Ontdek ‘De Groene Vondst’
April 2, 2026
DGIS naar Buiten in Maastricht: Connecting, Inspiring, and Dialoguing
On the 9th of April, Saskia R.M. Wesselius, Eef Kiggen, Hanne Küpers, and Lars Faber, MA from Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited Maastricht as part of their initiative DGIS naar Buiten. The day was filled with meaningful conversations, shared insights, and new connections among all involved.
The day started de Rink. After the introductions over shared vlaai Stefanie Metsemakers gave us all a tour of De Rink. During the tour we listened to the many initiatives and stories of the people who bring life to this beautiful community hub. Organisations such as Kledingbank Us Maastricht, VIP Maastricht, Fietsbank Maastricht and Naaiatelier Karoon all try to make a difference in the community. We ended with a small discussion session together with the ladies from Stichting Nour led by Zakia Labyed where multiple different statements regarding female representation in the Netherlands were discussed.
After this inspiring visit, the program continued with a lunch organized by Refugee Project Maastricht (RPM). Over a delicious meal participants talked about how RPM is building bridges between newcomers, students and locals, as well as local action.
The conversations continued as we walked through sunny Maastricht from MoMa | Mondiaal Maastricht to City Hall (Gemeente Maastricht). Before our moderator Juno Brussel opened the Youth Council with the students from MBO, HBO and University from different backgrounds and study programs (Universiteit Maastricht; Zuyd Hogeschool; Yuverta; Het VISTA college; Maastricht School of Management; HELMo Haute Ecole), we were invited into the mayor’s office. While mayor Wim Hillenaar spoke to us about Maastricht and its history with international topics, Alderman Jeroen Hoenderkamp shared his insights on health-related issues (one of the topics of the Youth Council). Following this valuable moment, the group relocated to the ‘Brabantse Kamer’ in which, under the guidance of our moderator, students talked about global challenges such as health, migration and human rights.
The day ended with a networking event, where even more interesting conversations took place and people got the opportunity to meet and make connections with students, attendees and our guests from The Hague. A special thanks to Lineke Wijfjes for the collaborative effort during the afternoon at the municipality.
We want to thank everyone who contributed to this day. Special thanks to Saskia Wesselius, Hanne Küpers, Eef Kiggen, and Lars Faber for their open-minded conversations and genuine interest in all the wonderful initiatives in Maastricht.
LOOKING BACK: A wholesome lunch with DGIS and RPM
After the inspiring visit to De Rink, we enjoyed a heartwarming lunch at @Mondiaal Maastricht (Keizer Karelplein 5), organised by Refugee Project Maastricht (RPM).
The lunch consisted of a delicious homemade lentil soup, falafel, Turkish breads and tasty salads, each bite a reminder of the power of shared meals.
While everyone was enjoying their food, volunteers and participants from RPM and the the ‘DGIS naar Buiten’ initiative created mind maps that refer to the UNESCO ice-breakers as a way to inspire conversation on equal footing with one another. These conversations touched upon a variety of topics and covered economic, political and personal matters.
One conversation particuallary stressed the importance of having a community and sharing experiences, especially for the ones that are new to a country as the Netherlands. It can be very overwhelming to learn a new language, to integrate, to move forward, while having to deal with loss, memories, and trauma. The most important message: start with helping people heal, before expecting them to rebuild.
The lovely location, the Kanunnikenkelder, that created a cozy atmosphere alongside the good food made everyone not only feel comfortable but also able to relaxed. The experience was described by one of the volunteers of RPM as ‘a wholesome experience’, while someone else highlighted its value of ‘nice engagement with the ministry’. These moments underscore the importance of dialogue and connection, it reinforces the purpose of ‘DGIS naar Buiten’ and why this initiative was initially started by Saskia wesslius.
