Changing Democracies

Democracy is never complete. The Changing Democracies project tells stories from all over Europe about the transition to democracy and explores what we can learn from those changes.

When things go wrong, people expect that all change will be an improvement. But history teaches us that this is not always the case. We are dancing on a thin rope: important values can easily disappear if we are not careful.

Jeangu Macrooy

Changing Democracies

Jeangu Macrooy (29) is a well-known singer. When he came to the Netherlands at the age of 20, he was surprised by the difference in wealth compared to Suriname and the lack of awareness that this wealth stems from the colonial past. He was shocked to see that Keti Koti was only celebrated by a small group of people, even though it is part of a shared history.

Chee-Han Kartosen-Wong

Changing Democracies

Chee-Han Kartosen-Wong (41) is a video editor for commercials for major brands like Adidas. As the child of Chinese parents, she grew up in Borne, where they were the only ones of Asian descent. She experienced a lot of racism and made great efforts to “fit” in.

Amir Mohammadi

Changing Democracies

Amir Mohammadi (39) came to the Netherlands 13 years ago as a refugee from Iran. He did not receive a residence permit, but also could not return, so he lived for 7 years as an undocumented person in the shadows. Amir knows better than anyone what it is like to have no rights.