Stories of Freedom
In 2024, it will be 80 years since Eindhoven was liberated. To mark this historic milestone—and to explore the concept of freedom from multiple perspectives—we are organising a year-long series of special activities in collaboration with the Veterans Foundation of Southeast Brabant. Through the Stories of Freedom project, we uncover personal accounts from war veterans and refugees and translate them into art. In doing so, we invite young people to participate actively.
Veterans Day 4 October 2025
On 4 October, the iconic Evoluon in Eindhoven will be dedicated to Veterans Day. A rich and meaningful programme invites visitors to reflect, connect and experience freedom through art, stories and encounters.
13:00 to 17:00 – Ongoing exhibition
Visitors can view collages created by local primary school pupils in collaboration with veterans, exploring the meaning of freedom. The official handover of the Freedom Stories magazine to Mayor Jeroen Dijsselbloem will also take place, with free copies available for all. On the big screen, musical contributions by Iris Penning will be shown, developed in collaboration with pupils, veterans and refugees.
13:00 to 16:00 – Open workshop: Tree of Freedom
In this interactive workshop, visitors are invited to share their thoughts, drawings or associations about freedom by adding a leaf to the Tree of Freedom. Colourful pom-poms can also be made to help the artwork grow. The tree stands as a symbol of connection and will continue to grow with new contributions at future locations.
13:45 to 14:00 – Live performance by Iris Penning
Singer-songwriter Iris Penning performs a song about freedom, co-created with veteran Hubert-Jan and children from primary school De Trinoom. She will also perform a song made in collaboration with Ukrainian refugees. Both pieces give voice to stories of peace and freedom in a moving, musical way.
15:00 to 15:20 – Theatre performance by Frédérique Arnold
Frédérique Arnold, whose work often explores lesser-known historical narratives, presents a powerful new theatre piece inspired by personal and collective stories of freedom. Drawing on conversations with three veterans and her own family’s connection to war and military service, Arnold brings a deeply human and historically rooted performance to the stage — one that honours the voices and experiences of those who served.
A mural about freedom
What could be more powerful than a large-scale mural on the theme of freedom? Artist Niels Bakkerus took on the challenge. The mural was painted in a striking location: the massive wall of the former TIO building, just around the corner from the Town Hall. The design was inspired by encounters between pupils from Floralaan primary school and three veterans. These special, personal meetings included storytelling, Q&A sessions, and drawing activities with the children.
Stories as a source of inspiration
These stories proved to be a rich source of inspiration for Niels: “One story that really stayed with me was from a Lebanon veteran. He had brought a photo with him—a picture of a group of overjoyed children, the same age as the pupils. He asked the class: why do you think these children are so happy? The class answered: ‘Because you rescued them.’ No, said the veteran, they’re so happy because the soldiers gave them pens and pencils. I thought that was a beautiful symbol—and a perfect subject for the mural. The pen is mightier than the sword. A well-known, age-old phrase that’s still powerful and relevant today. It speaks of the strength of the written word, of reason and dialogue above violence. The underlying message is that we should keep talking to one another about what freedom really means.”
Poppy
Niels was also inspired by one of the pupils’ drawings—a simple sketch of a poppy. He shares: “It was a line drawing with a lovely, delicate, almost Matisse-like quality. Playfully childlike and unpolished, but at the same time clear and original. That drawing became a large, bold pattern at the bottom of the mural. A field of poppies, with the message above. The wall itself is very rough and raw, completely unpolished—so the contrast between war and peace is reflected in the surface too.”
The mural was made possible with support from VSBfonds, Meijsindebuurt and the Municipality of Eindhoven. Later this year, the programme will continue with a theatre performance on freedom and an exhibition at the Evoluon.
Photo
This is the photo of the happy children with their new pens. Hans van den Boogaard took the photo 42 years ago in Lebanon, at Post 7-13A. The pens were given to them by Olav Veldhuizen, who was then a platoon commander.
A successful Soup & Song session
In March, a group of Ukrainian refugees came to CKE to write a song about hope, together with Eindhoven-based singer-songwriter Iris Penning and Ukrainian singer Nadiia Suprunovych. Over a bowl of soup, the participants got to know one another. Nadiia and Iris then performed a set of Ukrainian songs, with Iris explaining the lyrics in Dutch for the Dutch-speaking guests.
After a vocal warm-up, the group split up for a songwriting workshop led by Iris and Nadiia. Conversations flowed freely, and ideas for the song’s message were exchanged. The next step? Jamming and putting the lyrics to music!
One particularly touching moment came when 8-year-old Agniya shared her idea for the song and stepped confidently onto the stage. Her contribution became part of the final composition, which Iris co-wrote with Nadiia—a blend of Ukrainian, English and Dutch. On 13 May, the debut of the Song of Hope was performed by Iris, Nadiia and young Agniya, accompanied by Ritchy on guitar.
Song by Iris Penning and year 5/6 of Trinoom Primary School
This autumn, veteran Huub Vleeshouwers shared his Story of Freedom with the pupils of year 5/6 at Trinoom Primary School. Together with singer-songwriter Iris Penning, they wrote a song about freedom. Huub was surprised with a live performance by Iris and the class.
Stories of Freedom in pictures
At the heart of this initiative are the stories of war veterans (connected to Veteranenhuis De Treffer) and refugees. These stories speak of resilience, hope, and the awareness that freedom cannot be taken for granted by future generations.
By connecting veterans and refugees with artists and young people, we bring these stories to life in unique and accessible ways. Think: music productions, murals, photography, theatre, an exhibition, and a dedicated magazine. Through school workshops and activities in neighbourhood spaces, we actively engage the younger generation. Lars van Asten, cultural coordinator: “The personal stories of people who know what it feels like not to live in freedom often go unheard. We want to change that. Through creative connections, we show that freedom is not guaranteed—and we encourage reflection and dialogue between these very different, yet equally remarkable, groups.”
A focus on creative disciplines
- Music and video clips Songs based on personal stories are brought to life visually through music videos, created with the help of pupils.
- Street art and murals Graffiti artists work with veterans, refugees and students to design powerful murals in visible locations across the city.
- Magazine A curated collection of stories, images, texts and artworks from the project—written by young people, veterans and refugees.
- Theatre The Stories of Freedom inspire a theatre-maker to create a compelling, theatrical production.
The Stories of Freedom project is an initiative of the Veterans Foundation Southeast Brabant and CKE, made possible by Freedom Vibes 040, Municipality of Eindhoven and the VSBfonds. We collaborate with a wide range of partners, including NEOS, Helmen Vol Verhalen, local schools, and artists from the Brainport region.
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