He almost had himself retrained as a carpenter. But thanks to an employee of the Labour Office, Sergei Kreso returned to journalism. Eventually, he became a documentary filmmaker.
Interview
Yemeni children growing up in the Netherlands carry two worlds within them. One they know from school; the other is kept alive at home. Their parents are fighting a silent battle that no integration course can prepare you for.
On a rainy evening, under a heavily overcast sky, I met a man in a Dutch town near the German border who had worked for the US State Department for two years, having previously spent two years in Africa in the service of the Italian government. My guest, Asmar (he would prefer that […]
The home ground of football club VV Wildervank, in Veendam, Groningen, is buzzing with excitement following a 1–0 victory over rivals Veendam 1894. Around 1,500 fans had watched as the derby was decided by a header from striker Lourens Huizing. After the match, winners and losers mingle amicably – most of the players from both teams have lived in Veendam all their lives. That is not the case for Basiru Jallow. The 20-year-old Gambian arrived in Veendam two years ago as an asylum seeker.
‘In Iran, there are two kinds of filmmakers, says Navid Nikkhah Azad: ‘Those who are afraid and submit to the government's censorship, and those who have no desire to respect the Iranian government's rules.’
Fatima Mahmoud (20) from The Hague organises a ‘pop-up café’ for anyone interested in Palestine. The first two editions attracted hundreds of visitors.
In South Sudan, Opoka ‘Chris’ Arop Richard was in danger because of his critical publications on human rights violations. With the help of an NGO, he fled to the Netherlands.
‘Because I always stayed active as a writer, I managed to focus on useful, constructive things in my life. I was able to park my sadness and anger and my worries.’
‘Journalists often ask about future plans. My only plan is that I want to become a Dutch citizen. This is my new country. Beyond that, we'll see.’
With a series of stories about Iranian political prisoners, journalist Reza Sardari aims to make Dutch readers aware of the reality in Iranian prisons.
