Raquel is this year’s Head of Journal and Editor-in-Chief of the Maastricht Diplomat. Born and raised in Costa Rica, this is her third year of doing Global Studies. As Editor-in-Chief she will continue her previous work of highlighting the multifaceted nature of Maastricht and its student body. A priority this year is ensuring the journal remains a place for all voices and mediums alike. Sticking to our motto: by students for students. Time in Maastricht is spent in Frontenpark for a picknick or an evening read. As for her personal news sources, Raquel relies on AP and Reuters as well as a Costa Rican news outlet, Delfino.cr.

A.G is an Icelandic and German third year European law student. In their writing, they are partial to mapping connections between unrelated subjects, exploring niche topics, and finding opportunities to the Oxford comma. A.G. also enjoys the big screen in Lumière. As for news, they get their info from EJIL:Talk, Al Jazeera & MD team members sharing news A.G. otherwise might not have heard about.

Augustin has been designated to be the Local Coverage Editor for this year. Hailing from France, he is currently in his second year of European Studies. He delights in taking part in team projects, discovering new topics, and debating his opinions with others. He tries to keep track of news as much as possible by listening to podcasts, reading French and international papers (like Time, The Guardian, or Le Monde)! Some hobbies of his are hiking (the St. Pietersberg in Maastricht has a special place in his heart), photography, and traveling.

Claire Anderson is an American third-year student studying Arts & Culture. As Foreign Correspondence Editor she aims to bridge the gap between UM students abroad and the students in Maastricht. When it comes to writing, she’s fond of all things, history, politics, and art, but more importantly she likes to place matters and issues affecting the community first. Her favorite place in Maastricht is Lumière Cinema as it has long offered her the greatest escape from the stresses of school life. Her favorite news sources are primarily Politico (EU & Playbook) and Reuters.

Carolina is passionate about co-creating societies rooted in care, collaboration, and courage. Over two years at the Maastricht Diplomat, she has channeled this passion into writing social commentary, inspired by her studies in Arts & STS, while also experimenting with creative writing. As Marketing and Community co-manager, she hopes to co-shape a space for writers, where they can flourish, connect, and feel supported. A homebody at heart, Carolina understands the value of welcoming community that makes venturing out exciting and meaningful. Since Instagram is her main source of news - yes, shocking! - she appreciates discussing current events with friends to ease the weight of the world at our fingertips.

Jaap is a Dutch student of European and Dutch law, allowing him to bridge the gap between international and local students. Addicted to maps of any kind, he will beat you in geoguessr. By exploring taboo topics, and understanding controversial beliefs, he hopes to shed light on other perspectives, no matter how radical. He is also well-travelled, and hopes one day to be fluent in Chinese.

Hugo is a third year European Studies student from Portugal and Belgium. Very excited to be taking over as this year’s Audiovisual Lead at the Maastricht Diplomat, he can’t wait to see the projects planned for this year come to life. His go-to place in Maastricht is definitely the Charles Eyck Park (next to Centre Céramique), although he’s more likely to be found at the Inner City Library! Consuming a wide range of news sources is essential to stay informed, he finds. From Politico to Al Jazeera and other outlets from Portugal or Belgium like O Público and RTBF Info, Hugo reads them all.

Azura is a Indonesian/Dutch third year European Law School student at Maastricht University. This year she is going to be the Creative Head at the Maastricht Diplomat. Her biggest passions include writing (both academic and creative), reading, law, volunteering, and listening to live jazz sessions.

Beatrice is a third-year Arts and Culture student at FASoS. Growing up in a small city in Lithuania, she dreamt of autumns in London, Parisian cafés, and evenings spent wandering museums in Rome, discovering she could go anywhere, any time, through films and music and, above all, books. Living abroad and indulging in every opportunity to travel to her beloved cities, however, has made the tables turn, for now she often finds herself dreaming of home and years past. This, among numerous other topics of reflective and poetic nature, is revealed in her writing, which is poured into the countless notebooks and margins and arbitrary scraps of paper that compose the labyrinth of her room. She is looking forward to sharing some of it with MD, as well as reading all the wonderful pieces by her darling fellow writers!

