News in English - RTV Maastricht

News in English - RTV Maastricht News in English for not-yet-Dutch speakers in Maastricht since 2016.

13/07/2025

The city of Maastricht has been drawn and painted many times and in various ways over the past centuries by both professional and amateur artists. Under the title 'Was getekend Maastricht', we are broadcasting a series of 15 episodes about these drawings and paintings. In this third episode: Jan Nicolaas Brabant.

07/07/2025

The city of Maastricht has been drawn and painted many times and in various ways over the past centuries by both professional and amateur artists. Under the title 'Was getekend Maastricht', we are broadcasting a series of 15 episodes about these drawings and paintings. In this third episode: Jan Nicolaas Brabant.

Studentenverenigingen (student associations) Tragos and Circumflex are launching their own introduction week for student...
05/07/2025

Studentenverenigingen (student associations) Tragos and Circumflex are launching their own introduction week for students: the MAASweek. This initiative follows their exclusion from the upcoming summer’s INKOM.

The university recently suspended its collaboration with Tragos and Circumflex due to reports of violations concerning physical safety and personal integrity. The gemeente (municipality) followed suit after wethouder (alderman) Johan Pas announced that, for the time being, he would not include the associations in his "Maastricht student city" portfolio. The MAASweek will take place concurrently with the INKOM.

Major roadworks in WyckSince 6th May 2025, significant roadworks have been underway in the Wyck district of Maastricht, ...
04/07/2025

Major roadworks in Wyck

Since 6th May 2025, significant roadworks have been underway in the Wyck district of Maastricht, covering Wilhelminasingel, Wilhelminabrug, Franciscus Romanusweg, and Sint Maartenslaan. The Municipality of Maastricht has commissioned the contractor Heijmans to lead the project which aims to improve traffic safety by expanding spaces for cyclists and pedestrians and reducing traffic in the area. The construction works are expected to continue until the end of 2025 and will unfold in four major phases.

The first phase concluded on 27th June and focused on the redevelopment of Franciscus Romanusweg. The second phase, scheduled to end on 24th August, is currently focusing on Wilhelminabrug, Kesselskade, the forecourt of Mosae Forum, and Wilhelminasingel. The Wilhelminabrug has been closed to all traffic since Monday and is expected to remain closed for a duration of eight weeks. Additionally, Kesselskade is temporarily converted into a one-way street starting from café Bonne Femme. Wilhelminasingel and the Franciscus Romanusweg up to Stationsstraat will remain closed until 2nd August. Pedestrians and cyclists are diverted via the Sint Servaasbrug. Mopeds and scooters, which are not permitted on the Sint Servaasbrug, are rerouted via the Noorderbrug or Kennedybrug towards Wyck Station, Maastricht-East, or vice versa. The moped parking near the bridge junction at Kesselskade has been removed and temporary alternative parking is provided at the Mosae Forum bus stop. Motorized traffic coming from Maastricht Centrum-Noord, and from the A2 (Sittard/Eindhoven) and A79 (Heerlen/Aachen), must detour via the N2 tunnel, exit 54, and proceed via John F. Kennedybrug to Avenue Céramique and beyond until 2nd August. All buses, including the cross-border buses by De Lijn, are rerouted over the Noorderbrug which adds about 15 minutes of travel time. However, the Mosae Forum bus stop is temporarily out of service. Please note changes to departure and arrival times. Visit the Arriva website for more information on timetable adjustments.

To read the full article, head over to our website.

Working and living in Maastricht: Do expats and cross-border workers feel integrated in the region?Maastricht is charact...
26/06/2025

Working and living in Maastricht: Do expats and cross-border workers feel integrated in the region?

Maastricht is characterised by its considerable international community. In total 40,435 internationals live in Zuid-Limburg (South Limburg) of whom 26,065 are employed. But do they feel truly integrated here? The Expat Centre Maastricht Region gathered insights from Maastricht Forum’s dedicated English-language panel and an open online survey to learn how internationals, expats, and cross-border workers feel about living and working in the region. To add to the findings, Zhe Xiao shared his experience as an expat living and working in Maastricht.

When it comes to integration, the responses were mixed: 39% said they do not feel particularly integrated in the region, while 38% reported feeling assimilated. Most said that it took them one to three years or more to feel fully integrated (78 %). Zhe Xiao feels well integrated in the city after three years “I truly enjoy being here. I found important things in my life like a relationship and a stable job.” What helped him most to feel at home was buying a house: “After that I felt truly relaxed because the housing market is so tough here.” Regarding cultural differences he notes: “I think that Dutch culture is very direct, especially if they don’t like something, they will point it out.” Attending cultural activities (37%) and learning Dutch (28%) were seen as the most helpful ways to feel at home. Respondents often relied on multiple sources for local information. The most common were colleagues (54%), followed by neighbours and friends (47%), social media groups (29%), and News in English from RTV Maastricht (20%).

