Crossroads summer break
July 14, 2008 Leave a Comment
The following update was sent to Crossroads’ mailing list subscribers on Monday 14 July 2008:
Dear Crossroads reader,
Crossroads is taking its annual summer break on July 15 and will resume daily updates on Monday, August 18, 2008.
Here’s an overview of the articles we’ve published since our last update on December 21, 2007. Click on any headline to go directly to that [...]
2 Aug-21 Sept: “Over the border” photo-exhibition at Centre Céramique
July 11, 2008 Leave a Comment
Europe Direct Maastricht and Centre Céramique present:
“Over de grens” “Over the border” “Uber die Grenze”
A visual document of the Dutch borders, post-Schengen, by Scottish designer-artist Iain Aitchison.
On 21st December 2007, the nine EU ascension states of Eastern Europe and Malta joined the Schengen Area, thereby removing the last obstacles to passport-free travel within the EU [...]
Photo-reportage: Manus van Alles, a multicultural festival in Maastricht
July 11, 2008 Leave a Comment
For Maastrichters from other districts, Wittevrouwenveld is known for its ethnical diversity, its working class population and its yearly Manus van Alles festival. More than 20 nationalities live here and have been celebrating the festival together, already for the eighth time this year.
A photo-reportage by Misia Furtak for Crossroads.
Raising children bilingually
July 9, 2008 5 Comments
Alex Ward writes about the benefits of raising children bilingually, and seeks to alleviate concerns parents might have, based on her six years of raising children in Maastricht and the neighbouring village of Cadier en Keer. [continued...]
School children in EU to get more fruit and vegetables
July 9, 2008 Leave a Comment
School children could soon receive free fruit and vegetables in school, under a proposal unveiled by the European Commission on Tuesday (8 July) aimed at reducing the number of overweight children in the EU.
Fresh fruit and vegetables worth €90 million of EU money would be distributed to schools, while member states participating in the programme [...]
European cardiovascular centre for Heerlen
July 9, 2008 Leave a Comment
Maastricht University Medical Centre and the University Hospital in Aachen have joined forces to build a cardiovascular centre on an industrial area in Heerlen which straddles the border between the Netherlands and Germany.
The new centre is the first step in creating the first European university hospital with a common management and strategy, reports Tuesday’s Trouw.
Source: [...]
All aboard the Eurocrat Express!
July 9, 2008 1 Comment
European parliamentarians have been enjoying their first ride aboard their very own train. The high-speed Thalys train has launched a new, direct service from Brussels to the French city of Strasbourg exclusively for MEPs.
The service is an effort to silence growing discontent over the ‘travelling circus’, which involves the entire European Parliament uprooting to [...]
European Ombudsman: Late payment by Commission still a serious problem
July 8, 2008 Leave a Comment
The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, has expressed his concern about the problems encountered by the European Commission in paying its bills on time.
This follows his latest investigation into the timeliness of the Commission’s payments to citizens, companies, universities, NGOs, and other organisations involved in EU-funded projects and contracts.
In 2007, delays occurred in more than [...]
Bonn: International gardeners grow together in city project
July 8, 2008 Leave a Comment
Interesting project in Bonn, covered by Deutsche Welle:
20 plots, 15 cultures – one garden. Families from 15 different cultures are growing the International Garden in Bonn together.
View the photogallery on Deutsche Welle.
Visit the website of the project with audio links: Deutsche Welle, July 2008
Dutch health system rated best, U.S. worst - polls
July 8, 2008 Leave a Comment
Americans are the least satisfied with their health care system, while the Dutch system is rated the best, according to new research.
Polls about health care in 10 developed countries by Harris Interactive revealed a range of opinions about what works and what doesn’t.
In the United States a third of Americans believe their system needs to [...]
Minister paying damages for integration fiasco
July 4, 2008 Leave a Comment
Integration Minister Ella Vogelaar is paying damages to the language institutes that were to teach Dutch to thousands of immigrants. Because the integration requirement is effectively non-existent, they threaten to go bankrupt.
The previous cabinet, under pressure from Vogelaar’s predecessor Rita Verdonk, decided that around 500,000 people would have to have Dutch lessons in the coming [...]
New on the Cultural Biography of Maastricht: French and German versions, Walks through Maastricht and interviews with expats
July 3, 2008 Leave a Comment
Digital Audio Guide:
Zicht op Maastricht Mobile invites visitors to take a walk through Maastricht with a new free digital audio guide available in Dutch, English, French or German:
“Discover Maastricht with your PDA, Smartphone, MP3 Player or iPod. Watch the presentations and listen to audio clips in the unique places of the city. Determine your own [...]
New on Crossroads: Links to Language courses
July 3, 2008 Leave a Comment
Interested in learning Dutch, English or other languages? Please have a look at our new page with links to language courses in the region.
The list of languages courses has been kindly provided by the Limburg Development Company LIOF.
Dutch talent heads abroad
July 3, 2008 Leave a Comment
The majority of Dutch people who go abroad to study don’t want to come back to the Netherlands. Is the country suffering from a brain drain?
Adventure, a different culture, better job prospects or a higher quality of education. Dutch students choose to do their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree abroad for a wide range of reasons. [...]
Dutch MPs agree on embryo testing
July 3, 2008 Leave a Comment
An overwhelming majority of Dutch MPs have voted in favour of the compromise proposal on testing embryos for hereditary diseases. Earlier the issue caused a crisis in the Dutch cabinet when Deputy Health Minister Jet Bussemaker tried to expand the practice, only to be blocked by the smallest coalition party, the Christian Union.
Last week, the [...]
Brussels International: TV Brussels’ English programme for the international community in Brussels
July 3, 2008 Leave a Comment
Every Sunday TV Brussel broadcasts a special lifestyle programme aimed at the international community in the Belgian capital.
Brussels International goes out on Sunday at 6:15 PM and is repeated until Monday evening.
The programme is in English, but focuses on the rich diversity of the international community in Brussels.
Source: Flanders.be, 1 July 2008
Brazilian percussion in Maastricht with Passatempo
July 1, 2008 10 Comments
For the past few years Brazilian samba bands have become an increasingly popular feature of our Maastricht carnival and can no longer be dissociated from it. But what exactly are samba bands? Where do they come from? And how did they reach our city? To learn more about this phenomenon Marleen Vara speaks with three members of Passatempo, her favourite samba band in Maastricht. [continued...]
Dutch smoking ban goes into force
July 1, 2008 2 Comments
A tobacco smoking ban has come into effect in cafes, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands.
The country is following a growing trend across Europe and the world of bans on smoking in public places.
Pro-smoking lobbyists say the ban will lead to a drop in business, but others say any losses will be made [...]
Green light for International School in Eindhoven
July 1, 2008 Leave a Comment
The cabinet will grant a loan of 7 million euros to the International Campus Eindhoven. This completes the financing of the new international school.
The international school will be housed in the former Constant Rebecque barracks. The total investment is 32.5 million euros, which will primarily be provided by the Eindhoven local authority. Neighbouring municipalities and [...]
