With writer Philip Dröge about Moresnet, a musical experiment by Daan Soenens and his band, some nutopian imagining by graphic designer Floor Koomen and journalist Jorie Horsthuis about her visit to the Strait of Hormuz. And as always, a nerdy quiz by researcher Suzanne Hendriks.
Suzanne Hendriks | 2 Apr 2026
A boat rests quietly on the calm waters of Haarlem, in the Netherlands. From afar, it might look like any ordinary vessel. But inside, it holds stories of loss, survival, and the heavy weight of uncertainty. ‘Waiting is a quiet battle. You wake up every morning not knowing what your future will be.’
Fanuael Hailemariam | 9 Apr 2026
On March 24th, we were at LUX Nijmegen. With a mini-lecture by border professor Henk van Houtum and music by harpist Jareach Gilula. Journalist Jorie Horsthuis talked about Nagorno-Karabakh and graphic designer Floor Koomen had a presentation about how geopolitics sometimes play out on the square centimeter. And of course, there was a nerdy quiz by researcher Suzanne Hendriks with some legit flag waving.
Suzanne Hendriks | 30 Mar 2026
Welcome to De Facto’s new interview series, in which we interview scientists, artists and journalists about contested borders. What is their perspective on this urgent theme, and how does their work contribute to a better understanding? In this second edition, we interview Gaëlle Le Pavic and Said Gezerdava, who team up to write about Abkhazia.
Max Smedes | 29 Mar 2026
Place of the week Greater and Lesser Tunbs
The Tunbs are two islands in the Persian Gulf. Over the course of time the islands have been ruled by various rulers: the kings of Hormuz, Portuguese colonizers, Persian emperors and the British Empire. Iran now administers the islands, but they are claimed by the UAE. The islands’ location near the busy Strait of Hormuz, through which numerous oil tankers pass, gives the islands great strategic importance in the region.
De Facto recommends Donetsk People’s Republic
In eastern Ukraine, the documentary Mariinka traces several young Ukrainians whose lives have been forever shaped by more than ten years of war and conflict in the Donbas region. The world premiere of this film by Pieter-Jan De Pue will be on March 10 during the CPH:DOX festival in Kopenhagen (Denmark).
Cineuropa | 2 Mar 2026
