The current Minister of Culture of Cyprus, Yiannis Toumazis, was once a student himself at the Utrecht School of the Arts and visited his old school this week. In the 1980s he followed the Theater Design course and during his visit to the Netherlands he spoke about this with students of the Theater at Janskerkhof course.
The students discussed their work and future with the minister. Toumazis shared with them what his education has personally brought to his life: “My time at HKU was a turning point in my life and career. The course offered me unique opportunities to actively participate in cultural life and nurtured my sense of creativity.”
Today, around three hundred students from abroad are studying at HKU. Nine of these students come from Cyprus, who are doing various courses at HKU. A number of them also met the minister and talked to him about their studies at HKU. At the end of the visit, they expressed their hope that their country has a minister who is fully focused on culture for the first time and that it is very nice that he, like them now, has studied at the HKU.
Edwin Jacobs of HKU calls the minister’s visit a very good example that shows how important and formative a study program is. “The fact that he visits us personally and shares with our students what his education has brought him, shows that an education is not only of value while following it. It plays throughout a lifetime and continues into the further career.
Do you know the stories behind the Utrecht catering industry from the 20th century? Arjan den Boer and Ton van den Berg have made a book together about the disappeared catering industry from this period and it can now be ordered in the DUIC shop! Pre-order a copy here.
