‘Gelukszoeker’ has become an insult for immigrants who want a better life. Yet, the well-travelled, colonising Dutch have a long history of going abroad in pursuit of happiness and more. Who is entitled to seek a better life, and why? Can any country sustain so much happiness? And what tips would you add to the Fortune Hunter’s Manual?
Join us as we, four migrant writers, navigate the topic of home and belonging with provocative readings and a lively, entertaining conversation with the audience.
Share a reading
We welcome your stories, visions, and misgivings. If you’d like to join in, share a reading or propose a thought-provoking question, please get in touch – that’ll allow us to make space for various ideas and perspectives. Please send your contribution, in English and ideally limited to a page, to rokhaya.seck@debalie.nl by February 2024.
About The Xenophiles
Raised on different continents, the Xenophiles believe in the power of all that is peculiar, foreign, strange, and original. Why fight xenophobia, when you can celebrate xenophilia? As writers, we thrive on the complexity of human relationships; as Xenophiles we find joy in the risks and rewards of engaging with each other on challenging topics.
We are Vamba, the Liberian-Kuwaiti scholar from Groningen; Julie, the American who speaks Dutch with a Frisian accent; Amal, the Indian Sri-Lankan who arrived from Glasgow; and Richard, the Dutchman who still swears like a South African on his bike.
Speakers
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