about all the innovative creations our fellow Dutchies are coming up with.

In this article, we’re going to walk you through our seven favourite events taking place during Dutch Design Week, and generally give you a run down of what to expect at this fabulous festival in one of the most up-and-coming cities in the Netherlands: Eindhoven.

Design Routes at Dutch Design Week

First of all, there are several different types of events and exhibitions at Dutch Design Week. There are Design Routes, which take you all over the city. You can navigate between locations via Google Maps, or you can use the Hop-on-Hop-off buses provided by the festival. We’ve chosen our two favourite routes to talk about in this article, but there are eight in total: Art and Collectables, Bio Design, Craft and New Materials, Future Living, Talent, Social Design and Architecture and Public Space. They each take between five and six hours to do in total, but you can also just visit the parts of each route that really appeal to you.

The Social Design Route

The Social Design Route shows off the ways that designers can improve social cohesion and bring people together as a community. You can visit the Embassy of Safety, where designers will be talking about how design and safety intertwine. You’ll also hear from safety experts on the same topic. Also on this route is Chairwave, which is a Dutch design concept that aims to change the way people sit and interact in public spaces. Research has shown that people like having conversations with strangers, so this design hopes to encourage that. As soon as someone sits down on one of these chairs, the chairs nearby will unfold, inviting someone to sit nearby.

We often forget the importance of materials in design. Image: Dutch Design Week

The Craft and New Materials Route

The Craft and New Materials Route is perfect for someone who wants to understand what design really is: this route brings you back to the core elements of good design, craft and materials. You’ll also get to check out some samples of new materials designers are working on, which sounds very cool to us! Some of the things you’ll see on this route include Rethinking Plastic (where you’ll see what designers have come up with when they approach the plastic crisis as a design challenge) and Below the Surface (where you can examine lots of different materials used in everything from flooring to acoustics).

Dutch Design Week Talks

For the first time ever, Dutch Design Week is also hosting a series of talks during the week. The themes of the talks are the same as the Design Routes- Art and Collectables, Bio Design, Craft and New Materials, Future Living, Talent, Social Design and Architecture and Public Space- and again, we’re going to choose the two we found most interesting to chat about here, to give you a taste of what you can expect.

Art and Collectables

When you think about design, you think about beautiful, well-made things, right? This talk dives deep into this side of design, covering the collectable and artistic nature of good design. You’ll get to hear from specialists from both the art and design worlds, and they’ll talk about everything from the expanding collectables markets to the possibilities for technology and experience-based art to break into the collectables market. DRIFT and Maarten Baas will also give a masterclass on how to break into the art world, so this is a must if you’re considering an artistic career. There will also be talks from museum collectors to give insight into what their perspective on design is.

Architecture and Public Space

This talk will be given by Chief Government Architect Floris Alkemade, who will debate with other leaders in the field about architecture and shared spaces. Given how quickly our society is changing- migration, technology, climate change- talking about architecture and new ways of creating public spaces is very timely. Also, it’s always fascinating to hear from the very best in a field, so we’re really looking forward to that. This event will be held at the Gasfabriek in Eindhoven.

Learn how to make public spaces work at Dutch Design Week. Image: Dutch Design Week

Events and Exhibitions at Dutch Design Week

As well as the talks and routes, there are also over 400 events you can check out at Dutch Design Week. These events can be anything from a networking event to a workshop. We’ve chosen our three favourites here, but do be sure to check out the full list of events that Dutch Design Week has to offer, because there are SO MANY.

The Symbiocene Forest

When I first came across this event, I was immediately intrigued (but then I am always a fan of forests). This forest is beyond cool, though. It’s part of BioArt Laboratories, which is an off-grid location. The team there are brainstorming about the next phase of human existence: a phase where we live in harmony with nature, rather than exploiting it for economic purposes. This phase is known as, you guessed it, the Symbiocene. There are a couple of principles of this movement, including “the exploitation of non-polluting forms of safe, socially just renewable energy and organic integration of technology with physical and living systems”. At the event, you’ll get to hear more about these key principles, and see the inventions the group is designing to meet the needs of a changed humanity.

Graduation Show of Design Academy Eindhoven

For the second year in a row, this year’s graduates of the Design Academy in Eindhoven will present their graduation projects at the historic Campina Milk Factory. You’ll get to see projects from four masters and eight bachelors’ departments. The Design Academy is world renowned for its international impact and overall influence on the design field. There will also be a critical edge to the presentation, in which students will question the very methodology of presenting design pieces. In general, it’s always really exciting to see what people who are fresh to the field have to say about it, so that’s why we’re really looking forward to this event. That, and the variety of design pieces we’re expecting to see there!

Expect collaboration and networking opportunities at Dutch Design Week. Image: Dutch Design Week.