Zhe Xiao’s tip: “Don’t get sad because of the weather. You will get used to it eventually. But it’s still charming even if there is not much sun. I started to cherish the sunny days more.”

To read the full article, head over to our website.
https://english.rtvmaastricht.nl/news/article/working-and-living-in-maastricht-do-expats-and-cross-border-workers-feel-integrated-in-the-region

https://www.facebook.com/ExpatCentreMaastrichtRegion/
https://www.maastrichtforum.nl/expat-2024

Peeking behind the curtain at the student theatre association Alles is Drama.“Our mission is to bring student theatre to...
24/06/2025

Peeking behind the curtain at the student theatre association Alles is Drama.

“Our mission is to bring student theatre to Maastricht and to get people excited to experience all parts of theatre - be that backstage, on stage and theatre related activities such as improv,” says Lena, the current commissioner of staging. Alles is Drama is a vibrant, multicultural student theatre association and a true mirror of Maastricht’s international student body: “We always speak English even though we have both Dutch and international members,” explains Lena. The mix of cultures is no hindrance to Teodor, who joined the association three years ago: “The international nature of it ensures cultural diversity. It’s not really a barrier because we are here as theatre lovers.”

The association has a surprising backstory as Lena shares: “I don’t have any official records but from what I’ve heard we’ve existed since 1981 and we were basically established as an association by KOKO through medical students because they needed simulations of patients to practice on. Then it evolved and became its own thing.” To this day, Alles is Drama is constantly evolving as students can now also direct plays such as Nolan did: “I had to be the choreographer, stage manager, mapping it out and giving it my own edge. I’ve grown a lot honestly. I’ve learned a lot about myself, management and team bonding.”

What truly sets Alles is Drama apart is its accessibility and open-minded community. Previous experience isn’t a requirement: “We focus a lot on amateur theatre so there isn’t a lot of pressure on experience per se and I think that brings people closer because a lot of people are scared since they have never done theatre before,” shares Alyona, an actor in the play. Gender-blind casting ensures creativity and self expression: “I like it a lot because it gives me so much versatility in terms of what I can do with my acting.”

To read the full article, head over to our website.

If you are in Maastricht between the 12th of June and the 22th, you will be able to experience a very special event: de ...
16/06/2025

If you are in Maastricht between the 12th of June and the 22th, you will be able to experience a very special event: de Heiligdomsvaart (the 56th Pilgrimage of Relics), that allows you to see the relics of Saint Servatius, who was the first bishop of Maastricht and probably the first proclaimer of the Christian faith in the Netherlands.

This occurrence takes place every seven years and its origins can be traced far back in history.

The fulcrum of the event is the Ommegang (procession) that carries around the city the Reliquary, namely a treasure chest from the 12th century that contains the remains of Saint Servatius, along with those of other bishops of Tongeren and Maastricht.

During these days, two circumambulations displaying the relics will take place: one of them was held on Sunday 15th and the other one will take place on next Sunday 22th. However, the Ommegangen are not the only thing that participants can attend. Throughout the city, readings, concerts, theater performances, film screenings and exhibitions take place.

Each edition of the pilgrimage has a specific theme that tries to underline one particular aspect of faith: for instance, this year the theme is “Be a Bridge Builder”, describing the need to build bridges between modernity and tradition, religious and non-religious audiences, young and old people.

Head over to our website for he full article and more photos: https://english.rtvmaastricht.nl/news/article/discovering-maastrichts-history-de-heiligdomsvaart-the-pilgrimage-of-relics

Students who go home for the weekend and park their bikes in the underground fietsenstalling (parking facility) will no ...
13/06/2025

Students who go home for the weekend and park their bikes in the underground fietsenstalling (parking facility) will no longer have to pay for it starting January 1st. This was announced by burgemeester (Mayor) Wim Hillenaar.

Currently, the first 24 hours of parking are free, after which a fee is charged for leaving your bicycle. As a result, students who are away for the entire weekend inevitably have to pay.

The gemeente (municipality) has made a deal with NS (Dutch Railways) that this will no longer be necessary starting in 2026. The burgemeester hopes this measure will help reduce bicycle nuisance. Many students currently opt to park their bikes on the street during the weekend to avoid paying.

It is still unclear whether groups other than students will be able to benefit from the new arrangement. The gemeente says it is still in discussions with NS regarding the exact details and conditions.

