Night Watch was part of continuous wall decoration
March 13, 2009 Leave a Comment
Research by art historian Bas Dudok van Heel shows that in the 16th century Rembrandt van Rijn’s most famous painting the Night Watch and five other paintings were put up unframed on a single wall. The Night Watch formed part of a single continuous wall decoration in the Kloveniersdoelen, the then headquarters of Amsterdam’s city [...]
31 March: Lawrence of Arabia, by Leslie McLoughlin, Arabian linguist and TV personality
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
GENOOTSCHAP NEDERLAND-ENGELAND, Limburg branch invites you to a slide presentation in English on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 (8p.m.); in Grand Hotel l’ Empereur in Maastricht (opp. the main railway station). Topic: Lawrence of Arabia, by Leslie McLoughlin, Arabian linguist and TV personality. Thomas Edward Lawrence (born in Wales in1888 – and died in England in1935) [...]
8 Mar-21 June: Darwin, Cuvier et le Grand Animal de Maestricht Exhibition at the Natural History Museum Maastricht
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
The original skull of the first known Mosasaur is back in Maastricht! The famous fossil is the prime item on display until June 21, 2009 at the Natural History Museum in the new exhibition: ‘Darwin, Cuvier et le Grand Animal de Maestricht’. It is the first time that the skull of the Mosasaur can be [...]
7 Feb– 10 May: SuperStories, 2nd Triennial for Contemporary Art, Fashion & Design (Hasselt, Belgium),
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
Five fascinating exhibitions. The triennial programme, with more than 100 works by national and international artists, fashion designers & designers, responds to the use of narrative and documentary elements within contemporary art, fashion and design. The stage for the triennial is the city itself, consisting of a course along different culture houses, at walking distance [...]
13-22 March: TEFAF: The European Fine Arts Fair 2009
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
TEFAF: The European Fine Arts Fair 2009, www.tefaf.com This is one of the biggest fine art fairs in Europe and a chance to see some truly fantastic paintings and sculptures, including cutting edge modern art and old masters. During Tefaf, there’s also a programme of theatre, jazz, dance, and classical music on offer in Maastricht [...]
links for 2009-03-12
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
Luikse staalproducent schrapt 1700 banen Bij staalproducent ArcelorMittal in het Belgische Luik verdwijnen ongeveer 1700 banen. Het aantal werknemers in vaste dienst wordt teruggebracht van 4200 naar 2800, aldus de krant La Libre Belgique woensdag. (tags: Dutch) Sharing baby with the family back home A newly launched website is helping parents to capture all their [...]
Council of Europe criticises Dutch human rights
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Council of Europe has published a critical report on the human rights situation in the Netherlands. The report criticises policy on migrants and asylum seekers. Thomas Hammarberg, the Commissioner for Human Rights, writes that in particular the conditions in centres for asylum seekers should be improved. For example, no separate shower facilities are available [...]
And what about culture? Student group conducts survey on behalf of ‘Het Huis van Bourgondie’
March 12, 2009 Leave a Comment
Sarah Schulze is a third year European Studies student at Maastricht University and together with other fellow students she’s conducting a survey on behalf of the Maastricht theatre production house ‘Het Huis van Bourgondie‘. The survey addresses two main target groups, namely international students and expats living in Maastricht and can be accessed here. The [...]
links for 2009-03-11
March 11, 2009 Leave a Comment
Nieuwe luchtvrachtdienst van Maastricht en Weeze naar Madrid De Duitse luchtvrachtonderneming Air Freight Consolidator (AFC) opent een luchtvrachtdienst van Maastricht Aachen Airport en Airport Weeze naar Madrid Barajas. De vluchten worden uitgevoerd met een Dash 8-Q400F van de Zweedse luchtvaartmaatschappij Noord-Flyg. (tags: Dutch) Denmark produces more rubbish than anywhere else The average European produced half [...]