Ash Avery is a 22-year-old student from Poland. She's currently in her second year of the BA Art's and Culture program at FASoS, Maastricht University. They carry a strong humanitarian interest and believe that the written word and accessible education can help bring positive change. Her life revolves around their love for learning, reading, writing, creating art, and taking part in community-building initiatives. As someone who has always appreciated the power of writing, she is excited to contribute to the journal through sharing information and new perspectives, as well as opening some of their creative writing to the public.

Bertille is a french second-year social sciences student at University College Maastricht, focusing on sociology, politics and law. She is particularly interested in feminism, human rights and social justice, with a passion for philosophy and literature. Writing has always been her way of expressing herself and making sense of the world, and she hopes to one day publish a book. In her free time, she enjoys music, meeting new people and saying yes to unexpected plans.

Celia is a Belgian-Spanish second year student at University College Maastricht, focusing on International Relations and Political Science, with a passion for history. She loves creating long-lasting memories through videos and albums to share with her family and friends. This year, she hopes to explore the world of podcasting and documentary-making. Along with her team, she plans to contribute to the spread of honest journalism while hoping to bring even more creativity and enthusiasm to the visual storytelling branch of The Maastricht Diplomat.

Hey! I am Clémence, a European of French nationality, who wish to commit to continuing the heritage of Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman which is to promote the ideal of peace of the European Union. This has established my interest in European politics, diplomacy and integration.

I am currently a master student in Modern Political Culture. My master focuses on understanding political and social concepts within their specific cultural and historical settings. Unlike traditional political science, which often applies universal theories, this program emphasizes contextual analysis in line with cultural identities.

I also have a particular interest in the field of negotiation and communication, which encourages me to practice conveying complex concepts in a clear and impactful manner. Whether it is through raising awareness or debating geopolitical challenges, I am eager to combine my passion for diplomacy with my communication skills.

Dominique is a third-year student at University College Maastricht, specializing in International Law and International Relations. Her academic focus lies in Corporate and Government Crime, as well as Human Rights, where she critically examines the systems that perpetuate injustice. This passion for uncovering inequality shapes her approach to writing, where she believes journalism's true essence lies in its commitment to humanism. Outside of her studies, Dominique is an avid musician, playing guitar and singing in her band, and a lover of the arts, often found at the cinema or exploring museums. On sunny days, you can find her relaxing in Stadspark with friends or swimming in the sea whenever the opportunity arises.

Eleonore is a devoted soul to Letterboxd and to diplomacy. She speaks three languages, for now... and feels deeply connected to the art of diplomacy. Understanding the bonds between states and the consequences that arise from each interaction is like a blessing for an observer like Eleonore. The Diplomat is not the only one to benefit from her writing skills, as her Letterboxd is peppered with reviews. From Japanese revenge films to the Greek tragedy movies, Eleonore attempts to establish a top-three list of films for each state, three films that can make the state proud, three tools of soft power. She is also a devoted disciple of Maria Callas.

Elide is a 20-year-old Italian girl who is currently in her second year of European Law. Fascinated by the world of journalism, she is very excited to share her insights on the world together with the amazing team of the MD. Although captivated by many things, the discovery of an old film camera, which belonged to her dad, made her particularly attached to the world of film photography. Even though not an expert and mainly "freestyles" when taking pictures, she loves capturing how she perceives the world through a lens. When she puts away her film cameras, she usually holds a book or a travel map.

Ella is a 21 year old German-American third year student at UCM, currently on her semester abroad in Peru, but will be returning to Maastricht in January. At UCM she studies global conflicts, with a side focus on gender-based violence and philosophy. Creatively she is most passionate about street photography as capturing the uniqueness and beauty of others helps her make sense of the world (and makes her happy too)! As well as photography, she is very passionate about journalistic writing and loves bringing her investigative instincts to the Diplomat in her writing of geopolitical investigative pieces/reports, investigative pieces in a Maastricht Context and more creative leaning pieces where she hopes to include her photography and the occasional opinion piece.

Emily is a first year Global Studies student who is working on expanding her CV for a future career in Political Journalism. Despite her roots being in New Jersey, Emily has lived in Germany for five years, as well as Edinburgh, Scotland, for a year. While in Edinburgh, Emily completed a year of university, studying Digital Marketing and Public Relations. She transferred to Maastricht University for a more international experience. Emily is excited to be a part of the Maastricht Diplomat as a writer, her experience with writing and Video Communications has influenced her decision to be a part of this community!

