Future Citizens

Everyone has dreams for the future, but not everyone gets the chance to pursue them. Meet new Dutch citizens and discover their talents and dreams. In Future Citizens, New Dutch Connections provides a platform for (former) refugees. You'll hear live music and inspiring stories about refugees who have found successful careers in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, the media often overlooks the skills and talents that people bring to the Netherlands.

Did you know that there are over 1 million unfilled job vacancies, yet the majority of status holders who have arrived in the Netherlands since 2015 still don't have jobs? It turns out that having a network is incredibly important to enter the Dutch job market, and many new Dutch citizens lack this. However, many talented newcomers do have ambitions and dreams. You'll meet them at Blikopener Festival!