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What makes the Maastricht Treaty defining for the history of Europe?

Find out in the fourth episode of the podcast ‘Europa om je heen’ (Europe around you) in which DutchCulture and Are We Europe take you to the Gouvernement. In this episode, team members from Studio Europa explain why the Maastricht Treaty has had such a profound impact on the lives of Europeans. Project manager heritage Bart Stol talks about the historical context of this treaty, programme maker Job Zomerplaag discusses European value. The podcast concludes with a poem by content creator and poet Amber-Helena Reisig. Read the poem here and listen to the podcast episode.

Stick figures (1992-2022)

daubed wall: a swastika, below it ‘stokfiguren’
– language is a loan system – two men holding
each other’s hand, like the paper doll chain
you learned to make in kindergarten; students
in carnival costumes, the cobblestones, the sound
of heels like a carriage, a boy with a horse’s head

‘the spectre of revolution wanders through Europe’
a chapter of one of your high school history books,
Weimar Republic, or was it Marx, the communist –
you enter a garden full of flagpoles, a square
Helmut Kohl walked here, François Mitterrand, Lubbers

you wonder if they know, the people in the streets, 
that their reflection moves as easily from store window
to store window, as it does from country to country, just like
the coin moves (from hand to hand) – who or what they are,
because of something that on that island in the Meuse, in that
pile of blocks, was decided – or were they already European?

1992 hangs around your neck, your birth year, on your 
passport the golden letters almost worn off – you are not
a myth, thirty years old, you’re allowed to let your hair blow
in the wind, here around you, you see history, or is it fantasy?

a girl who became a continent on the back of a bull
a place we called civilisation, made off the backs of those
we enslaved, the black death, separation of church and state,
the ancient philosophers, Hannibal with elephants
on the Alps – now: après-ski, referendums, populism

they hoped to create a new story, the men: Helmut, 
François, Ruud, Wilfried, Giulio, John, Jacques, Poul, 
Konstantinos, Charles, Aníbal, Felipe and the lady who 
offered her head, they wandered through this city,
stick figures that sometimes stuck, for those who know,
for those who have the clarity to see it, to believe in it.

© Amber-Helena Reisig

Listen to the episode here:

— disclaimer — the podcast Europa om je heen is only available in Dutch

About ‘Europa om je heen’

The series was created by DutchCulture and produced by Awe Studio and Are We Europe. The podcast series ‘Europe around you’ takes you to locations with the European Heritage Label in the Netherlands. Besides the Maastricht Treaty, you will hear the special and personal stories of Kamp Westerbork, the Colonies of Weldadigheid and the Peace Palace. Discover European heritage and experience what it means for today’s Europe – and for you.

— disclaimer — the podcast Europa om je heen is only available in Dutch

Listen to all episodes of the podcast here:

How storytelling can help us to work on a better Europe

How can we better tell stories of Europe? In the past months, 20 communication and media students explored this question as part of a storytelling course at Erasmus University Rotterdam, part of which was facilitated by Studio Europa Maastricht. 

‘Telling the stories of Europe’ is unique in its design and objectives, as the course connects the realm of storytelling to European studies. The module is offered as part of the prestigious honours programme, led by Dr Mijke Slot, which is offered to the most talented students of the bachelor in communication and media at Erasmus University Rotterdam. In the module, designed and coordinated by programme editor at Studio Europa Job Zomerplaag, students approach the European Project as an unfinished adventure. They head off on this adventure by examining the ancient Greek story of Europa and the Bull and the significance of this myth in modern Europe. They then travel through time and space to explore some of the stories and symbols and their creators, which paved the path towards the Maastricht Treaty. For example, the origins of the 12-star flag and Ode to Joy anthem are studied. In so doing, the students reflect on the distinguishing characteristics of Europe and being European. What myths and symbols have fostered a sense of community in Europe, and how have they evolved? 

Visit to Maastricht and Studio Europa 

As the course was designed to be an adventure, the students travelled to Maastricht, the city where the foundation treaty of the EU was signed was 1992. During this two-day trip, facilitated by Studio Europa, they saw first-hand how the European Project is alive and well in Maastricht. The students visited Studio Europa Maastricht to learn more about its research agenda, events and projects. They also visited the No Access exhibition at the Cannerberg, and met with the theatre collective De Kiesmannen.