How to design… your own life?

As a permanently overwhelmed person, I was very excited to see this workshop at Dutch Design Week. In this workshop, you can expect to learn the basics of Deep Life Design, and think about ways you can reorganise and rethink your daily activities and long term goals to bring them in line with what you really want from life. This would also be a really nice event if you’re looking to network, or simply get to know new people, in a non-cringey way. You’ll be working in teams with other participants to design your life, so you’ll get to chat about your experiences and problems, and generally really get to know the people you’re working with. Very cool!

The practical details of Dutch Design Week

Here we get down to the nitty gritty: what kind of tickets can you buy?  Where are the events located? And where can you go for more information?

As for tickets, you can get two main types which will give you access to the entire event. If you opt for the pro version, you of course get extra perks, and a tour of everything each day before other people have access. You can also buy tickets to specific events, if you’re not interested in the whole week. And some events are open to the public, so you don’t have to pay. You can see this specific information on the event page in question.

The events are located all over Eindoven, and as we’ve already mentioned, there are a bunch of ways to get around: walking, public transport, Hop-on-Hop-off buses. But you can also try out the Renault Design Rides– electrical cars which will take you from event to event.

Finally, if you have more questions, or want more information, you can find everything you need to know on Dutch Design Week’s website.

Will you be heading to Dutch Design Week? What’s your favourite design piece? Let us know in the comments below. 

 

 

Will there be faster internet on the intercity trains in the Netherlands?

Kavana Desai
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If you’ve ever been out of data and were scrambling to find out directions to know where to go because you get very, very, very easily lost (guilty, as charged) then we might have some good news for you. The government parties CDA and ChristenUnie want to invest a million euros to make the Wi-Fi on intercity trains much faster, reports RTL Nieuws. 

According to CDA MP Mustafa Amhaouch, it is a source of “major annoyance” for anyone who wants to have access to fast Wi-Fi on the trains to study, work or just catch-up on social calls. He says, “we want NS to be able to invest more in innovations that make faster internet possible.”

Will the majority in the Lower House support this?

Yes, they seem to think so! They think this proposal needs to be pushed as soon as possible.

CU politician Stieneke van der Graaf thinks this could even persuade people to pick using the train rather than driving their car to their destinations (cheaper train tickets would also help, you know). “If we want people to choose the train over the car, then we must also ensure that the internet on the train is good, fast and reliable.”

Where will the million euros come from?

They want the money to be redirected from an existing “innovation pot”. They want it invested into new receivers and improve the coverage of radio masts along the train tracks.

My two cents as someone who wouldn’t mind faster internet

Having fast internet is great and all, but does it need to be a priority? As of now, the price of public transport in the Netherlands is one of the highest in Europe. So if you really want to persuade people to switch from using their cars to the trains, it would be dandy if they could also invest in reducing the prices of the tickets.

Would you like to have faster internet on the trains, or can you live off-the-grid while you’re on them? Let us know in the comments below!

The Hague locked down by the army, traffic jams all around: farmers are protesting once again

Kavana Desai
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The Hague locked down by the army, traffic jams all around: farmers are protesting once again

If you’re commuting between The Hague and Utrecht or using any of the highways in between, be warned as the farmers’ protest is taking place as you read this. They will jump on their tractors and will drive down from De Bilt to The Hague around 11:30 am today, reports NOS. The Ministry of Defence is assisting the police and the municipality in The Hague in making sure that the farmers don’t demonstrate at the Binnenhof.

The farmers are protesting against what they think are unfair nitrogen measuring methods of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

Where are the farmers protesting in The Hague?

They were originally planning on demonstrating at the Binnenhof but were never given permission. Therefore, they will be at Koekamp, next to the Malieveld at The Hague Central, reports NOS. The military has placed large vehicles around the city to make sure safety is observed.

Which highways should you avoid this morning?

So avoid the centre of The Hague if you have a large vehicle. Authorities have also advised everyone to try and avoid the highways and roads around Utrecht to avoid the protest which will be departing from De Bilt to The Hague later today.

The busiest highway right now is the A27, with an expected delay of more than two hours. The A28 from Amersfoort, the A1, A12, and the A7 between Hoorn and Purmerend should also be avoided. The traffic jams stretched to 375 kilometers just before 8:30 am this morning.

Have you been stuck in a traffic jam all morning because of the farmers protest? Do you agree with their methods? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Danielle van Leeuwen

What you need to know about Amsterdam Dance Event 2019

Andra Vanghelie
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What you need to know about Amsterdam Dance Event 2019

Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is an electronic music fans’ wildest dream. It’s the main event, the pièce de résistance, the reason the Dutch capital becomes covered in black, yellow and white flags throughout the streets. But, ultimately, it’s five days of dance music coursing through over 200 locations throughout the city. 

