Stork Talks

The pandemic has changed the way we think about living, working and travelling. This week, I speak with mobility expert and co-author of recently published book, "Curbing Traffic: the human case for fewer cars in our lives", Melissa Bruntlett. We talk about how more bicycles are just part of the solution to quieter, greener, more inclusive cities and what Dutch urban planning can teach us about how to do this. 

Stork Talks Lite is a new power-packed 10 minute show that provides our listeners with news, views and the best of the city's cultural and hospitality events. This week, we ask how cycling in the city can be made safer for children and those who are not accustomed to the Dutch cycling culture. We also hear more about the long awaited-opening of the Amare theatre and what you can look forward to on Prinsjesdag including the Prince's hat fair and more!    

What does the recent environmental ruling against the Royal Dutch Shell company mean for big business everywhere and will a global minimum tax really stop tax evasion by multinationals? Stork Talks discusses these and other key questions relating to the changing landscape of corporate responsibility with Joseph Wilder Ramsing, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO). 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

As the European Football Championships get into full swing, the uncomfortable relationship between homosexuality and professional sports is again in the spotlight. The passing of recent anti-LGBT legislation by Hungary has fuelled the debate further and caused a strong push-back across Europe. Sports, particularly at the highest levels, have traditionally been associated with binary notions of gender. This week Stork Talks to Editor in Chief of the Gay Krant (newspaper), Rick van der Made, about how society needs to re-think traditional narratives about gender and how such a re-think might play out on sports fields around the world.   

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Living through a global pandemic has affected all of us in very many different ways. This week, Stork Talks asks how the Arts can help us make sense of this extraordinary experience. We speak with Taiwanese artist in residence in Eindhoven, Pei-Ying Lin, and comedian, painter and sculptor, Michel Van der Sanden from Rotterdam about how their work brings fresh perspectives on viruses, facemasks and many other aspects of pandemic life. We also talk about how audiences are responding - both on and offline to a brave new post-corona world.  

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Iranian elections will take place later this month. The size of the country together with its nuclear ambitions have made it a growing source of concern both in the Middle East and the wider world more generally. What do elections in Iran mean for those living there but also for the ongoing negotiations about its nuclear programme? What is the best approach to take with the Islamic regime in power in Iran? Stork Talks this week to Iranian civil society activist, now based here in the Netherlands, Somaye Dehban. 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

This week Stork Talks the ancient art of cider making with founder and owner of Cider Cider, Wouter Bijl. Based in Rotterdam, Wouter imports ciders from all over the world including France and the US. He tells us a little about the many and varied forms of ciders and cider making and why cider has yet to find its rightful place alongside beer here in the Netherlands. Cider rules! 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Has the Dutch response to corona been irresponsible and amoral? So says grassroots organisation, Containment Nu, an open collective begun last year by Dutch citizens concerned about the government's decision to pursue herd immunity rather than containment of the virus. Michael Blok and Vicky van der Togt of Containment Nu, tell us why the failure of the government to change their approach in spite of mounting scientific evidence against it and the apparent complicity of the mainstream Dutch media in failing to flag this up, has resulted in thousands of unnecessary corona-related deaths and infections, here in the Netherlands.  

 Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Why has trust in the media declined and who is in control of the powerful narratives that often dominate on social media? This week, Stork Talks to Petra Ardai, artistic director of the Amsterdam and Budapest based art collective SPACE. Drawing on her wide experience of documentary theatre and immersive storytelling, Petra explains to us why we might need some 'silence' in the media space in order to reset.

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

How do algorithms work exactly and should we be concerned about the ever increasing role they play in our lives? This week Stork Talks to two AI experts - Olya Kudina, Assistant Professor of the Ethics of Technology at Delft University and Bobby Bahov, AI entrepreneur and founder of various AI-centered initiatives, about these and other AI related questions. 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

This week we talk fungi with Annelies Goedbloed, sole founder of vertical farming initiative, Haagse Zwam, (Hague Fungi) and social entrepreneur. Annelies is passionate about using coffee grounds as fertile soil for growing oyster mushrooms. Five years ago she started this small initiative in the spare room of her home and she now has a thriving business that employs more than a dozen people and makes use of large amounts of unwanted coffee waste.  