During their stay, Maastricht served as the students’ living laboratory to collect and create stories. They also engaged with storytellers and researchers to discuss how stories can reveal the way in which the idea of Europe is promoted, shaped and contested locally. In the setting of a so-called vlaaien panel (named after the local delicacy vlaai), the students participated in a discussion with photographer Tetsuro Miyazaki, Eline Schmeets, PhD at Studio Europa; and Amber-Helena Reisig, poet and content creator at Studio Europa. Later in the course, they met and exchanged ideas with musical journalist Andrea Voets, who also performed her show Millennial History in Maastricht in November. One of the participating students, Polina Leonova, created a video capturing some hightlights of the trip to Maastricht:

Students tell their own stories of Europe

After they visited Maastricht, the students participated in a workshop hosted by Mick ter Reehorst, founder and managing director of the pan-European media collective Are We Europe. With his help, the students turned the inspiration and observations they collected during the previous weeks into a final project: telling their own stories of Europe. Stories that reflect upon their stance towards Europe; stories that raise topics that need to be included in the existing discourse and critically engage with the idea and identity of Europe. 

The module was concluded with an intimate storytelling event at the Europe House in The Hague. Willemijn de Jong, press officer at the Dutch liaison office of the European Parliament, welcomed the students.  The stories display the students’ ability to critically reflect on the notion of a ‘Story of Europe’ and to engage with past and current efforts to tell this story. In addition, their own stories displayed how incredibly diverse presentations and representations of European identity could and perhaps should be. 

The student projects

The stories were presented in different formats, ranging from multimedia to video. Please find links to all the student projects, the outcome of a collaboration between 16 different nationalities, below: 

Europe is a “relative experience” is the core message of a video produced by Erkaiym (Kyrgyzstan), Siddhi (India) and Gosia (Poland) in which they roam the streets of Rotterdam and Maastricht.

Europe exists because there are people who call it home, conclude Monique (Denmark), Nimrat (India), Minerva (Spain) and Rea (Germany) in their poetry project on the story of Europe as shattered and in need of space to co-exist.

https://readymag.com/u2891154917/4062317/

Kaja (Norway), Zoe (Germany) and Sonya (Russia) focus in a multimedia story on how being a woman shapes the history of Europe, in which they argue that such narratives are rather “challenged than being promoted”.

https://readymag.com/u4182423417/4057010/

Justine (Latvia), Nini (Georgia) and Caroline (Brazil) ask at the start of their performance the provocative question “where do you belong?,” to then unravel the complexity of both European and non-European identities.

Europe is a tangerine, according to Maxime (France), Polina (Czech Republic/ Russia), Gauri (The Netherlands/ India/ Suriname), and Mariette (Egypt). In their video and subsequent storytelling performance, they show how Europe has a hard skin on the outside, seemingly perfect and round while being flexible, malleable and turbulent in the inside.

While being European is institutionalised in the form of passports, Joana (Germany), Isabella (Colombia/ Spain) and Jade (Suriname) show that Europe is not necessarily found in documents, but rather in encounters and experiences.

Would you like to learn more about the content and programme of the module? Then do not hesitate to contact Job Zomerplaag, programme editor at Studio Europa, for more information.

On 11 November 2022 President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella gave a speech on Europe in Maastricht in honour of the 30th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty.

We proudly look back on an amazing day: on Friday 11 November 2022 Studio Europa Maastricht had the honour of receiving President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella as our guest at the Gouvernement aan de Maas in Maastricht. De hall was filled to the brim with students, local ‘Limburgers’ and many others, who all came to listen to the speech of President Mattarella. And what an inspiring speech it was.

Watch the speech of President Mattarella and the Q&A

You can choose between English and Dutch subtitles.

Words of thanks

We would first and foremost like to thank President Mattarella and the Italian delegation, and our partners the Province of Limburg, Maastricht University and Gemeente Maastricht. Special thanks to the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken for furthering our successful coorporation. Lastly, we would like to express our appreciation for the contribution of Eveline Rethmeier, Mathieu Segers, Kiriko Mechanicus, Bart Stol, King’s Commissioner of Limburg Emile Roemer, Luana Russo and Matteo Bonelli to the programme. 

