’Covering conflicts will change you forever’

 By Leonie Rothacker Source: Johanna Maria Fritz Benjamin Hiller works as freelance journalist in conflict zones such as Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria. When he’s not traveling in those areas, he lives in Berlin, Germany. His work has been published in several important European newspapers such as Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Le Monde Diplomatique and International Business Times.  During my youth one day refugees … Continue reading ’Covering conflicts will change you forever’

Rebuilding Spanish Jewry after 500 years

By: Liora Israelsohn In 1492 the Jews in Spain were either expelled or forced to convert to Catholicism. Some 500 years later, the small but growing Jewish community in the old center of Barcelona is trying to recreate a culture which was nearly forgotten. From the outside, the building looks abandoned. It’s hidden in a small, dark street in what used to be the Jewish … Continue reading Rebuilding Spanish Jewry after 500 years

‘Catalonia needs investments, not uncertainty’

By Viva van Jaarsveld The conflict about independence in Catalonia has caused the Catalan economy damages of around € 1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2017. Until today, 3.700 companies have moved their headquarters out of Catalonia and many people are losing their jobs. What does this mean for the current and future economy of Catalonia? According to the international and national media, the … Continue reading ‘Catalonia needs investments, not uncertainty’

‘We Need to Refresh the Art Scene’

By: Rachel Douglass Should art always reflect politics? This question is a concern for the art world in Barcelona. Art galleries could play a part in the current political conflicts in Catalonia and the world, as a medium to debate and discuss. But others focus more on artistic developments and the works of a new generation of Catalan painters and sculptors. Barcelona is famous for … Continue reading ‘We Need to Refresh the Art Scene’

‘You’re not the first tourist to be surprised by this’

By: Sam van Royen  In central Barcelona, there is a huge building with a magnificent, mirrored, golden roof. An architectural landmark. People were constantly walking in and out, one would assume that there would be some type of food court. Unknowingly, you find yourself in the Mercat Dels Encants de Barcelona. A plethora of items, ranging from antiques to textures, are chaotically spread over the … Continue reading ‘You’re not the first tourist to be surprised by this’

Studying in Barcelona: ‘The conflicts about independence make it even more exciting’

By: Amy Pelsma If you’re going to study abroad, you don’t expect to find yourself in the midst of political turmoil. For Dutch student Bo (20) however, the unexpected happened. She settled in Barcelona to study Art History at Universitat Autònoma in Bellaterra and found herself in the middle of a social uprising. Before Bo started her courses at the university, she did a language … Continue reading Studying in Barcelona: ‘The conflicts about independence make it even more exciting’

The (un)fortunate ones

by: Jill Paat We tend to fantasise about our future. We might expect that everything will turn out exactly the way that we’ve planned. But that’s when life happens. What if your expectations don’t match reality? This was the case for three (un)fortunate ones who, for different reasons, didn’t have a say in what their future would hold.  Martien Hunnik (59) Martien has been unjustly … Continue reading The (un)fortunate ones