Now that we have cleared that, let’s get into details, shall we?

Amsterdam Dance Event: what is it?

Amsterdam Dance Event is the leading festival for electronic music. Hundreds of events and conferences related to electronic music and its sub-genres will take place around Amsterdam between October 16-20. It is recognized globally as the meeting point for creatives in the electronic music industry.

Amsterdam Dance Event: where is it?

With 200 locations, you will need to look up where the show you’re interested in takes place. There are over 1000 shows and conferences that are part of ADE. A couple of locations are pretty interesting, like a museum or even the Central Station!

Amsterdam Dance Event can roughly be split into 3 categories: ADE by night, ADE by day and ADE Conferences.

ADE by night

ADE welcomes a wide range of artists, from upcoming acts to huge names like Martin Garrix or Armin Van Buren. There are more than 2500 artists this year. The genres vary from Hip Hop & Rap, to Techno, Trance, Deep House or Around the World music.

Amsterdam Dance Event DJ in front of crowd
Over 400,000 people attended ADE in 2018. Image: Mark Richter/ADE

ADE by day

The event offers entertainment in one way or another 24/7. During the day, documentaries, conferences or exhibitions can be enjoyed. Fans of live music can also enjoy ADE’s Day Festival program.

ADE Conferences

The Conferences gather together industry professionals and are a great opportunity for inspiring artists or DJs. This program mainly takes place at DeLaMar Theater, the main event being ADE Pro. A wide range of conferences and industry talks can be found around Leidseplein and the general center area.

Amsterdam Dance Event - DJ in front of equipment
ADE is the highlight of the year for electronic dance music. Image: Mark Richter/ADE

Amsterdam Dance Event: where can I get tickets?

There are many options when it comes to purchasing tickets for the Amsterdam Dance Event. An all-inclusive ticket which offers access to all that ADE has to offer will set you back 475 EUR. I know, that’s a pretty painful number.

However, you could purchase a “festival only” ticket, or an ADE Card (17 EUR) which offers access to day events only. Interested in the industry talks? Plenty of choices for conferences. Find all options for ADE tickets here.

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Amsterdam Dance Event: what does it mean for Amsterdam locals?

Well…even more tourists? Yeah, surely. Last year, the Amsterdam Dance Event attracted over 400,000 visitors from over 100 countries. If you live around the center or main venues (Melkweg, Paradiso, Conencertegebow, etc), prepare to see people up and pumped at about any hour of the day and night.

You will also meet plenty of groups heading home for a nap when you’re heading to work. It’s ok to not be sure if you’re jealous or if you feel sorry for them. It’s confusing.

There you have it – what you need to know about Amsterdam Dance Event 2019. Have you ever been to the event? Let us know in the comment section below!

Feature Image: Ruben May/ADE

Family found hiding in cellar: not known how the man is related to the children

Kavana Desai
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Family found hiding in cellar: not known how the man is related to the children

Did you hear of the family who was found hidden in a cellar in Ruinerwold? It was one 58-year-old man and six children between the ages of 18 and 25. They were waiting for the end of the world and were living in complete isolation for nine years.

It was the most shocking news that we’ve heard in years and is a very strange thing to happen in the Netherlands.They found out about the family when the eldest son of 25-years-old went to the nearby town, according to NOS.

Family found in cellar in the Netherlands: it is unclear how the man is related to the children

But apparently, recent news has revealed that the man who reports claimed to be the father of the six children is not, in fact, their father. Roger de Groot, the mayor of Ruinerwold, contradicted what was said earlier by saying that he is a part of the family, but it unclear in what way, reports NOS. He was found on a bed in the cellar and seemed to have suffered from a stroke.

Family found in a cellar in the Netherlands: how long were they living there for?

The family has been hiding away in the cellar of their farmhouse for nine years, and were waiting around for the ‘end of the world’. But we still don’t know why they thought that, what kind of apocalypse they were waiting for, and how they could possibly live in isolation for so long.

The family is thought to have had a mother as well, but police suspect that she is buried somewhere in the area. The “family” has remained self-sufficient by maintaining a vegetable garden and a goat.

Kinda feels like it’s reminiscent of the show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, doesn’t it?

The investigation is still ongoing. More information will be revealed as soon as the Mayor and the police find out what was happening with the “family” they found and how they found themselves in the situation.

Feature image: Willemjans/Wikimedia Commons

Traffic update: avoid motorways between Utrecht and The Hague tomorrow morning

Ailish Lalor
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Traffic update: avoid motorways between Utrecht and The Hague tomorrow morning

Due to the farmers’ protest, traffic authorities have advised drivers to avoid the motorways around Utrecht tomorrow morning. You can expect traffic jams to occur between Utrecht and The Hague later on in the morning, reports NOS.