Photo impression of the day by Photostique

Poem by Kiriko Mechanicus

Vieni piu vicino, zei hij

Sorry? zei zij 

Ti faccio vedere ‘na cosa, zei hij

Sorry, I don’t… eh… speak Italian, zei zij 

Dai, vieni qui, zei hij

Il pomodoro va mangiato subito, zei hij

Eh… ok, zei zij

Ze deed wat de tomatenplukker zei 

Ze pakte de tomaat vers van de plant en stak ‘m gelijk in haar mond 

Nog warm van de Italiaanse zon

Alsof ze een levend orgaantje opat 

Een kleine rode microkosmos diens smaak zich niet graag laat omschrijven

Maar als ze het toch moest proberen, 

De smaak had van haar lievelingsvrucht 

Di dove sei? zei hij

Ik kom uit Nederland, zei zij 

Olanda

Ah allora

Guarda che sei tornata a casa, zei hij

Lo sai che i semi dei pomodori vengono dal’Olanda?

Sorry, ik versta je echt niet, zei zij 

Non importa, zei hij 

Il pomodoro e’ il cuore, hai capito? zei hij

Ehh… si, zei zij 

Si, si, capito, zei zij 

Wist je trouwens dat de plant van de tomaat giftig is? zei zij 

Als je de plant eet, heb je kans dat je hart ermee stopt of dat je geen adem meer krijgt, zei zij 

Ecco perche il pomodoro e cosi buono, antwoordde hij 

I frutti piu buoni vengono sempre dalle piante velenose 

Io sono la terra meditterranea 

Tu sei il seme Olandese 

Io sono la madre

Tu sei il padre  

La culla? Si trova a Maastricht 

In questa terra e nato nostro figlio d’amore 

Una frutta piccola, abbastanza giovane, 

Blu 

Ricca nella sua potenza 

Frutta che deve ancora crescere 

Le punte tagliente delle stelle che devono ancora essere affilate

Alles wat lekker is, is geboren in vergif 

Een zoete vrucht met een bittere oorsprong 

Jij de mediterrane bodem 

Ik het sterke Hollandse zaad 

Jij bent de moeder

Ik ben de vader

De wieg? Die staat in Maastricht 

In deze grond is onze liefdesbaby geboren

Ons kind is een verse, relatief jonge vrucht,

Blauw 

Rijk in haar potentie

Een vrucht die nog groeien moet 

Met scherpe punten van de sterren die nog zacht geslepen moeten worden  

Lo senti il caldo?

Il profumo di nostalgia?

L’odore di ognuno per se, prima che c’era la nostra frutta 

L’Europa non si fa annegare dalla nostalgia

La nostra frutta ha bisogno di tempo

Una bandiera blu con un cosmo rosso

Sradicata dal suo passato tossico.

Voel je de hitte? 

Ruik je de nostalgie?

De geur van ieder voor zich, toen onze vrucht nog niet bestond  

Europa laat zich niet verdrinken in nostalgie 

De zoetste vruchten hebben tijd nodig om te rijpen  

Een blauwe vlag met een rode kosmos 

Ontworteld van haar giftige verleden 

Watch the welcome speech by King’s Commissioner of Limburg Emile Roemer

Who is President Mattarella and why was he in Maastricht?

Maastricht University experts Luana Russo and Matteo Bonelli explain it in this video:

This blog post was written by the students of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences who co-organised the “Crossing Borders” event in collaboration with Studio Europa Maastricht, where they visited the exhibition of No Access:

On 3 November, students discussed their views on migration at the ‘Crossing Borders’ event at the former NATO headquarters. The event was organised by Zuyd University students in collaboration with Studio Europa Maastricht and Viewmaster Projects. The discussion was preceded by a tour of the exhibition in which the students were shown various artworks focusing on life during and after migration, and the experience of migrants on border control in Europe.

The videos shown during the tour included various topics on migration that got the students thinking. For example, the experience of migrants was shown through a video called “children of the labyrinth” was shown featuring parents reading a letter to their children explaining why they fled and what they experienced during this journey. Also shown, for example, was the topic of border control and the opponents of migration showing an impactful video depicting the situation around the Mexican American border in which civilians with guns patrol the border. By showing these videos, the artworks of the exhibition were used as a starting point for the debate that followed with the students afterwards.

