_{A few weeks ago, I found myself walking through the grand halls of the European Parliament in Brussels — and honestly, it felt surreal. As a 20-year-old student from Fryslân, I never imagined I’d be part of such an event. But there I was, attending Fryslân Dei, a day dedicated to bringing our province’s voice to Europe. Even more incredible? I had the honour of speaking on a panel about the future of water management — a topic close to both my heart and my homeland.}

Frisian translation available below

Boppeslach

The day began with a warm welcome from MEP (Member of the European Parliament) Raquel García Hermida – van der Walle. Seeing her again, after her visit to Campus Fryslân just a few months earlier, instantly put me at ease. She closed her speech by wishing for a boppeslach, a Frisian expression for “a great success,” and that set a hopeful and determined tone.

Next, Arno Brok, the King's Commissioner of Fryslân, spoke about our province’s role in Europe and the importance of staying rooted in our identity while facing global challenges like climate change and water scarcity.

The first panel, which focused on the European Water Resilience Strategy (EWRS), featured high-level voices such as Paulina Dejmek Hack from the European Commission and several MEPs shaping environmental policy. They explored cross-border collaboration and the role of regions like Fryslân in building a resilient water future. While their presence was inspiring, it was a bit unfortunate that they had to leave immediately after the panel. Since collaboration was a core theme, the lack of space to listen to younger and regional participants felt like a missed opportunity. Still, their involvement showed just how essential it is to have all levels of governance at the table.

Later in the day, I spoke during Expert Session 2: Future Leaders & Local Initiatives, alongside amazing changemakers like Chris Schott from Wetsus and Robbert Lodewijks, founder of HULO. It felt empowering to be part of a panel that was about action, about what we’re already doing, and about what still needs to happen.

❝It felt empowering to be part of a panel that was about action, about what we’re already doing, and about what still needs to happen.❞

As a student of Global Responsibility & Leadership at Campus Fryslân, I’ve thought a lot about how local identity and knowledge can contribute to solving global issues. I spoke about Fryslân’s long-standing relationship with water, from terpen and dikes to cutting-edge water tech, and how that history shapes our resilience.

Then came a personal question: “What do you hope the water world will look like in 2050?”

My answer came from the heart:

“I just hope I can still live safely in Fryslân. That I can drink clean water from the tap. That maybe, one day, I can play with my future children in the beautiful lakes we all know and love. I want to show them the Fryslân I grew up in. But honestly, with everything we’re facing, climate change, water shortages, rising seas, pollution, and more, I’m no longer certain that future will still exist.

And that’s what makes this so important. Too often, we talk about these issues like they’re hypothetical. But they’re not. They’re real. They’re happening. And they’re shaping our future, mine and yours, right now.”

That answer sparked something. Several people came up to me afterward to say it resonated deeply with them. That it made the issue feel real, urgent, and human. And honestly, that meant the world to me. It reminded me exactly why I was there: to bring something personal into the political. 

❝It reminded me exactly why I was there: to bring something personal into the political.❞

What I’m Taking With Me

I’m incredibly grateful to Campus Fryslân, not just for encouraging me to pursue this opportunity, but for creating a space where community, curiosity, and courage are part of everyday life. The kind of conversations I had in Brussels are ones we often start in our classrooms and community at Campus Fryslân. It’s a place that celebrates both local identity and global responsibility, and that’s exactly the kind of spirit I brought with me to Brussels.

A heartfelt thank you to the team at Provinsje Fryslân for organizing such a meaningful and well-structured day, and for creating space for youth voices to be heard. And thank you again to Raquel García Hermida – van der Walle for hosting us in Brussels and believing in the value of our stories.

After closing remarks from Jaap Stalenburg, the day ended with a vibrant networking reception. Before we left, each participant received a beautiful ceramic cup made from clay from the seabed of the new Middelsee neighborhood in Leeuwarden, a symbolic reminder of our connection to Fryslân’s landscape and future.

Water connects us all, across borders, across generations. A drop doesn’t stop at a border, and neither should our ideas. I’m proud to carry the Frisian water spirit forward, in Brussels, in Fryslân, at Campus Fryslân, and wherever the future flows.

Join the programme and be next in line for an inspiring opportunity!

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Fan Fryslân nei Brussel: Myn Passy foar Wetter Diele yn it Europeesk Parlemint

In pear wike lyn rûn ik troch de grutte hallen fan it Europeesk Parlemint yn Brussel — en earlik sein, it fielde hiel ûnwerklik. As in 20-jierrige studint út Fryslân hie ik my nea foarsteld dat ik diel wêze soe fan sa’n barren. Mar dêr wie ik dan, op Fryslân Dei — in dei dy't bedoeld is om de stim fan ús provinsje nei Europa te bringen. En it aldermoaiste? Ik hie de ear om te sprekken yn in paniel oer de takomst fan wetterbehear — in ûnderwerp dat my ticht oan it hert leit.

De dei begûn mei in waarm wolkom fan Europarlemintariër Raquel Garcia Hermida van der Walle. Har wer sjen, nei har besite oan Campus Fryslân in pear moannen lyn, stelde my fuortendaliks gerêst. Se einige har taspraak mei in winsk foar in boppeslach, in Fryske útdrukking foar in grut sukses, en dat sette fuortendaliks de toan.

