Professor of migration law Thomas Spijkerboer took the initiative to let VU Amsterdam take part in the action: "The Poles who show with a green light where refugees can go, are an example for us all. As a university, we share knowledge, but we do so on the basis of fundamental values. The fact that European countries must also comply with international law is one of them. And sometimes, as an individual or as an organisation, you have to get out of your comfort zone in order to help. I am proud that VU Amsterdam is speaking out."
President of the Executive Board Mirjam van Praag thinks it is logical for VU Amsterdam to take part in the action: "In 1980, we were the first Dutch university to introduce a transition year for refugees. Since then, we have offered hundreds of refugees the chance to develop themselves. It is distressing that not everyone can be offered this opportunity, but it is even worse how refugees are treated at the borders of Europe. We hope that this action will contribute to a more humane treatment of refugees, because it is much needed."
For Spijkerboer, lighting the O2 building green is not enough. That is why he, together with Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland and the initiators of GroenLicht2021, is organising an online meeting to exchange information and analyses about what is going on at the border with Belarus. The speakers are Maarten den Heijer (University of Amsterdam), Maartje Terpstra (lawyer, Groen Licht), Femke de Vries (Dutch Refugee Council). Thomas Spijkerboer (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) will lead the discussion as moderator.
The meeting takes place on Monday 20 December from 12.00 to 13.00 and is organised by debate centre 3D. You can register by mail: 3D@vu.nl. You will then receive the final programme and a Zoom-link to attend the meeting.