There will also be roadworks on the Galecopper Bridge on the A12, which could add to drivers’ delays. Tractors will drive to De Bilt to protest against the nitrogen measuring methods of National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

Farmers’ protest has been moved to sports field in De Bilt

Following the farmers’ breach of the provincial house in Groningen, the RIVM is taking precautions. Most of its employees will work from home tomorrow, save those who are “essential for the continuity of critical processes”. The farmers were originally planning to meet with officials from the RIVM head office in Bilthoven, to request clarification nitrogen measuring methods in the Netherlands. However, the protest has now been moved to a sports park in De Bilt.

Farmers will protest in The Hague later on

Following this protest, farmers will make their way to The Hague, to protest again at the Binnenhof. This is expected to take place in late morning, which is when you would want to avoid the motorways between Utrecht and The Hague. Road users can expect considerable delays on this route.

Arrests made after farmers’ protest yesterday in Groningen

Tensions can be expected to be high, as the police have arrested several farmers following the protest in Groningen yesterday, including the man who forced open the door of the provincial house with his tractor, and the co-driver of the tractor that knocked down the fences on the Vismarkt.

Will these delays affect you tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature image: @Josephine76/Twitter

Father and six children found in a cellar waiting for the end of the world

Ailish Lalor
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Father and six children found in a cellar waiting for the end of the world

A family was found hiding in a cellar on a remote farm on the Buitenhuizerweg near Ruinerwold, where they were waiting for the end of time. The mother of the children is nowhere to be found.

The family were discovered after the eldest son, 25 years old, made his way into the nearby down and arrived at a pub in Ruinerwold, according to NOS. Witnesses said he was very confused. The police were called and Mayor De Groot of De Wolden was also notified.

Father found lying in bed in cellar

Police searched the farm and discovered stairs down to the basement behind a cupboard in the living room. This was where they found the father and five other children. The father appears to have had a stroke at some point, and was in the bed.

Family found hiding in cellar were self-sufficient

The children are aged between 16 and 25 years old, and have had no contact with the outside world. The family was self sufficient, growing vegetables in the farm’s garden. They also had a goat. Neighbours said they did not know the family.

Mother of family found hiding in cellar missing

The mother of the children is nowhere to be found. It is possible that she is buried on the site. While the police search the property, and check it for fire safety, the family have been removed to a recreational park. The children might not have known there were other people in the world.

Police continue to search the property of family found hiding in cellar

The police searched the property yesterday evening and closed it off last night. They will continue to search it today, and according to a spokesperson, they are still full of questions and have a lot to investigate.

Feature Image: Politie

Will the Netherlands pass a law to allow daycare centers to refuse unvaccinated children?

Kavana Desai
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Will the Netherlands pass a law to allow daycare centers to refuse unvaccinated children?

D66’s proposal to pass a law which would allow childcare centers to refuse unvaccinated children from being admitted has been received with positivity from VVD, CDA, GroenLinks and the PvdA, marking a majority in the House of Representatives. 

However, it is still not a law yet. According to the latest figures released by RIVM, the decline in children being vaccinated has stabilized, showing that it may not be necessary to pass such a law.

But according to RTL Nieuws, recent years have shown that there is a decline in the number of parents opting to have their children vaccinated. MP Rens Raemakers says that this law should be passed “so that you as parents can see where you can safely bring your child.”

Daycare centers taking matters into their own hands

Over the last few months, around 100 daycare centers have stated that they will be refusing unvaccinated children. As of May, 2019, 25 of them have already done so. However, we do not know if this is legally possible. D66’s new law would make sifting through murky legal waters easier by making it clear.

They also say that they are doing this so that parents know their child is being left in a safe environment.

Will compulsory vaccination become a law in the Netherlands?

The government has been investigating the pros and cons of passing such a law since the beginning of this year, and whether it would actually help in stabilizing the declining vaccination rates. According to NOS, the government has started making preparations to pass such a law only if the vaccination rate continues to fall.

Currently, the number of vaccinated children in the Netherlands stands at 90.2%, which is lower than the standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at 95%. However, State Secretaries Blokhuis (Public Health) and Van Ark (Social Affairs) will be going on the advice of the report released by the Vermeij Committee.

According to this report, they believe the government should set a legal lower limit for the vaccination rates in the Netherlands (independent of the WHO limits). If the rates drop below this, then passing a law making vaccination obligatory so as to access daycare centers should come into effect.

What do you make of this? Do you think daycare centers should already have the legal right to refuse unvaccinated children? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: James Gathany, Judy Schmidt, USCDCP/Pixnio

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