Dêrnei spruts Arno Brok, de Kommissaris fan de Kening yn Fryslân, oer de rol fan ús provinsje yn Europa en it belang fan woartele bliuwen yn ús identiteit, wylst wy wrâldwide útdagings lykas klimaatferoaring en wettertekoart oanpakke.

It earste paniel, dat gie oer de European Water Resilience Strategy (EWRS), hie heech ynsette sprekkers lykas Paulina Dejmek Hack fan de Europeeske Kommisje en ferskate EP-leden dy't meiwurkje oan miljeubelied. Se sprutsen oer grins-oerskriidende gearwurking en de rol fan regio's lykas Fryslân yn it bouwen fan in duorsume wettertakomst. Hoewol’t harren oanwêzigens ynspirearjend wie, wie it spitich dat se fuort moasten nei hun eigen paniel. Omdat gearwurking in kernûnderwerp wie, fielde it as in miste kâns dat der gjin romte wie om nei jongere en regionale dielnimmers te lústerjen. Dochs liet harren dielname sjen hoe essensjeel it is om ferskillende minsken regionaal en internationaal oan tafel te hawwen.

Letter op 'e dei spruts ik yn Ekspertsesje 2: Takomstige Lieder & Lokale Inisjativen, tegearre mei ynspirearjende eksperts lykas Chris Schott fan Wetsus en Robbert Lodewijks, oprjochter fan HULO. It fielde krêftich om diel te wêzen fan in paniel dat gie oer aksje – oer wat wy no al dogge, en oer wat noch barre moat.

As studint fan Global Responsibility & Leadership oan Campus Fryslân haw ik in soad neitocht oer hoe’t lokale identiteit en kennis bydrage kinne oan it oplossen fan wrâldwide problemen. Ik fertelde oer hoe’t Fryslân altyd mei wetter libbe hat — fan terpen en diken oant moderne wettertechnyk — en hoe’t dat ús sterk en wjerber makke hat.

Doe kaam in persoanlike fraach:  

“Hoe hoopst dat de wetterwrâld derút sjocht yn 2050?”

Myn antwurd kaam rjocht út it hert:  

“Ik hoopje ienfâldichwei dat ik yn 2050 noch feilich wenje kin yn Fryslân. Dat ik skjin wetter út de kraan drinke kin. Dat ik, miskien op in dei, mei myn takomstige bern boartsje kin yn de prachtige marren dy't wy allegearre witte en leafhawwe. Ik wol harren it Fryslân sjen litte dêr’t ik yn grut wurden bin. Mar earlik sein, mei alles wat der no spilet – klimaatferoaring, wettertekoarten, seespegelstiging, fersmoarging – bin ik net mear seker oft dy takomst noch wol bestiet.

En dat makket dit sa wichtich. Wy prate faak oer dizze saken as wiene se hypotetysk. Mar dat binne se net. Se binne echt. Se barre no. En se bepale ús takomst – fan my én fan dy – no al."

Dat antwurd rekke wat. Ferskate minsken kamen nei my ta om te sizzen dat it harren djip rekke hie. Dat dit it ûnderwerp echt, needsaaklik en minsklik makke. En earlik sein, dat betsjutte de wrâld foar my. It ûnthâlde my deroan wêrom’t ik dêr wie: om it polityke persoanlike te meitsjen. 

Wat Ik Meinim

Ik bin tige tankber foar Campus Fryslân – net allinnich foar it oanmoedigjen fan dizze kâns, mar foar it meitsjen fan in plak dêr’t mienskip, nijsgjirrigens en moed diel fan it deistich libben binne. De soarten petearen dy't ik yn Brussel hie, binne petearen dy't wy faak begjinne yn ús klassen en mienskip op Campus Fryslân. It is in plak dat sawol lokale identiteit as wrâldwide ferantwurdlikens fiert – en dat is krekt de geast dy't ik meinommen haw nei Brussel.

In waarm tankewol oan it team fan Provinsje Fryslân foar it organisearjen fan sa’n betsjuttingsfolle en goed organisearre dei, en foar it meitsjen fan romte foar de stimmen fan jongerein. En nochris tank oan Raquel Garcia Hermida – van der Walle foar it ûntfangen fan ús yn Brussel en foar it leauwen yn de wearde fan ús ferhalen.

Nei de ôfslutende wurden fan Jaap Stalenburg, einige de dei mei in libbendich netwurkmomint. Foardat wy fuortgiene, krige eltse dielnimmer in prachtiche keramyske beker makke fan klaai út de boaiem fan de nije Middelsee-wyk yn Ljouwert – in symboalyske oantinken oan ús ferbining mei it Fryske lânskip en de takomst.

Wetter ferbynt ús allegearre – oer grinzen hinne, oer generaasjes hinne. In drip stopt net by in grins, en ús ideeën moatte dat ek net dwaan. Ik bin grutsk om de Fryske wettergeast fierder te dragen – yn Brussel, yn Fryslân, op Campus Fryslân, en oeral wêr’t de takomst streamt.