links for 2009-01-30
January 30, 2009 Leave a Comment
Ryanair vliegt op Pisa vanaf Maastricht Ryanair gaat vanaf 1 april dit jaar vluchten aanbieden vanaf Maastricht Aachen Airport (MAA) naar Pisa in Italië. Dit hebben de Ierse prijsvechter en het vliegveld in Zuid-Limburg vandaag bekend gemaakt. (tags: Dutch) Maastricht: Warm welkom voor verblijfstoerist VVV Maastricht heeft twee nieuwe brochures uitgebracht voor de verblijfstoerist: ‘maastricht: [...]
13-14 March 2009: Euroregional Beer Festival in Maastricht
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Beer festival Maastricht was founded in June 2001 by Zuyd University in Sittard, The Netherlands. The festival’s purpose is to bring the beer culture to the attention of the inhabitants of Limburg and the Meuse-Rhine euroregion. The festival does not strive for profits and does not have any relations with beer breweries or other [...]
Carnival agenda 2009
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
Saturday January 25, 2009 Proclamation of the Prince of Carnival 2007 on the market square at 3.11 pm. Friday February 20, 2009 Carnival at all schools in Maastricht. Saturday February 21, 2009 1.11 p.m. Arrival of Prince of Carnival at the Central Railway Station. Parade between Railway Station and the City Hall at 1.55 pm. [...]
Until 31st March 2009: The Terracotta Army of Xi’an, Treasures of the First Emperors of China
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Terracotta Army of Xi’an Treasures of the First Emperors of China An exclusive exhibition for Belgium: the original, world-famous warriors and other extraordinary and precious grave goods from the Qin and Western Han dynasties In 2008–2009 the vzw EXPO MAASEIK organises a spectacular exhibition about the world-famous Terracotta Army that was discovered near the [...]
links for 2009-01-29
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
Dutch to Help New York Celebrate Hudson’s Journey The mayor of Amsterdam, Marius Job Cohen, and the mayor of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, joined forces on Wednesday to announce NYC 400, a yearlong celebration of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s arrival in New York Harbor in 1609 aboard the Half Moon. (tags: English) [...]
Maastricht University Language Centre introduces Dutch course for expats
January 29, 2009 1 Comment
Announcement: If you work in the international environment of Maastricht University or other South Limburg firms, you may want to learn Dutch for social contexts, and your boss may require it of you as a working language. Our communicative approach helps you interact with relative ease and comfort in your everyday social and work interactions. [...]
First expat TV show launched in the Netherlands
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
TV West International, the first broadcaster with a special television show for the international community in The Netherlands. The program aims at expats and international oriented people who are living and working in The Hague and surrounding areas. Watch the first episode here. More information: TV West International
NHK to launch global 24-hour news channel
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
NHK World TV will provide international news in English, with a focus on Japan and Asia. It will be available in some 70 countries and regions via satellite, cable TV and the Internet. ‘We aim to reach 110 million households around the world by March,’ NHK Vice President Yoshinori Imai said Wednesday. In addition to [...]
Dutch civil servants arrested in construction bribery case
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
Six municipality civil servants and a Limburg province civil servant have been arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes, possibly from construction company Janssen de Jong Infra, De Telegraaf reported on its website Tuesday. A former company manager was also arrested in the probe. Janssen de Jong Infra is the parent company of Windward Roads Infrastructure [...]
Morocco bans unislamic names in Netherlands
January 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
Moroccans in the Netherlands are not allowed to give their children any Berber names any more. In this way, Islamic identity is being stressed, Trouw newspaper reported yesterday. By far the biggest group of Moroccans in the Netherlands are of Berber origin, a region in the mountainous north of Morocco. “They will now be forced [...]
Limburg goes Cradle to Cradle
January 29, 2009 2 Comments
“Cradle to Cradle – Hype or Future” is not only one of the most inspiring exhibits that I’ve seen in Maastricht so far, it is also a wake up cal,” says Catalina Goanta.
“It teaches us as consumers that before purchasing a product, we must learn to take into consideration a number of factors that go beyond the immediate purpose we want to make of it.” A photo-reportage by Catalina Goanta.
links for 2009-01-28
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
40.000 Nederlanders in Belgisch-Limburg In de Belgische provincie Limburg wonen bijna 40.000 Nederlanders. Dat is 5 procent van de totale bevolking. Hun aantal is de afgelopen jaren sterk gegroeid. In 1989 woonden er in Belgisch-Limburg nog maar 14.000 Nederlanders. (tags: Dutch) Changes in Dutch immigration law 2009 The latest updates on immigration law procedures include [...]
441 municipalities in the Netherlands in 2009
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
In 2009, the Netherlands comprises 441 municipalities, as against 443 in 2008. In the province of North Holland, Bennebroek and Bloemendaal were merged and in the province of South Holland, Alkemade and Jacobswoude were merged into the new municipality of Kaag en Braassem. Fewer small municipalities As a result of the continuous municipal redivision process, [...]
Labour migration to the Netherlands continues to grow
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
In 2007, some 80 thousand non-Dutch immigrants came to the Netherlands, i.e. 13 thousand more than in 2006. For the average non-Dutch immigrant the main motive to come to the Netherlands was to find a job. In the preceding twelve years, family reunification had been the main motive. More labour migrants and students, fewer asylum [...]
From vodka to wooden shoes
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
In 2001, immigration from the former Soviet republics reached a record level, when more than 6 thousand people came to the Netherlands. Since 2004, immigration is stable at approximately 3 thousand a year. Most immigrants come from the Caucasus region, e.g. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Immigration from the former Soviet Union Around 2000 most immigrants [...]
