A Comment on the Cynical Welfare Debate in Germany There are few better media attention triggers than the image of the "lazy immigrant." Discourse on foreigners who do not contribute to public funds, but drain countries' tax-financed welfare system enrages tax payers and does well in big letters. Fairly so, in times of aging populations, national social assistance schemes carry the twofold burden of even more pensioners and a shrinking working age demographic. Any public cent

Europe in a nutshell  As you might have guessed from our names, we are French and Dutch students. We are also writers for a student newspaper in Maastricht. But above all, we are young European citizens, attached to improving the EU that we believe in.  And we are not alone. Looking at recent news events and elections in Europe, there is a large attachment of the young generation to causes that shape the future of the continent. Among young voters, many of them tend to turn t

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

Climate justice discussions entangle multiple perspectives, which while often controversial must be addressed. Policy makers might have different priorities, while only pretending to listen to the voices of relevant people for climate negotiations. Are we supporting a more ecological and inclusive future, or simply using the sustainability flag to gain support and achieve hidden economic goals? COP, the Conference of the Parties 30, the 30 th  United Nations conference on Cli

“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

The UN’s Committee on World Food Security (or CFS) envisions a large role for governments in food systems with ambitious responsibilities for national and regional governments. The CFS gathered this summer to draft a shared vision on Urban and Peri-Urban food systems. Their conclusions included a vision for the formalization of markets, intentions for international oversight, and best-practice sharing.  The CFS’s primary mandate is to converge national policies and coordinat

As the human rights crisis in Gaza worsened, protests in Germany were rising, fuelled by some citizens believing that the government was not taking enough action. From activists and public figures being uninvited to conferences because of their views, to UN experts accusing the government of systematically suppressing manifestations for Gaza, public opinion grew increasingly divided whilst the government continued to send weapons to Israel.  Germany’s moral duty to support Is

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-

Figure 1 : Stop the Shutdown Rally - Washington D.C., January 2019 43 days of uncertainty left millions waiting, federal workers at a standstill, and no pay. American federal workers and citizens felt, and are still facing, the repercussions of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The nation is left asking: How did this happen? What happens next?  What is a government shutdown? The United States is the only country with a government that fails to keep funding goin

A primary forest is a pristine forest that has never been altered by human activity. It is a precious ecosystem, particularly for its biodiversity. Globally, only 1,180,000,000 hectares  remain, primarily in six countries: Brazil, Canada, the United States, Russia, China, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These forests have almost vanished elsewhere due to centuries of agricultural expansion, logging, mining, and urban development that permanently transformed natural land

Photo taken from the intro of the YouTube video “ Miu Miu Women's Tales #21 - Shangri-La”. On 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it is important to remember that sexual abuse and harassment are still too prevalent in our world. While some acts of violence repeated are extremely brutal, others may seem milder but share the same violent essence in nature.  Several short films by the Miu Miu (a luxury brand created by Miuccia Prada) den

October 29, 2025. 9 pm. The results of a closer-than-ever election appear on Dutch television. The centrist liberals of D66 are ahead of the vote, the culmination of a remarkable comeback in the final days of the campaign. Led by a young front-runner, 38-year-old Rob Jetten, they embody a new era for Dutch and European politics. At the end of August, polls gave D66 around 10 seats in the Tweede Kamer. Today, they are the largest party in the Netherlands, with 26 seats, and ha

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

On October 30, 2025, the Latvian Parliament voted to withdraw  from the Istanbul Convention, with 56 votes in favour, 32 against and 2 abstentions. If confirmed, Latvia would become the first EU member state to leave the Council of Europe’s treaty on preventing and combating gender based violence.  International observers, including the Council of Europe and women’s rights organisations, have criticised the withdrawal vote as a setback for gender equality in Europe. They have

October 29th saw the Dutch return to the polls to decide on the fate of their new government. At the center of the debate were issues like housing and migration, but this is not the whole picture. The last government led by Geert Wilders fell due to his strong anti immigration stances, which often went against EU law. His extreme demands did not sit right with the other parties in the coalition, the VVD, NSC, and BBB, and as such it will be interesting to see how this will in

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