{"id":21646,"date":"2026-08-31T16:26:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T14:26:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/?p=21646"},"modified":"2026-09-02T16:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T14:29:46","slug":"oud-collegas-blikken-terug-op-meer-dan-een-decennium-fms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/oud-collegas-blikken-terug-op-meer-dan-een-decennium-fms\/","title":{"rendered":"Former colleagues look back on more than a decade at FMS"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"417\">Over the course of thirty years at FMS, we\u2019ve organised a great deal. We\u2019ve asked a number of former colleagues to share some of the highlights from their time with us. You can see them below!<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-21652 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7-18x10.jpeg 18w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0821d806-6bea-4f31-8d7d-a54a24c3a5c7.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"417\">Activism in difficult circumstances<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"417\">Overall, I am very proud to have had the opportunity to work with courageous and determined people who, despite difficult (political) circumstances in places such as Egypt or Tunisia, sought to make their communities, political parties, youth and women\u2019s movements, and their countries a little better. This was truly inspiring.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"417\"><em>Marianna Tsirelson<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-21651 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466-16x12.jpeg 16w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/8ee95f00-56ae-911b-16ea-c43e36b72466.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\">Young politicians, new connections<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"459\" data-end=\"864\">\u201cFrom 2008 to 2018, the FMS organised three training courses each year for young, promising progressive politicians from the Western Balkans: the <em data-start=\"597\" data-end=\"631\">Course for Up-and-Coming Politicians<\/em>. Following the wars and the break-up of Yugoslavia, it was by no means a given that young people from the region would meet, let alone become friends and work together to build countries that were fairer, more democratic and more committed to the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"866\" data-end=\"883\"><em><strong data-start=\"866\" data-end=\"883\">Danijel Tadic<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21650 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5ea73216-71c7-5e05-75c9-968482ed5038.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"945\" height=\"995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5ea73216-71c7-5e05-75c9-968482ed5038.png 945w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5ea73216-71c7-5e05-75c9-968482ed5038-285x300.png 285w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5ea73216-71c7-5e05-75c9-968482ed5038-768x809.png 768w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/5ea73216-71c7-5e05-75c9-968482ed5038-11x12.png 11w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 945px) 100vw, 945px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"184czau\" data-start=\"890\" data-end=\"916\">Building political bridges<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"918\" data-end=\"1255\">\u201cOne of the projects from which I have learnt the most and of which I am most proud was the <em data-start=\"1000\" data-end=\"1022\">Leadership Academies<\/em> in Armenia and Georgia. Young people from different political backgrounds came together and learnt not only about ideology, campaigning and bribery, but above all how to keep the dialogue going and work together despite their differences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1257\" data-end=\"1278\"><em><strong data-start=\"1257\" data-end=\"1278\">Marina Ohanyanyan<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21653 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/b4eee42b-0cf1-a81b-7f4e-317f71e0246b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/b4eee42b-0cf1-a81b-7f4e-317f71e0246b.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/b4eee42b-0cf1-a81b-7f4e-317f71e0246b-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/b4eee42b-0cf1-a81b-7f4e-317f71e0246b-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/b4eee42b-0cf1-a81b-7f4e-317f71e0246b-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"17bb90e\" data-start=\"1285\" data-end=\"1324\">Special guests at Africa Day<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1326\" data-end=\"1536\">\u201cMy highlight was accompanying our guest of honour, Mo Ibrahim (a famous Sudanese philanthropist and businessman, ed.), at Africa Day 2014 and making my way through the crowd with him, as if I were out and about with a big star.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1538\" data-end=\"1559\"><em><strong data-start=\"1538\" data-end=\"1559\">Anne van der Meer<\/p>\n<p><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21648 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2dddfc2d-72bd-56d9-c8fa-21a742570398-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"601\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2dddfc2d-72bd-56d9-c8fa-21a742570398-1.png 601w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2dddfc2d-72bd-56d9-c8fa-21a742570398-1-300x201.png 300w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2dddfc2d-72bd-56d9-c8fa-21a742570398-1-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 601px) 100vw, 601px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"kmkpq5\" data-start=\"1566\" data-end=\"1598\">Proud of a new generation<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1600\" data-end=\"1847\">\u201cI\u2019m most proud of the very first <em data-start=\"1642\" data-end=\"1656\">MENA Academy<\/em> \u201din 2022, which I organised in Iraqi Kurdistan for women and young people from the region. The Academy was a great success and provided participants with new knowledge as well as a valuable regional network.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1849\" data-end=\"1867\"><em><strong data-start=\"1849\" data-end=\"1867\">Meriem Hammami<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"pxfsfb\" data-start=\"1874\" data-end=\"1908\"><\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"pxfsfb\" data-start=\"1874\" data-end=\"1908\">Symposium at the Council of State<\/h2>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"s5u0tf\" data-start=\"419\" data-end=\"457\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-21649 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3defaf7a-629e-ca3b-0386-f4fff6f5732c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3defaf7a-629e-ca3b-0386-f4fff6f5732c.jpg 195w, https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3defaf7a-629e-ca3b-0386-f4fff6f5732c-16x12.jpg 16w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1910\" data-end=\"2253\">\u201cThe 2018 symposium \u201cIs there such a thing as a just war?\u201d was special to me because it linked war, peace and justice to my profession as a historian. The Gothic Hall lent the event a unique historical atmosphere. Expert speakers and a sense of personal engagement made this a special encounter between history and current affairs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2255\" data-end=\"2273\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><em><strong data-start=\"2255\" data-end=\"2273\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Arjen Berkvens<\/strong><\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In dertig jaar FMS hebben we veel georganiseerd. We hebben een aantal oud-collega\u2019s gevraagd om hoogtepunten uit hun tijd met ons te delen. Die zien jullie hieronder terug! Activisme in moeilijke omstandigheden In het algemeen ben ik erg trots dat ik mocht werken met moedige en strijdbare mensen, die ondanks moeilijke (politieke) omstandigheden in bijvoorbeeld [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":21647,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21646"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21661,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21646\/revisions\/21661"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundationmaxvanderstoel.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}