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Freedom is something for which many have given their lives. This week, we look ahead to Liberation Day here in the Netherlands and take the opportunity to celebrate the fight for freedom of a number of brave men and women from around the world, whom we have interviewed on our programme. We hear from Raki App (West Papua), Mila Kilam (Poland), Tey El Rjula (Lebanon) and Czarina Musni (the Philippines) on what motivates them to continue their struggles in the face of significant obstacles. 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

As we prepare to celebrate King's Day here in the Netherlands again, Stork Talks digs into a little Dutch history with art historian Wendy Fossen. We hear about the work of famous female portrait painter, Thérèse Schwartze, who captured three generations of the Royal family on canvas and discuss the future of the monarchy in modern Europe. We finish off by filling you in on the sillier side of Kings Day as Wendy and Thom tell us about their favourite Kings Day games and why the colour orange really is best appreciated en masse!  

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Stork Talks this week to co-founder of the Give a Bike Foundation, Martin Trcka, about how the humble bicycle is transforming lives from Sierre Leone to Palestine and, of course, right there in the Netherlands. Fostering bike culture has huge benefits for the environment and individual well being, both mental and physical, especially in cities and urban spaces. Let's spread the bike love! 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

Stork Talks gender this week, specifically, the difficulty of getting justice for survivors of gender and sexual crimes and what the International Criminal Court (ICC) here in the Hague is doing to tackle this problem. We speak with Senior Advocacy Advisor, Alix Vuillemin of the Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice, who advocates directly for this issue at the ICC. 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

It's spring and the bees and other insects are very busy pollinating plants everywhere! This week, we speak with beekeeper and self-confessed honey thief, Eveline De Heij, about why bees and pollinators more generally, are so important to us. We focus particularly on urban environments where green spaces can be hard to find. Eveline shares some tips on how everyone can be a gardener and get their green fingers working to contribute to making our cities more resilient and our city dwellers a little happier. 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

This week we talk about the Red Light district of the Hague. We hear from long-time lobbyist, Shireen Poyck, who has campaigned for over 20 years to get the Red Light district moved from her neighbourhood in the old town. She talks about her doubts about the effectiveness of legalising sex work as they have done here in the Netherlands and we discuss alternative solutions to an age-old problem that continues to go hand-in-hand with crime and poverty. 

Intro music provided by: Artlist.io

The art of wine making and drinking dates back thousands of years in ancient Persia. This week we talk with philosopher, poet and wine dealer, Ofran Badakhshani, about the special relationship between wine, poetry and philosophy in Persian culture. Originally from Afghanistan, Ofran shares some of the myths, traditions and beliefs of this ancient culture and its love of wine.  

Intro Music provided by: Artlist.io

This week we talk upcycling with one of a new generation of designers who are using both art and science to find wholistic solutions to waste. Nienke Hoogvliet explains how she uses seaweed, fish skins and even used toilet paper to create fabric, furniture and leather! We also learn about the importance of imagination in the upcycling process and why it may be even better than recycling. 

Intro Music provided by: Artlist.io 

As we head towards the national elections in the Netherlands, Stork Talks with Nilüfer Gündoğan of the Volt Netherlands party. Volt is one of very few pan-European parties that is running in the Dutch national elections. We speak with Nilüfer about what it means to be able to vote at both national and European level, simultaneously and how this might help address Europe's democratic deficit. 

Intro Music provided by: Artlist.io

This week we talk with Bitcoin entrepreneur and blockchain expert, Tey El-Rjula about why bitcoin is the new internet of money. Tey was born in Kuwait but grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. He was separated from his mother at age 5 and spent 2 years in a refugee camp in the  Netherlands. His is a story of inspiration, fueled by a determination to make 'invisible people, invincible'. Tey believes that blockchain and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are the way to do this. 

