‘Hier’ in Europe: what is the role of Europe in our daily life?
Studio Europa Maastricht is the centre of excellence that executes the joint programme Maastricht, Working on Europe of the Province of Limburg, the Municipality of Maastricht and Maastricht University. On 4 June, Studio Europa Maastricht launches an extraordinary collaboration with research practice Dear Hunter and media-collective Are We Europe. Under the title ‘Hier in Europe’, they investigate the role of the European Union in daily life in the ‘Heer’ district in Maastricht (Hier stands for ‘Heer’ in the Maastricht dialect). After a digital start of the research in April, the collaboration partners will be present in the Heer district from 4 June through 3 July as local residents.
From digital research to local encounter
For this project, Marlies Vermeulen and Remy Kroese of Dear Hunter will be living in the centre of the district for four weeks, on the Raadhuisplein, in a sea container. From there, they will innovatively inventory how local residents and entrepreneurs experience – or in fact do not - European collaboration in their daily lives. They will engage with people from the district and its surroundings. Local residents and entrepreneurs in Heer, Maastricht and the Euregion will participate, share thoughts and collaborate in this unique project.
‘Hier’ in Europe is organised by Studio Europa Maastricht as part of the programme Maastricht, Working on Europe, established in 2018 by the Province of Limburg, Municipality of Maastricht and Maastricht University. The project, realized in collaboration with Dear Hunter and Are We Europe, receives funding from the European Union.
The objective of this project is to show that complex and abstract European themes play a role in everyone’s daily life, also at the local level, and that it is possible to discuss this with everyone.
‘Hier’ in Europe is an innovative collaboration between:
Studio Europa Maastricht, Dear Hunter and Are We Europe
Cofinanced by the EU Protects campagne of the European Union
What is the research about?
The research ‘searches’ for Europe on the basis of three themes where European cooperation plays a role:
- Security in a borderless region
- Green deal: the consequences of the sustainable transition at local level
- Open borders and creative entrepreneurship in the border region
These themes all revolve around the coronavirus. Because a virus that does not care about national borders makes even more clear what European collaboration means at the local level. Was the European Union before the coronavirus perhaps much closer than we thought and didn’t we realize that before now?
That role of the European Union at the local level is exactly what the project ‘Hier in Europe’ will investigate together with local Maastricht residents in the upcoming period.
The stories of Hier in Europe
In June, the journalists of Are We Europe will also be in Heer for a week to register special local-European stories. They will create a rich collection of photographs, videos and written stories, which they will present on the website hierineuropa.eu as well as locally in the form of a mini-exhibit.
In discussion during informal debates
Studio Europa Maastricht stands for the open, honest and above all critical discussion in Europe. Therefore, they will organize – together with local entrepreneurs in Heer – three ‘bitterballendebates’ in September. On the basis of the stories and information of Dear Hunter and Are We Europe, each week a theme will be discussed with both European and local guest speakers. Local Heer residents and everyone else who is interested are very welcome to join these debates!
Visit the website for more information
On the website hierineuropa.eu you will find detailed information about this project. The first results of the search have already been presented there. The website will continuously be updated to share the latest information, stories and other findings.
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