City walk Maastricht
Discover Maastricht’s surprising China connections
What do Maastricht and China have in common? More than you might think. During this special city walk, you will discover how the history of Maastricht has surprising interfaces with the economic, cultural and political development of China.
We start at 14:00 in the beautiful City Hall of Maastricht. During a walk of about 5 kilometers , development economist and former alderman Jack Gerats will take you along locations that tell stories about the rise of industry and imperialism, Karl Marx and even the euro, among other things. Along the way, the connections are always made with Chinese history and current events. During the walk, Robbert Lambriks, China responsible for the Province of Limburg, will also join us to talk about government relations with China.
A special part of the afternoon is the visit to Maastricht University, where we will talk to Chinese PhD students and students of Dr. Catherine Yuk-Ping Lo (Maastricht University). They share their personal experiences about studying and living in the Netherlands. The director of the Confucius Institute Maastricht will also explain her work.
Afterwards, there is an opportunity to end the day together with an authentic Chinese dinner in Restaurant Wen Chow, near Central Station (18.00–20.00 hrs).
Practical information
- Date: October 1
- Start: 14.00 hrs, Maastricht City Hall
- Costs: free for members of the Netherlands-China Association; Non-members pay €15.
- Participation in the dinner is optional; The costs are for your own account.
An inspiring afternoon for anyone interested in China, history and the surprising connections between both worlds.
About the speakers:
Jack Gerats
Jack Gerats, development economist and former alderman of Maastricht, is a chauvinistic Maastricht resident, who started studying Chinese after his retirement and also came to love China. He even dares to compare the history and culture of Maastricht with China. He would like to share all that with you.
Catharine Lo
Dr. Catherine Yuk-Ping Lo is an assistant professor at Maastricht University. Originally from Hong Kong, she specialises in international relations, China-Europe relations and global health issues. Her research and teaching focus on Chinese foreign policy, China’s role in international organisations and cooperation between Europe and China. In addition, she supervises international, including many Chinese, students at Maastricht University.
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