Europe at a turning point – Minister for European Affairs Frans Timmermans on European integration
March 11, 2009 2 Comments
Dutch European Affairs Minister Frans Timmermans recently visited his birthplace Maastricht to explain why he believes that Europe has “the best system in the world” to overcome the current economic and financial crisis. A review by Sofia Tussis.
Supreme Court: insulting Islam is not insulting Muslims
March 11, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Supreme Court yesterday produced an important ruling in principle in favour of freedom of speech. The highest court of the Netherlands acquitted a man of insulting Muslims although he dubbed Islam a tumour. The Supreme Court quashed a ruling by an appeal court in Den Bosch. As had a district court earlier, the appeal [...]
DSM scraps plan for bigger bonuses
March 11, 2009 Leave a Comment
Leading Dutch chemical company DSM has scrapped a proposal to expand a bonus arrangement for senior executives. The proposal called for an increase in the maximum percentage of stock options awarded to executives from 100 to 150 percent of their annual salaries. The board of directors decided to scrap the proposal because of the social [...]
Bargain shopping at Maastricht’s Antique and Flea Market
March 11, 2009 1 Comment
For visitors arriving in Maastricht by train on a Saturday, the Antique and Flea Market market is just like a welcome committee of stalls and traders, displaying all kinds of items, jewelry, furniture, art, kitsch, collectibles, books, music and rarities to seduce the passers-by on their way to the city centre. A report by Gina Vodegel.
links for 2009-03-10
March 10, 2009 Leave a Comment
Leiden to get a child rights centre The Netherlands is to establish a special centre for childrens' rights in Leiden next year, family minister André Rouvoet said on Monday. (tags: English) Nederlandse museumwoningen online Het Nederlands Architectuurinstituut (NAi) heeft 176 museumwoningen digitaal toegankelijk gemaakt via de website www.museumwoningen.nl. Er zijn museumwoningen te zien variërend van [...]
Lower House to continue to allow hippie clothes and ‘Wilders-style’
March 10, 2009 1 Comment
MPs are free in their choice of what to wear. It is also unnecessary to take stricter steps to guarantee that they use appropriate language, the Steering Committee for Parliamentary Self-reflection claims. The committee includes MPs from various parties. Their report is based on discussions with colleagues, researchers, representatives of trade and industry and of [...]
links for 2009-03-09
March 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
Muses on the Meuse Every year, tens of thousands of art lovers, collectors and dealers converge on Maastricht, a historic town in Holland straddling the Meuse river and wedged between Germany and Belgium. (tags: English) Equal Rights Still Elusive for European Women While women are increasingly reaching key positions in the world of European politics [...]
Limburg police recover stolen paintings
March 9, 2009 Leave a Comment
Police in the province of Limburg have retrieved eight valuable paintings that disappeared from art dealer Robert Noortman’s gallery in 1987. The paintings, from the 17th and 19th century, included works by Willem van de Velde, David Teniers, Camille Pissarro and Pierre-August Renoir. They were found in the towns of Valkenburg and Walem. Two of [...]
Dutch spring heralded by lapwing egg
March 9, 2009 2 Comments
The first lapwing egg of 2009 has been found in a meadow near Eemnes in the province of Utrecht. A volunteer worker from a bird protection group found the egg at 11:45 on Sunday, and the find has been confirmed by Landscape Management Foundation staff. The first lapwing egg of 2008 was also found in [...]
links for 2009-03-06
March 6, 2009 Leave a Comment
Nieuwe naam Industrion bekend Het Industrion krijgt een nieuwe naam. De attractie aan het Museumplein te Kerkrade, waar bezoekers vanaf juni 2009 wetenschap, industrie en samenleving in verleden, heden en toekomst ontdekken, krijgt de naam Discovery Center Continium. (tags: Dutch) Maastricht restaurant gives Michelin star back A restaurant in the southern Dutch city of Maastricht [...]