Emma is doing her MSc in Economics with a major in Sustainable and Resilient Economies. Besides her passion for the environment she is also passionate about literature and the arts, she has been writing for as long as she can remember. At the MD she has an excuse to write some more.

Esther is a French student at UCM, where she focuses on Politics of the Middle East and Psychology of sexuality (surprising combo, right!). She is passionate about the reciprocal influence of politics and religion on gender and sexuality. She hopes to share her interests in The Diplomat, by writing about politics with an innovative way, focusing on women and sexuality. She is currently doing a semester abroad in Leeds, England.

Faustine is a french second year student at the University College of Maastricht. There she is focusing on international relations with additional interest in litterature, history and philosophy. Faustine enjoys to delve into different perspectives when writing. She is also really interested by cinema and history of arts.

Henry is a Belgian third-year student at University College Maastricht interested in International Studies, especially peace & conflict studies along global justice. As a kid he wanted to become an astronaut, but changed his mind when falling out with maths at 16. Now currently on exchange in Seoul, he strives to make the most out of it, and have amazing stories to tell his friends, family, and maybe the Maastricht Diplomat when he comes back.

Isabele is a Brazilian at her second year of Global Studies at FASoS. She has a special passion for places that are warm and near the ocean (while in Maastricht I have lowered my standards to rivers as well). But she is happy whenever she is exploring new cities and their history around the world, even the very cold ones. When she is not studying, she enjoys swimming, watching movies, biking around, hiking and trying new food places. She is excited to start a journey of sharing some provoking opinions.

Jakob is a second-year European Law student from the lovely Münster, Germany. Keen on foreign languages and diplomacy, he will attempt to explore geopolitics and trade under the lense of justice. In his free time, he likes to boulder, read and (rather unsuccessfully) learn French. He hopes to contribute to the Diplomat by shedding light on current international affairs that deserve more attention than they actually receive.

Politics, food and lobbying are the key-elements of Jeroen per definition. After having studied in the US and Belgium, he now finishes his master’s degree in European Public Affairs. EU-perspectives and debating about solutions or outcomes signify any conversation, if there is time. This year he starts as an editor writing about food-systems, Dutch/Belgian politics and European developments. It is his ambition to discover the intricacies of the Brussels bubble and aid the Diplomat in its mission to critically assess the world outside of Maastricht.

Josefine is a second year UCM student from Germany with a concentration in international relations, while dreaming about studying Neuroscience almost everyday. In her free time she tries to listen to as many podcast as she can fit in her study breaks and grocery shopping, go vintage sourcing and yap with her friends over a coffee. At the MD she hopes to further explore peoples narratives and views on the world through the Audiovisual production team.

My passion for writing was sparked in high school, where I developed a keen interest in the arts, culture, and philosophy. This interest has since expanded to include various fields of law during my university years. This year at the Diplomat, I am excited to explore the complexities of these fields and their interconnections in my writing. In my leisure time, I find joy in the company of a good book or in creating yet another playlist that 'matches the current mood', often in one of Maastricht's cosy cafés. I also enjoy taking spontaneous trips.

Naomi has always been curious about her surroundings. As she had the opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia and Australia, her curiosity for perspectives outside of her home country Germany and Western Europe, grew. As she's in the first year of her bachelor in Global Studies, she's on a journey of investigating the world herself. In upcoming papers, she seeks to combine her observations, insights and knowledge in cultural, societal & political contexts. She loves being inspired by art getting creative herself. She'll rarely say no to a vivid techno set, dancing all nights, magically connecting diverse people all at once & escaping reality just a bit!

Uche is a second-year European Law School student. She is passionate about creative expression, especially through the art of storytelling. Having started writing in her teens, she finds joy in crafting short stories that explore imagination and emotion. Beyond writing, she loves photography and capturing the beauty of the world around her. Always eager to try new creative pursuits, she is constantly seeking fresh ways to express herself and connect with others through art and creativity.

Zety is a Hungarian third-year student at UCM, specialising in Law and Economics. Since a young age, he’s been an avid debater and is always keen to understand the bigger picture in life. In his free time he likes to experiment with cooking, hike and learn languages. He is excited to contribute to the Diplomat with a critical lense in mind.