Intro Music provided by: Artlist.io

This week, we talk with Humanist celebrant, Zena Birch, about how we mark seminal moments in our lives - births, deaths and unions. Zena tells us what a humanist approach to life means for her and how, as the Humanist equivalent of a minister, she prepares for weddings, funerals and naming ceremonies.  

Intro Music provided by: Artlist.io

Imagine a 4 day cycling race that takes you through one of the most beautiful game parks in the world? This is what cycling enthusiast, Mikel Delagrange and his team of volunteers at Lola Bikes & Coffee are planning for next year. The park in question is the Masai Mara in Kenya and the idea is to bring cycling to East Africa and provide a platform for local cycling talent. We also take a festive tour of the Hague to find out the secrets of the city's best gluhwein, hot chocolate and spiced cider drink. Yum! 

How will Brexit affect Dutch business? Stork Talks to Head of Foreign Direct Investment at the Hague Business Agency, Laurens Kok, about what Brexit might mean for the Hague's NGO and Impact economies. We also hear from coffee lover and award-winning barrister,  Zeeshan Malik, who hails originally from New York but has chosen to make the Hague home. 

This week we find out more about euthanasia here in the Netherlands from the End of Life clinic based here in the Hague. We also turn our focus from tea to coffee, looking at what makes Italian coffee,in particular, so special. 

This week's Stork of the Week is Nigerian businesswoman and entrepreneur, Ebere Akadiri, who was inspired to use her business skills to address the issue of human trafficking, right here in the Hague. In our hospitality segment, we delve into the very British treat of scones and tea in our chat with Richard, long-time proprietor of Scallywags tearoom. 

This week we speak with Polish activist, Mila Killam, as she rallies support here in the Netherlands for the protests going on in her homeland against unconstitutional changes to abortion laws. We also start our month-long investigation into tea and coffee with a visit to the Hague's very own Matcha tea house.  

This week we hear from the Hague's very own bike mayor on what he plans to get more children cycling to school. We also do some trick and treating at one of the Hague's favourite sweet shops as it prepares for Halloween! 

This week we find out more about exactly how  Brexit is going to affect Brexpats living in the Netherlands. We also delve into the tough time that restaurant owners are having as they are closed once more due to corona regulations. 

This week we hear from the Free West Papua campaign about their decades long struggle for justice and self determination. We also speak with Dr. Casper Wits about the peaceful protests in Hong Kong and Taiwan and how they are both similar and different to popular protest movements like Extinction Rebellion here in Europe. Finally, we begin a series of fishy adventures, as Thom delves into what the Hague has to offer if you're looking to eat fish! 

Due to the new regulations we are currently unable to produce this episode in the Den Haag FM studio. Regardless we've found a way to bring you a podcast with the interviews and stories we've gathered this past week. This week that includes Grachten Open ( Canals Open) project involving the re-opening of some of the Hague's most picturesque canals and the second fish related hospitality story in this weeks Storks Talks podcast. 

The only thing different is that we are now doing the Stork Talk Theme of the month through Facebook live every Thursday at 8:00PM. Stay tuned and please find our latest conversation through the following link: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1082934495471194

This week we begin our focus on Peace & Protest. We explore this theme over the course of the month and begin with a discussion with Trony Ingati of the Hague Peace Projects. We also talk to film buff, Amir Vudka, on the iconic soundtracks of Ennio Morricon and the Sounds of Silence film festival. Finally, we wrap up our month-long exploration of vegetarian and vegan cuisine with an interview about ethical eating.   

Listen to the live broadcast of the second in our series on Time. This week, we ask Dr. Romani, is it time for a Covid vaccine? We also hear from a man who has spent time in a refugee camp, was separated from his mother at age 5 and is now raising hundreds of thousands of euros in wake of the blasts in his native Beirut. And we talk with the mother and son team who run the only vegetarian toko restaurant in the Hague, perhaps even the Netherlands!  

Listen back to the live broadcast on Den Haag FM on the 17th of September:

This week our hospitality story focuses on John Hermanie, who shares his motivations for starting a vegetarian restaurant and the first vegetarian hotel in the Hague. We also speak with organisational psychologist and leadership specialist, Rachel Govender, about the future of work in a post-Covid world.