© Stadt Bocholt
The highlight of the free evening was the performance by Dutch comedian and cabaret artist Patrick Nederkoorn with his current German-language programme "The Fleeing Dutchman".Border hoppers evening: Humour connects across borders
Patrick Nederkoorn performs at the Rheder Ei // Around 250 guests at German-Dutch network meeting // Grenzhoppers promote exchange between neighbouring municipalities
Around 250 guests from Germany and the Netherlands accepted the invitation of the Grenzhoppers network to the Rheder Ei on Thursday evening. The focus of the public network meeting was on personal exchange and the cabaret programme by Patrick Nederkoorn. The evening emphasised the close ties between the municipalities in the Borken district and the Dutch Achterhoek region.
The Rats- und Kultursaal in Rhede provided the setting for a free event that combined international understanding and humour in a special way. With his current German-language programme "The Fleeing Dutchman", Dutch cabaret artist Patrick Nederkoorn shed light on the peculiarities of both nations. Accompanied by Guido van de Meent on the piano, the artist addressed cultural differences, clichés and bureaucratic hurdles without losing sight of the unifying element between the neighbouring countries. The mixture of wordplay and music created an atmosphere in the packed auditorium that retained an almost familiar character despite the large number of participants. Nederkoorn, who comes from Amsterdam and regularly performs on German stages, won the "Comedian Jackpot", among others, with his first German-language programme "The Orange Danger".
The Grenzhoppers network, which has been strengthening cooperation between the Borken district and the Achterhoek region since 2016, used this evening to make the cross-border community visible and tangible in everyday life. The aim of the network is to bring together citizens and those responsible in politics and administration in order to realise joint projects. In addition to Bocholt, the participating municipalities on the German side include Borken, Isselburg, Rhede, Südlohn and Vreden, while Aalten, Berkelland, Doetinchem, Oost Gelre, Oude IJsselstreek and Winterswijk are actively involved on the Dutch side.
The meeting in Rhede showed once again that personal encounters are an essential basis for successful cooperation across national borders. The Grenzhoppers network meeting is made possible by the Interreg Germany-Nederland programme and its programme partners and is co-financed by the European Union (EU).
© Stadt Bocholt
The highlight of the free evening was the performance by Dutch comedian and cabaret artist Patrick Nederkoorn with his current German-language programme "The Fleeing Dutchman".