Call to make naturalisation courses free
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
A spokesperson for Eberhard van der Laan, Minister for Integration, says the minister will propose to the Cabinet on Friday that local councils offer free naturalisation courses to immigrants. At present, councils charge individuals 270 euros to attend such courses. Mr Van der Laan believes this discourages many people from taking part. He hopes that [...]
Dutch language difficulties tackled at schools
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
Amsterdam has come up with a new approach to tackling language difficulties among children brought up in a home where Dutch is not spoken. A list of the first 2,000 Dutch words a child aged four or five should know has been distributed to all primary schools in the capital. Delayed development of Dutch-language skills [...]
New web address for Study in Holland
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
Since recently, the Nuffic is the official owner of the url www.studyinholland.nl. This new web address will completely replace the address www.studyin.nl in all communications of the Nuffic. The address www.studyinholland.nl redirects international students automatically to the International students section of the Nuffic website, which is specifically meant for them. The Education Promotion Department of [...]
Less than a quarter of immigrants own their homes
January 28, 2009 1 Comment
Less than a quarter of immigrants in the Netherlands live in a home that they own; the rest live in rented accommodation. And where immigrants come to live, the white Dutch move out, concludes the Socio-Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) in a report released yesterday on the living position of non-Western immigrants in the Netherlands. In [...]
Labour leader “proud that Islam belongs to Netherlands”
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
Labour (PvdA) leader Wouter Bos is urging “a civilized form of nationalism.” This should however include pride by the Dutch of having a Muslim as the mayor of Rotterdam, he said at a party meeting in Utrecht. Bos spoke at the party meeting about the Integration Memorandum the PvdA wants to present to its members [...]
Will Barack Obama redeem the US to the world?
January 28, 2009 Leave a Comment
“As an American expat who has lived abroad for much of the Bush presidency I have become accustomed to being told by everyone how much respect the world has lost for the United States because of its incompetent leadership, and I admit, I have lost faith in it as well,” says Eliot Rolen.
Will the newly elected US President Barack Obama redeem the US to the world? According to Dutch journalist and US politics expert Frans Verhagen, Obama appears to have what it takes. Eliot Rolen reports.
links for 2009-01-27
January 27, 2009 Leave a Comment
Vechten tegen heimwee Het einde van de wereld was het Heuvelland vroeger. Nu woont de hele wereld er. In de serie Kleurrijk Heuvelland gaat deze krant op bezoek bij inwoners met buitenlandse wortels. In de krant van donderdag: Sri Tunruang uit Indonesië. (tags: Dutch) Nieuwe serie: Kleurrijk Heuvelland De serie Kleurrijk Heuvelland in Dagblad de [...]
Cabinet adopts term ‘bicultural’ for ethnic minorities
January 27, 2009 3 Comments
The cabinet seems to have adopted the term ‘bicultural’ as a term for people from ethnic minorities. It has announced in a press release that “more managers with a bicultural background” should be employed by the government. The organisation Inspiration for Integration (IVI) launched a media campaign in February 2008 to introduce the term ‘bicultural’. [...]
links for 2009-01-26
January 26, 2009 Leave a Comment
Eijsden, Margraten, Visé en Voeren gaan samenwerken Margraten en Eijsden gaan op toeristisch gebied samenwerken met de Belgische buurgemeenten Voeren en Visé. De vier willen zich samen nadrukkelijk presenteren als fruitregio. Diverse fruitarrangementen moeten toeristen en dagjesmensen naar de streek lokken. (tags: Dutch) Week van de Gastronomie in Maastricht Maastricht is van maandag 26 tot [...]
Integration: PvdA returns to familiar territory
January 26, 2009 Leave a Comment
Labour (PvdA) already seems to be returning to familiar territory in the debate on the integration of Muslims, one month after announcing a new, more pragmatic course. The draft version of the party’s new Integration Memorandum puts too much emphasis on problems with immigrants. The party leadership will therefore add a positive chapter on successful [...]
Amandine de Rosnay, a white African in Maastricht
January 26, 2009 1 Comment
Amandine de Rosnay, a third year student at University College Maastricht, was born on the tiny island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. She writes about some of the unexpected challenges she had to face when she first arrived in Maastricht two years ago.
Maastricht International Playgroup
January 23, 2009 6 Comments
Announcement: Maastricht International Playgroup is an English-speaking, non-profit group of expatriate and Dutch parents, carers, and parents to be. Our primary aim is to provide a safe and fun environment for our children to play in, but there is also plenty of opportunity for parents and carers to socialise and support each other. In addition [...]
links for 2009-01-23
January 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
EU continues to lag behind US on innovation The EU has made some headway in its bid to make itself more innovative and boost its economy but is still lagging far behind the US and Japan, a new report by the European Commission has shown. The study, released on Thursday (22 January), indicates that the [...]
Labour softens integration document
January 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
From today’s edition of Radio Netherlands Press Review: De Volkskrant reports that Labour’s executive is to re-draft its paper on integration policy being presented to the party congress in March. Labour members think it is too critical of the immigrant community. Positive aspects such as the entrepreneurial skills and success in higher education booked by [...]
Coalition Presses ahead with Sunday Shopping Ban
January 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
The cabinet is going ahead with its proposed bill to change the shop opening times act as planned. There is no majority in the Lower House for the proposal to restrict the number of Sundays on which shops may open. The centre-left D66 had requested an interlocutory debate after the Retail Trade Council (PD) calculated [...]