Education system favours socially privileged
March 6, 2009 Leave a Comment
The Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) has conducted research which shows that early streamlining in Dutch education results in fewer pupils having access to higher level education at university. The CPB’s report echoes earlier findings by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development – an international body which monitors sustainable economic growth for more [...]
Sunday supermarkets to close in Calvinist heart
March 6, 2009 Leave a Comment
Supermarkets in Apeldoorn, in the eastern province of Gelderland, will no longer be permitted to open their doors on Sundays. The city council wants to put an end to the supermarkets taking advantage of a loophole in the law, which permits shops to open on Sunday between four o’clock in the afternoon and ten o’clock [...]
Dutch violinist given French accolade
March 6, 2009 2 Comments
Violinist and composer André Rieu from the southern province of Limburg has become a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, or a Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters. The Dutch musician received the accolade – one of France’s highest cultural awards – because of his contribution to making classical music accessible to the [...]
links for 2009-03-05
March 5, 2009 Leave a Comment
Mosasaurus weer thuis De mosasaurusschedel is woensdag aangekomen in Maastricht. Onder begeleiding van soldaten van het Mestreechs Rizzjemint (in historisch Frans uniform) werd het beroemde zeefossiel naar het Natuurhistorisch Museum in Maastricht gebracht. (tags: Dutch)
Violent demonstration in Maastricht: eyewitness account
March 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
On Sunday 1 March, riot police in Maastricht stepped in to prevent a clash when 300 left-wing demonstrators (Anti Fascist Action (AFA)) attempted to disrupt a march by Voorpost, an extreme right group.
Brazilian expat Alessandra Siviero eyewitnessed the skirmishes between the left wing demonstrators and the riot police on Plein 1992.
links for 2009-03-04
March 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
Learning Dutch is a must! Everyone living in the Netherlands has to learn Dutch. This is the message of a publicity campaign the Dutch government is about to launch urging foreigners to take their own responsibility. (tags: English) Expat Voices: Gregory Shapiro on living in the Netherlands Greg Shapiro still finds having his food crushed [...]
Erasmus: European integration through student exchange
March 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
Already over 1.500.000 student have participated in the EU’s Erasmus programme. Just recently a new flood of Erasmus students arrived at the Guesthouse in Maastricht for a semester or a whole academic year. They have come to broaden their horizons and to make new intercultural experiences.
Video clip: EUX TV, the Europe channel
Nine missing in German city of Cologne
March 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
A four-story historic building housing the archives of the German city of Cologne has collapsed, bringing down two adjoining buildings. Nine people have been reported missing. Several people near the building were lightly injured and a number of cars were buried under the rubble. An underground railway is being built nearby, but it is not [...]
links for 2009-03-03
March 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
Na zomer 2010 eerste bewoners in UM-campus De oplevering is voorzien eind 2011, maar met ingang van het studiejaar 2010-2011 zullen de eerste bewoners al hun intrek nemen in de Calatrava-universiteitscampus op Randwyck. (tags: Dutch) Donderdag weer trein op lijn Maastricht-Lanaken Op donderdag 5 maart rijden er voor het eerst sinds 1990 weer treinen over [...]
6 March: Benefit concert at Maastricht Conservatory
March 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
Date: Friday 6 March Location: Maastricht Conservatory, Bonnefantenstraat 15 Time: 7.30 pm Entrance: EUR 10 Tickets can be purchased/reserved by phone (tel. 043-3260406 / 043-3233556) or by email (miekejonkers@ziggo.nl) Solists Michael Kugel (contrabass) and Piotr Jasiurkowski (violin) will play works by Shostakovich and Bernstein with the Conservatory orchestra. The proceeds of the benefit concert will [...]
Substantial increase in Dutch internet consumption
March 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
In 2008, the average time spent on the internet by the Dutch underwent an 8 percent increase to 6.9 hours a week. The internet population rose from 81 to 82 percent of the total population, according to a study commissioned by the foundation for internet advertising STIR. The 6.9 hour a week average was calculated [...]
