“Especially in times of polarization, it’s important to create spaces where people can truly come together—not to stand opposed to one another, but to eat together, listen to music, share stories, and be curious about one another,”says Marcel Kamphuis, program producer and marketer at the Goudse Schouwburg.
With musical performances, dishes prepared by various local chefs, and community organizations dedicated to inclusion, human rights, and a sustainable society, the festival grew into a vibrant gathering place for the city. Among those in attendance were the Refugee Foundation, the June 30 / July 1 Committee Foundation Gouda, the Green Tulip Foundation, and Amnesty International.
The festival will return in 2027 at GOUDasfalt and in various community centers. For the Goudse Schouwburg, the focus on cultural diversity does not end with the festival. In the coming months, the program will also feature performances and activities that highlight different cultures, stories, and perspectives.
On Monday, December 7, Café Habibi will perform “ ” at the theater, featuring musicians who live or have lived in asylum-seeker centers. On Friday, February 26, “Indian Queens from Abya Yala” will follow, telling the original story of an impossible encounter between the Incas of Peru and the Aztecs of Mexico. On Sunday, May 21, Gershwin Bonevacia will take the stage with a performance centered on a young man who makes the crossing to Curaçao seventeen times.
