Photo taken by Ella Leffler in Cusco, Peru : Mafia de Ricos Limenos Esclavizan a 50% De Peruanos Capitalistas Demonios Roban y Empobrechen a Los Peruanos / Rich Lima Mafia Enslaves 50% of Peruvians Capitalists Demons Steal Impoverish Peruvians On September 9, 2025, Nepalese youth  protestors successfully overthrew their government following decades of corruption plaguing their country and exploiting state resources and their people. This historical moment inspired youth-based

Our Strange Addiction About two years ago, starting university, I fell prey to the magical allure of ChatGPT. Much like those around me, trying to keep up with all the work, it was a nice (or even necessary) tool to keep my head above the water. When I simply did not have the time to read a text before class, it could summarize it for me. When I couldn’t come up with the specific word to use for an essay, ChatGPT would help me find it.   Before I knew it, it became commonplac

Eyes on Austrian Cinema Source: IMDb, photo from Sissi, the Young Empress (1956).  Seit ich an seinem Grab gestanden, Bin ich von Gluten aufgezehrt; Ich schmachte nach dem stillen Hügel, Und doch hat er mir nichts gewährt! Since being there, at his grave standing, Consumed I’ve been by ember ash. The quiet hill has left me pining For faintest glimpse of ancient past. Poem "Longing" by Sissi (1885)   From a bygone era yet with timeless charm, Romy Schneider delivers an unforge

On November 14 th , we had the opportunity to participate in one of the events as part of the FASHIONCLASH festival. The event was labelled as a Design workshop  and Open Ateliers . It was portrayed as a chance to explore the works of several entrepreneurs and to see their creative process firsthand, in all its raw reality . Away from the busy streets, Designshop  and Open Ateliers took place in a more suburban and industrial part of the city, adding to the events’ intimate a

We asked several Maastricht Diplomat journalists to share their favourite exhibitions and pieces from this year’s FASHIONCLASH Festival, and why these stood out to them.  Now in its 17th edition, FASHIONCLASH  is an international, multidisciplinary fashion festival that provides emerging designers and artists with a platform to showcase bold, boundary-pushing work. This year’s edition took place in Maastricht from November 14 to 16, 2025.  Below, our writers reflect on the wo

For weeks, I heard whispers from my peers that an event was about to take place in Maastricht. Intrigued, I inquired about it, however, when I asked my friends, they knew little to nothing about it. The brief conversations I had on the topic brought nothing to light about what was actually going on.  Luckily, I discovered it was the FASHIONCLASH festival  from the Maastricht Diplomat, taking place across various locations in Maastricht from the 14th to the 16th of November. T

“In the corners of a Circle”, an artwork created by Fashion Design graduate, Kim Gemmik, was exhibited at Bureau Europa for this year’s FASHIONCLASH Festival in Maastricht. The viewers could discover the artwork in its basement.  When walking down the stairs, I was immediately introduced to the interactive and playful part where the viewer was invited to become a model themselves. As another group of artists and friends were having fun with the activity, I chuckled, inspired

Art heists have an undeniable mystique. People cannot help but instantly feel invested in the topic, questioning the 'hows' surrounding the incident. Most recently, in October, the Louvre parted with a collection of French Crown Jewels valued at 102 million dollars after four masked thieves entered in broad daylight . In this particular Parisian case, the detail which intrigues people the most is how is it even possible, considering how well protected such art collections are

Trigger Warning: This article discusses films that include themes of gender-based violence, self-harm, bodily transformation, blood, horror and gore imagery, ritualistic violence, religious symbolism, and queerphobic behaviour. While graphic details are not described, some content may be disturbing or emotionally triggering for readers.  A Red Glow, A New Kind of Cinema FASHIONCLASH 2025  has proven itself a turning point in European fashion film, defined by outspoken, genre-

The bullet that killed Charlie Kirk did more than end a life. It exposed a nation already bleeding from within. I realized how deep the wound had become last week while standing in the backyard of a house party in Santa Barbara. The music was loud and the conversations drifted from finals to travel plans. Everything felt light until someone mentioned Kirk’s assassination. One guest immediately laughed and celebrated his death as if it were a joke, reenacting the moment Kirk w

Eyes on Chilean Cinema Allende making a speech. Photo taken from the Battle of Chile, The Coup d’Etat by Patricio Guzmán / Atacama Productions / ICAIC - Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográfico. Por la razón o la fuerza. By reason or by force.   This proverb is Chile's national motto, reflecting the Chilean republic's desire to assert its right to exist in the face of the colonising powers of the 19th century. Chile shall defend its rights through diplomacy and re

With the Chilean presidential elections being held tomorrow, November 16 will be an important day for Chile. A Marxist communist president may be elected, the first since Salvador Allende ( 1970-1973 ); his legacy brings back painful memories to the coup d’état before the violent dictatorship . To honor and remember the victims of these frightful years, a museum was created, instilling their legacy in a national one. I will showcase the archives of the Museum of Memory and Hu

Figure 1 : Place to Stay Music Festival at the B, Maastricht, September 12th 2025 Picture: Camiel van der Heijden “Essentially, what it comes down to is community, ” says Yvette Ojo. “ That is the aim of Place to Stay. ”  Music, art, and compassion. These are the building blocks of the recently founded Maastricht collective. Through their festivals, Place to Stay  turns creativity into an act of care, developing spaces where art meets solidarity and where people come together

‘Blocchiamo Tutto’ Despite the first autumn downpours, the largest Italian cities were still scorching of heat in September. Streets, schools, railway stations and ports became epicenters of anger channeled by masses of twenty-something year olds, rallying for Gaza. The popular movement to bloccare tutto - block everything - spilled over the entire country, resulting in nationwide strikes backed by unions, and large-scale demonstrations, most notably the one on September 22.

Sitting with some friends at the terrace of a GS25 in Hongdae, we were celebrating the end of our midterms with Korean beer and peach soju. Before arriving at a consensus on what to do next - either playing darts at Corner PUB or dancing at MON5 - a Korean man kindly asked to sit with us. Gladly welcoming him, intrigued by the newcomer’s confidence and boldness, we resumed our varied discussions. At first, I didn’t pick up much of what he was saying from across the table, but

Eyes on Iranian Cinema Source:   IMDb, Still from the film Holy Spider, directed by Ali Abbasi (2022). ز گهواره تا گور دانش بجوی Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave. Directed by Ali Abbasi   and sadly inspired by real events that took place in Iran in the early 2000s. A thriller set in Mashhad , one of Iran's largest holy cities, a series of crimes targeting sex workers who disappear in the streets at night is rampant. Following these disappearances, a journalist from

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With his first address, last Sunday, the new Pope - Leo XIV - has officially announced the direction of his papacy. These intentions set...