Stories as a Bridge to Freedom
On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, a special moment took place on our campus: the launch of the book Eighty Years of Being Free in Helmond, a collection of stories as a bridge to freedom. The book contains 22 impressive stories of Helmond residents who ended up here because of war situations in their own country.
One encounter as a trigger
The project was initiated by Udo Holtappels of Group5700. He was deeply moved by the story of Osman, a refugee from Somalia, in 2023. Osman shared his experiences during a meeting about young refugees in the municipality of Helmond and left a breathless audience. For Udo, this was the starting point to make more stories visible and connect different generations. With success.
Young people in conversation with refugees
Pupils and students from Ter AA, Carolus Borromeus College and Fontys HR/TP engaged in conversation with refugees and their families over the past year. They learned about war, fleeing, starting over and about the power of encounter. They talked to people they would not otherwise meet casually and asked them to share their life stories. During this process, the youth also discovered their own talents: listening, writing and connecting.
An assignment that touches and changes
What began as a school assignment within LEVgroep's We Are in Charge program grew into an experience that changed their view of freedom forever. Student Nikki aptly put it, "Ever since I heard what they went through, I have been wishing them every home in the Netherlands."
Book presentation on campus
The book presentation took place in the theater of the Brainport Human Campus and was well attended. More than a hundred interested people listened to the stories of students and refugees. Mayor Sjoerd Potters accepted the first copy. His words made an impression: "Freedom should be a verb. It is a task that applies to all of us."
Brainport Human Campus, incubator for social impact
We are proud as a campus that this initiative originated from one of our residents, and that other campus residents such as Ter AA, Learning Lab Foundation and Driessen Groep were also involved. This project is a powerful example of how cross-pollination on campus leads to inspiration and lasting impact on people and society.
Read, feel and pass on the story
The book "Eighty Years of Being Free in Helmond" is now available at the library. Get inspired, read the stories and pass them on!