The discussion also played on visualisation, allowing students to express their views on the statement by placing themselves on a spectrum that went from agree to disagree. Here, the middle section was marked as neutral territory, and the right and left sides of the room were marked as agree and disagree, respectively. Depending on their own opinions, participants shifted to one side. For example, one of the statements asked whether they agreed or disagreed that translation is an important element in easing the migration process. Here, most participants moved to the right side of the room, indicating their agreement that translation is essential to safeguard important information that would otherwise be lost or ignored. Students discussed that the consequences of this could be that people are misinformed. The majority of students indicated that, in their opinion, good translation helps to overcome the language barrier, stating that because refugees cannot talk to Westerners due to the language barrier, misconceptions and lies easily influence Westerners’ thoughts about refugees. Although the students on the left indicated that in their view, it does not always necessarily influence people’s decisions and opinions.

Another discussion focused on whether encounters between refugees and non-refugees could change public perceptions of migrants. The majority of students agreed that this could change people’s perspective, as people’s perception of migration is mostly based on what the media shows them and this engagement might shed new light. However, some disagreed, stating that people’s attitudes remain the same despite supporting migration based on their own experiences of working in refugee centres. They emphasised the fact that policymakers are not doing much to bring about change and the fact that some of the causes of migration can be addressed by providing aid to countries and addressing the problems that lead to migration. Overall, it was a dynamic discussion and the videos, and the different points and experiences raised by the different students enriched these discussions.

Bart van den Boom (1969) of Viewmaster Projects is the curator of No Access, an exhibition on view in the Cannerberg tunnel system in Maastricht until 13 November. Twenty-one different works can be seen in dark, separate spaces: video art, short documentaries, animations and interactive media installations. They take you into the current reality of migration and border controls. Van den Boom: ‘I wanted to make an exhibition that is empathetic and awakens a different consciousness than the media does, so that the almost inescapable saturation of news images of refugees is pulled open and you think, “it is all so much and so intense”.’

Where you usually only think about a short news report for a moment, the stories by and about refugees in this exhibition truly stay with you. The location contributes to this. The narrow corridor system of marlstone and concrete was home to a NATO headquarters during the Cold War. Thick steel doors recall the fear of atomic bombs at the time. ‘Content-wise and visually, this was the best place for this exhibition as far as I was concerned. From Cannerberg, the borders of Europe were watched and data was collected on what the Russians were doing. For example, their flight movements over Germany were monitored. Luckily, Het Limburgs Landschap, the manager of the Cannerberg, was immediately open to cooperation’, Van den Boom says.

‘Normally you can only enter with a guide, but I wanted people to be able to walk around freely. The feeling of disorientation in such a strange environment is an essential part of the exhibition. The cold, the acoustics, the dark and the fact that you have no phone service also contribute to a much more sensory and direct experience than if you were to see these works in a museum, for example. I devised a scenography to create a good build-up and mix between the different types of video works and perspectives on borders. Moreover, I wanted to connect the European story of the bunker and the global migration issue step by step.’

To prevent people from getting lost in the corridor system, several passages were cordoned off. Technically too, it was not an easy exhibition to make. ‘We had to install electricity, the wooden panels rot quickly and it’s also intense for the projectors. But when I see what the exhibition evokes, it is more than worth it’, Van den Boom said. 

Because of the migration theme, Studio Europa Maastricht was an important content partner for Van den Boom from the start. Together, they also involved students in the exhibition. ‘Recently, they have chosen a number of works from the exhibition and studied them. On 3 November, we will organise a special tour during which the students will explain their favourite videos. Following this, there will be a discussion session.’

“Moreover, I wanted to connect the European story of the bunker and the global migration issue step by step.”

Since last year, a collaboration with Viewmaster Projects and the minor ‘The Narrative’ of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences’ Communication and Multimedia Design course has also been running. In it, one of the animated films from No Access was developed. In a gripping animated film, student Osman Taheri tells the story of his own flight from Afghanistan and the fate of a neighbouring girl left behind. ‘When I first saw this work last year, I immediately knew it had to have a place in the exhibition.’

Van den Boom walked around with the idea for the exhibition for several years, but he could not have imagined how much he would be overtaken by reality while writing the grant applications. ‘The bizarre thing is that I constantly had to adapt the paragraphs in which I outlined the current context to the situation in Ukraine. More and more Ukrainian refugees were suddenly at the Polish border, where just the winter before thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Iran were pushed back to Belarus. I had already selected the artworks for the exhibition, but Anita Groener added images of Ukrainian refugees to her work Blink.’

