The Netherlands' Expo
This exhibition was made by Quiosq in The Netherlands. Read more about this organization on our Team page.
The Netherlands, One Culture in Amsterdam Zuidoost
As part of the One Culture project, Quiosq combined an educational pilot with a series of four public exhibitions in Amsterdam Zuidoost. The pilot at Prosper College invited students to explore questions about culture, identity and belonging through dialogue and reflection. Their ideas and experiences formed an important starting point for the wider public activities. The exhibitions, hosted at four community locations, reached an estimated 800 visitors, while many more saw the displays from outside.
An impression of one of the four exhibition spaces
Instead of presenting information in a traditional way, the exhibition used thought provoking statements to encourage conversation. Visitors from many different cultural backgrounds discussed their own experiences, listened to others and reflected on themes such as identity, diversity and mutual respect. The response was overwhelmingly positive. The exhibitions generated lively discussions, encouraged people to look at cultural differences from new perspectives and inspired several visitors to learn more about One Culture and the Erasmus+ programme. The Dutch activities showed that simple, accessible methods can successfully bring people together and create meaningful dialogue about culture, identity and European citizenship.
Participants and results of the pilot
Participant reflections pilot
“I never realised how much my own background influences the way I look at other cultures. This exhibition really made me think.”
“The statements did not tell me what to think. They invited me to have a conversation, and that was much more powerful.”
“Listening to other people’s experiences made me understand that identity is much more complex than I had imagined.”
“At school we often talk about diversity, but this was different. It felt personal and made me reflect on my own opinions.”
“These are exactly the kinds of conversations we need more often. They help people become curious instead of judgemental.”
Posters used in the pilot
Visitor reflections exhibitions
“I came in just to have a quick look, but I stayed much longer than I expected. The questions really made me think about my own identity.”
“It was refreshing that the exhibition didn’t try to convince me of anything. It simply invited people to talk and to listen to each other.”
“I found myself discussing the statements with complete strangers. That almost never happens, and it turned out to be surprisingly interesting.”
“The pilot at school made me realise that culture is not just where you come from. It is also about the experiences and values that connect us with others.”
“I would like to see more exhibitions like this. They create conversations that continue long after you leave, and they remind us that our differences are also something we share.”
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Authors
© 2025 – ENCRE – European Network of Comics Representatives and Entrepreneurs (BE), Skill Up Srl (IT), Cap Ulysse (FR), Museumsverein Klostertal (AT), Complexul Muzeal National Moldova Iasi (RO), Quiosq (NE).
This publication was carried out with the financial support of the European Commission under Erasmus + Project “ONE Culture – Overcoming Nationalism and Euroscepticism through Culture”, N. 2024-1-BE01-KA220-ADU-