'HET PROJEKT'
The history of Tafelstraat is rich and
eventful. Conflict and changing times
only enriched Tafelstraat 13.
When Frits van de Ven started his 'Student well-beingproject' -almost simultaneously with the accreditation of
the university in Maastricht- in 1975, he asked himself
what people would think of him in the 'marvellous' year
2000. Now almost 40 years ago, we cannot say that the
vision of Van der Ven is out-dated. In an interview to
the newspaper 'De Limburger' Van der Ven said that
Maastricht offers a very diverse base of students who
are open to explore the world with something more
than just a textbook: 'after the activist-period of the
60's (with the hippy-movement, the evolution to
sexuality and the legalisation of abortion in the
Netherlands), we find ourselves now more in a time
of reflection'. Van der Ven didn't pretend to know all
the answers, he contended that is was far more
important to have a place, take the time and the
question seriously. Tafelstraat, then already being
called with its 'streetname', also called Carrefour
(French for intersection), offered a place for students
to discuss these questions among themselves. In it's
early days Tafelstraat offered small-groups for
meditation, discussion and expression. However,
there were also 'nothing-has-to-happen-tonightevenings'.
WRITTEN BY THOMAS HOEKSTRA
PHOTOGRAPH BY DE LIMBURGER, 9 JAN '76
Not long after Tafelstraat was running, major
conflict arose with the Roman-Catholic Church
getting national attention. At the hart of conflict lay
This history of Tafelstraat13 has always involved
change. Working with students forces adapting to
younger minds, facilitating ideas. Moving from the one
location to the other, might not even be the biggest
change of the last few years; maybe the adoption of
English as our main language or working with tighter
and tighter budget has had more impact. Challenges
have been right in the centre of Tafelstraat-history:
maybe better put, adaption has always been in the
centre of Tafelstraat-history. Not in a bad way, but in a
way to tell the world that we have a story to tell that
hold through daily struggle, changing times and
circumstances.
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