Or: A Letter of Thanks to the Maastricht Diplomat Part 1: 16th September, 2023 On the 29th of August, 2023, 14:30, in the Franz Palmzaal of the Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, Dr. Sascha Hardt briefly mentioned a list of books that first-year students of the LLB in European Law had to acquire for the first period of their studies. A very prepared student asked Dr. Hardt to reiterate the titles, and she took note of them. Many of us took a picture of th

Art law is quite an interesting multidisciplinary field. Although it seeks to regulate the protection and sale of artworks, many other branches of the law intervene to facilitate that, such as IP, contract, tax and criminal law. In my previous article A Beginner's Guide to Buying Art, another Maastricht Diplomat exclusive, I have already touched upon the dangers of the art market, which arise from its mystique and its proneness to anonymity: coming across looted art and art m

Uniting food and community, Foodbank is a space full of inspiration. Located at Landbouwbelang (also known as LBB), the coolest non-profit organisation in the Maastricht region promotes sustainability by raising awareness about unnecessary food waste and actively reducing it. Foodbank is a place where everyone is welcome, and where people come together not only to save food and share it with others, but also to cook and enjoy delicious meals made from perfectly good food that

«Je suis fasciné par les orques, car elles sont pleines de mystères.» Ce n’est pas exactement la phrase d’ouverture à laquelle on s’attendrait de la part de Guillaume Meurice lors d’une interview. Laissant de côté la satire politique pour un (petit) moment, nous avons commencé notre interview, donnant immédiatement le ton d’une discussion autour de l’une de ses passions les plus chères : son admiration pour les orques. S’il est encore nécessaire de le présenter: Guillaume Meu

“I am fascinated by orcas, as they are full of mysteries.” This is not exactly the opening line you would expect from Guillaume Meurice during an interview. Leaving political satire on the side for a (little) while, we started our interview, immediately setting the stage for a talk about one of his dearest passions: orcas. For the non-French readers among you, Guillaume Meurice is a 44-year-old comedian, radio host, and author of several essays and novels. He is also an anim

This week I have overheard numerous conversations about King’s Day. I was asked what my plans were although I’m working and I don’t mind missing out on most of the festivities. The only thing I’d be interested in is the flea markets in the park in front of the library. This section of the park is called Monseigneur Nolenspark. Who was he? How do I feel about this remembrance? Who would I like to remember instead? A Dutch classmate is going to Amsterdam to celebrate King’s

Life feels like it’s passing by in a blur— where has time gone? With exam season luring me into a constant schedule of studying, university work had me in a chokehold. It was a practical one week, a project the next and a proposal to write the day after— it had me occupied. So occupied that my unread messages had been piling into one big, giant list. Friends whom I had the time to meet so much last year, suddenly were the very people I only see weeks after. On top of that, th

Eyes on South Korean Cinema IMDb, still from Lady Vengeance by Park Chan-wook. (2005). 여자가 한을 품으면 서리가 내린다 If a woman harbors han, frost will fall “The concept of han (한) has been invoked as crucial to understanding the Korean character. A supposedly untranslatable term, it denotes a uniquely Korean sense of profound sorrow, regret, resentment, rage and other negative emotions that are all bound up inside an individual as well as the people as a whole. It has been clai

Sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Goy, late 17th century, marble. Cleopatra, dying yet standing. December 2025 found me at the Arab World Institute in Paris, beholding the Mystery of Cleopatra , running from June 2025 to January 2026. The exhibition was quite lengthy, beginning with a series of artifacts related to Egyptian mythology and historical foundations, an enumeration that appeared endless to me. Nonetheless, with the world of Cleopatra open to me, I encountered numerou

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. – Oscar Wilde. Hello! Welcome to our first issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones. As this is the first edition, an introduction is essential. This column within the Maastricht Diplomat is here to bring more whimsy to the journal and talk about our student lives in relation to our environment. The ‘Loosely Talking’ column is written by Celia Kervyn and Ella Leff

The team of Place to Stay did a great job in transforming Griendgarage - the industrial space - into a comfy and welcoming movie room. From the cozy sofas and carpets to the hot chocolate and mulled wine stand, one could notice that the organizers put a lot of thought and intention into the details. All combined, they managed to create a pleasantly silent and respectful atmosphere, turning the grey hangar into a true place to stay! The organizers providing mulled wine and hot

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-