Jouke de Vries and Arie Dijkstra to give speeches at the Bevrijdingsfestival

President of the Board of the University Jouke de Vries and Professor Arie Dijkstra will both give a speech during the Bevrijdingsfestival (Liberation Day festival) in Groningen. De Vries and Dijkstra will be a part of the programme on the Reflect Stage, where they will talk about the importance of freedom.

Arie Dijkstra: ‘Freedom is an illusion’ (2.45–3.15 p.m.)

The human need for freedom is deeply rooted. That has nothing to do with legislature or philosophy but with psychology. Psychology shows us that freedom is an illusion more than anything. During his speech, Arie Dijkstra, Professor of Health Psychology at the UG, will debunk the persistent idea of free will.

Jouke de Vries: ‘War, freedom, and democracy’ (5.30–6 p.m.)

Jouke de Vries, Professor of Public Administration and President of the Board of the University of Groningen, will reflect on three themes: war, freedom, and democracy. His central claim is that a democracy needs to undergo continuous maintenance after having been liberated because the democracy is always under threat.

Further information

• Take a look at the programme on the Reflect Stage.
• See also the practical information about the accessibility of the Stadspark