What does it mean to you, a young student who grew up without the atrocities of war or human rights violations, to be able to live in freedom? Sander Terphuis fled his native Iran in 1990 with a plan as brilliant as it was dangerous. He takes you on a journey from his beloved Tehran to his new homeland of the Netherlands, inspiring you to reflect on the essence of freedom and to realize your own dreams.
This program is organized in collaboration with student organization Liberation 040.
In 1990, then 18-year-old Iranian Ahmad Qeleich Khany, afraid of the increasingly harsh regime of Ayatollah Khomeini, decided to flee his homeland, leaving everything and everyone behind. The desire for freedom to realize his dreams had become too great for him. For Dutch TU/e student Guus – co-organizer of the Eindhoven Liberation Festival – things are very different. He grew up in the democratic and prosperous Netherlands. For him, freedom is a given. Compared to Ahmad, he has less of an urge to get everything out of life. Something that you, as a student, might recognize yourself in. Every year in the Netherlands, we yearly commemorate the horrors of World War II (1940-1945), the liberation, and the fact that we have been living in freedom ever since. But what does "living in freedom" actually mean for today's generation of young people, for whom WWII is a rather abstract event of the past? Sadly, the current global situation is more dire: 108.4 million people have been forced to flee because of war, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. All seeking freedom to pursue their dreams.
Speaker Sander Terphuis
Born in Tehran in 1972, Sander Terphuis fled to the Netherlands at the age of 18, where he was granted political asylum. After naturalization, integration, and some preliminary studies, he studied law and philosophy at Utrecht University. Sander Terphuis has held various positions in academia, for the judiciary and government, is socially and politically active, advises on civic integration counseling and is committed to the protection of human rights.
Liberation 040 Festival
This lecture is organized in collaboration with the Liberation 040 Foundation, a student organization that has been organizing the Eindhoven Liberation Festival Liberation 040 in honor of ‘September 18’ since 2018. Check out the after-movie and photos of previous editions here.
In the run-up to the festival on Saturday 16 September, various activities will be organized to promote knowledge and awareness among young people and students about the Second World War, the liberation of Eindhoven, and living in freedom today. On Saturday, September 16, everyone is welcome in the city center to celebrate freedom together.
Ticket reservation recommended
To be sure of a seat at this lecture, we recommend reserving a ticket (black "order" button).
SG & USE/ITEC registration
Please register for SG & USE/ITEC by scanning your student ID at the venue prior to the start of the program.
More information about SG & USE/ITEC can be found here.