Political youth organisations disappointed about their absence from Intreeweek
Once again this year, there will be no information stands filled with enthusiastic young liberals, socialists or Christian democrats at the Intreeweek. As in recent years, the UvA has decided to exclude all youth wings of political parties from the event. The youth organisations have responded to this rejection with a letter to the board expressing their displeasure.
Next Monday, the UvA will kick off its Intreeweek. This is the moment for the newest batch of students to make their first contacts with each other, but above all to find out everything the university, the city and student life have to offer them. However, whereas in the past political youth organisations would sometimes make an appearance during the introduction days, the UvA, like the VU, has decided to keep them out this year.
This decision has led to great dissatisfaction among the youth branches, explains Justin van Vliet, vice-chairman of the Amsterdam branch of the CDA's youth department, in a letter to the university boards of both the UvA and the VU: “It is precisely during the introduction period that students become acquainted with the wide range of associations, organisations and networks that enrich student life in a city like Amsterdam. Political youth organisations are an integral part of this. We represent young people from diverse backgrounds, educational backgrounds and political convictions.” Van Vliet drafted the letter together with the local youth wings of the VVD, D66, GroenLinks, Volt and PvdA political parties.
According to the political youth organisations, this discourages political participation among students and reduces the university to an apolitical environment with little room for debate. It is striking that the youth parties are making such a big deal of their absence now, given that it has been several years since they were last welcome at Intreeweek.
Impartial and open
A spokesperson for the UvA responded by saying that, as far as the university is concerned, Intreeweek should be a substantive, study-oriented introduction week for new students at the UvA, intended as a social, informative and, above all, neutral introduction to the university, the city and each other. “Intreeweek has an impartial and open atmosphere, in which students are free to form their own opinions and beliefs. Intreeweek therefore does not enter into any cooperation with political parties or parties of a political nature. The board of Intreeweek has communicated this in response to the email sent by the political youth organisations.”