Partly by organising the exhibition at Cannerberg, Van den Boom hopes to reach people other than the typical art audience. ‘I don’t need to convince most art lovers of the urgency of the refugee issue. Precisely to reach other audiences, we are working with RTV Maastricht, for example. They make portraits of Syrian boat refugees who came to the Netherlands via Ter Apel and received residence permits. Many secondary school pupils also come to see the exhibition. We developed a special educational programme around the documentary Shadow Game by Eefje Blankevoort and Els van Driel. The documentary is about young people who fled to Europe on their own. Two portraits from it can be seen in No Access.’

Combining autobiographical works, data visualisations and more symbolic videos, the exhibition makes you feel how refugees’ humanity is affected. This is also what Van den Boom wants the exhibition to give politicians and policymakers. ‘That the migration issue is ultimately always about people, about people who are looking for safety, for a safe life. That it is intense when you go across the sea in a rubber boat in the dark and you have no idea whether you will make it. That you take such a risk means you really had to leave. It really isn’t just about wanting to make more money. In my opinion, money is hardly an issue; above all, there have to be very good reasons for wanting to flee.’

“Borders are of course only a construct.”

‘Borders are of course only a construct. For example, I myself feel much more European than Dutch, partly because Maastricht is such a European city. The Cannerberg also runs under the borders of the Netherlands and Belgium. When NATO was still here, Belgians, Dutch, Germans, British and Americans worked together towards one goal. With No Access, I hope to make people look at the refugee issue from multiple perspectives.’  

Van den Boom continues: ‘For me, people are the most important thing in the whole exhibition. Even the data visualisations are about people. Policymakers and politicians should be aware of that: that it’s not about numbers and percentages, but about people.’

You can still visit the No Access exhibition until 13 November 2022 at the former NATO high quarters of Cannerberg in Maastricht. More information and tickets here.

On 28 and 29 September, Studio Europa Maastricht organised the academic conference 30 years Maastricht Treaty: the past, present and future of European integration with keynote lectures by Thomas Piketty and Paul De Grauwe. In this blogpost we will look at the main takeaways, and share some photos and the recordings of both keynotes.

About the academic conference

It has been three decades since the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. To commemorate this milestone of European collaboration, Maastricht University and Studio Europa Maastricht organised an interdisciplinary academic conference which examined the ‘past, present and future of European integration’. The conference facilitated constructive, critical dialogue on the Maastricht Treaty’s legacy. The sessions covered a wide range of topics; such as solidarity and identity, peace, security and criminology, social and trade affairs, populism and authoritarianism, digital innovation and fiscal sovereignty challenges. Keynote addresses by Thomas Piketty and Paul De Grauwe were highlights of the conference that welcomed more than 50 presenters.

Takeaways

The conference’s participants agreed that the Maastricht Treaty represents an ambitious plan that remains largely unfulfilled. This is mainly due to the long-term neglect of innate architectural imperfections arising from the enlargement rounds and current cross-country heterogeneity. The general consensus throughout the conference was that reform is necessary to chart a unique pathway for a sustainable, equitable and prosperous Europe. Experts and participants alike concluded that the time is ripe to address the structural issues standing in the way of European integration thriving and working for all its citizens.

Keynote lecture Thomas Piketty: ‘Rising inequality and the democratisation of Europe‘

About professor Thomas Piketty

Thomas Piketty is a Professor at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) and at the Paris School of Economics & Co-director, World Inequality Lab and World Inequality Database.

Keynote lecture Paul De Grauwe: ‘The fragility of the eurozone: endemic or temporary?‘

Moderator: Prof Clemens Kool

About professor Paul De Grauwe

Professor at London School of Economics and Political Science and professor emeritus at KU Leuven University.

What is the biggest legacy of the Maastricht Treaty?

We asked some of the attendees what they think is the biggest legacy of the Maastricht Treaty.

Photos

Programme booklet

Download or view the full booklet here:

What’s next?

The day before the start of the academic conference, we organised a public conference called Euro at 20: shifting paradigms? with keynote lectures by Mathieu Segers, Joachim Bitterlich and Klaas Knot, and panel sessions with guests such as Graham Bishop, Linda Zeilina and Wiliam de Vijlder. Check out our blogpost on this conference and the recordings of the keynotes and sessions here: