Action groups at the University of Twente protest against the arrival of outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Monday, to Enschede. He is invited to open the academic year. Activists find it inappropriate that he is given the honor to be the main speaker, while his cabinet has cut more than a billion euros in higher education. In addition, there are action groups that oppose his arrival because they believe that the cabinet is doing too little pressure on the Israeli government to stop violing the Palestinian population in Gaza.
Schoof is also blamed by action groups at the university that in his cabinet, which originally consisted of PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB, “extreme right -wing rhetoric and structural disinformation about climate, migration and social inequality” were “embraced”.
Personal band
In July, the university announced that the Prime Minister will be the main speaker at the festive meeting that the University organizes together with Hogeschool Saxion in the Wilminktheater. The seven hundred anniversary of Enschede is also celebrated. In his speech, Schoof, who grew up in Hengelo, will share his vision on the future of the Netherlands, the role of regions such as Twente and his personal relationship with the region.
The Twente for Protest action groups, Enschede Students for Palestine, Enschede Student Movement and Climate Crisis Coalition jointly wrote a letter to the University’s Executive Board, in which they explain their objections and demanded that another speaker was sought. “At a time when fundamental values such as equal opportunities, academic freedom and inclusiveness are under heavy pressure, we consider it inappropriate to offer a stage to a Prime Minister whose government has systematically undermined these values,” wrote the action groups. They recalled that the cutbacks of the cabinet have canceled 47 jobs at the university and various courses have been canceled.
His presence does not mean that the university or saxion endorses government policy
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The Executive Board came with a response on Tuesday. The university does not intend to withdraw the invitation. “In the coming months, Prime Minister Schoof will continue to play an important role in national policy, which influences higher education and research. His presence does not mean that the university or Saxion endorses government policy. On the contrary, we will make our worries and disagreements clear and constructively known.” On the contrary, the university wants to be a place “where we meet, exchange different views and have difficult but necessary conversations.”
Now shoved, the action groups breed in a way to express their displeasure on Monday. Ideas that are circulating are running away during the speech, turn the back turn or organize an alternative lecture outside the Wilminktheater.
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