The joint railway unions FNV Spoor, CNV, and VVMC have adjusted their action calendar and will move the strike, which wa...
12/06/2025

The joint railway unions FNV Spoor, CNV, and VVMC have adjusted their action calendar and will move the strike, which was previously scheduled for Thursday in the Northwest and East regions. Instead, a strike will now take place on Friday in the Northern and Southern regions, which includes Limburg. The strike starts at 04:00 AM and lasts until Saturday 03:59 AM.

The decision to reschedule the strike is strategic, according to the unions. “We received signals that NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen - Dutch Railways) had prepared an alternative timetable to neutralize the effects of the strike,” explains Janssen. “We want to keep the pressure high. NS management is showing no willingness to reach a solution, despite our ultimatum and the first two impactful strike days.”

The unions strongly criticize NS’s actions. “Instead of investing money in negotiations and solutions, NS is using it to undermine the strikes. That is unacceptable,” says Janssen, referring to the funds NS is using to compensate travelers.

Despite escalating their actions, the unions emphasize that they remain open to talks. “So far, NS is simply not responding,” says Janssen. “And it’s the travelers who suffer as a result. We want to resolve this. But that’s only possible if NS shows willingness to move. Trains aren’t running because NS refuses to properly take care of its own staff.”

21/05/2025

The city of Maastricht has been drawn and painted many times and in various ways over the past centuries by both professional and amateur artists. Under the title 'Was getekend Maastricht', we are broadcasting a series of 15 episodes about these drawings and paintings. In this episode: historical maps.

Natuurmonumenten has opened the Groevepaviljoen (quarry pavilion) Sint-Pietersberg at the ENCI groeve. The pavilion, whi...
21/05/2025

Natuurmonumenten has opened the Groevepaviljoen (quarry pavilion) Sint-Pietersberg at the ENCI groeve. The pavilion, which will be open to visitors through October, is also looking for volunteers.

The new Groevepaviljoen is intentionally not a traditional visitor center. “We want to literally bring people closer to nature,” says Liesbet Berghof, manager of Bezoekerscentrum Zuid-Limburg (South Limburg Visitor Center). “No exhibitions behind glass, but a place where you can step straight into the landscape.”

Visitors can take part in nature excursions, children's activities by OERRR, walks and find information about the flora, fauna, and cultural history of Sint-Pietersberg. In addition, the pavilion can be reserved as a meeting venue on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

The pavilion is entirely run by volunteers. They welcome visitors, provide information about hiking routes and activities, share knowledge about nature and heritage, sell coffee and tea, and create a hospitable atmosphere. They are also present when the venue is used for meetings. To be able to keep the location open throughout the season, Natuurmonumenten is looking for additional support.

On Wednesday, May 21, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, Natuurmonumenten is organizing a non-committal information evening about volunteering with the organization and specifically about the role of host or hostess at the Groevepaviljoen. You can register by sending an email to Natuurmonumenten at: [email protected]

Art Adrift explores the difficult history of almost twenty artworks that belong to the NK collection (Nederlands Kunstbe...
20/05/2025

Art Adrift explores the difficult history of almost twenty artworks that belong to the NK collection (Nederlands Kunstbezit-collectie), consisting of works that were returned after the Second World War to the Netherlands. The exhibition tells the story about previous owners and art collectors before the Second World War up until the complex restitution process after the war. It’s divided into three parts: 1900-1945, 1945-1997 and 1997-present. The exhibition is currently on display at the Bonnefanten Museum until June 1st.

‘’We started this exhibition because an artwork lives an entire life, longer than human lives” says Jip van Reijen, curator of Art Adrift. From a private prayer piece, the dining room of the famous art collector Otto Lanz, a bunker, Hitler’s collection to the Art Adrift exhibition at the Bonnefanten museum, this is the journey of St. Elizabeth of Hungary by Pietro Nelli. “I think we take it for granted that it is just hanging on a wall. You rarely think about the history of the piece itself” reflects the curator.
To read the full article, head over to our website.

Adres

Maastricht

Website

Meldingen

Wees de eerste die het weet en laat ons u een e-mail sturen wanneer News in English - RTV Maastricht nieuws en promoties plaatst. Uw e-mailadres wordt niet voor andere doeleinden gebruikt en u kunt zich op elk gewenst moment afmelden.

Contact

Stuur een bericht naar News in English - RTV Maastricht:

Snelkoppelingen

Delen

Type

Social Media User Guidelines

These guidelines are in place to help create a safe environment on all social media channels run by News in English – RTV Maastricht.

The aim of our social media channels is to create an environment where our community can engage safely in debate and is free to make comments, questions and suggestions.

We ask that anyone engaging with our social media channels shows courtesy, kindness and respect for all other members of our social media communities.

By engaging with our social media channels you agree to follow these guidelines.