The Durand Line: The Impact of a Contentious Border
Pakistan has been busy for the last nine years fencing off the 2,640-kilometre Durand Line with Afghanistan, creating a barrier that runs right through the heart of Pashtunistan, the homelands of the Pashtun people. How does this controversial border fence shape the lives of the people living on both sides?
Saadat Mousavi | 21 Sep 2026
Border Colonialism: Art & Talk
With her book Border Colonialism, Belgian-Kosovar writer and scholar Albina Fetahaj inspired artists from Deventer (NL). On September 10, she will be in the Bergkerk to discuss the current European border policy and how it relates to the work of artists Michael Rhebergen and Rami Alshilli. The conversation will be moderated by De Facto’s Jorie Horsthuis.
De Facto | 8 Sep 2026
Tourists as Ambassadors of a non-recognised Nation
Most maps don’t mark out Somaliland. But going there is getting easier. The self-declared republic, an autonomous region of Somalia, hopes that international visitors will function as de facto ambassadors to the non-recognised nation.
Aron Goossens | 6 Jul 2026
Off the Map at De Richel, Amsterdam
With music from Ukrainian born Alex Tugushin about borders that turn into battlefields and documentary photographer Rachel Corner on trees that foreshadow and facilitate colonization. Further: graphic designer Floor Koomen on Nutopia, journalist Jorie Horsthuis on Hormuz and a quiz by researcher Suzanne Hendriks.
Suzanne Hendriks | 10 May 2026
Off the Map #2 at AINSI
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 | 15 Apr 2026
Off the Map at LUX Nijmegen
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
Bridging the De Facto Border
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
A Song Beyond the Border
How does it feel to grow up at a crossroads between borders? ‘The region is like an apple cut into two halves’, writes the Afghan journalist Saadat Mousavi in his poetic essay about life on the bank of the Amu Darya. ‘The river is a witness to our connectedness.’
Saadat Mousavi | 18 Mar 2026
‘You Need a Crisis Before the World Starts Listening To You’
Welcome to De Facto’s new interview series, in which we interview scientists, artists and journalists about contested borders. We kick off with political scientist Ramesh Ganohariti, who has recently co-authored a book on sub-state recognition. ‘States have become more emboldened to throw the international playbook out of the window.’
Jorie Horsthuis | 11 Mar 2026
Left Out In the Cold
For decades, the separatist Moldovan region of Transnistria has been able to count on practically free gas from Russia. When that changed last year, the impact on the lives of the local community was immense. What are the prospects for this self-declared republic? “We constantly talk about the coming winter.”
Max Smedes | 8 Dec 2025
Vlieland filmfestival
Who is going on a trip with us? Off the Map is teaming up with Podium Vlieland, the cutest filmtheater on the island Vlieland, in the north of the Netherlands to organize a film-weekend on February 20-22, 2026. Through films, we will travel to unrecognized countries, micronations, disputed border areas, and other geographical oddities. And beyond the news and geopolitics, we explore wondrous places and captivating human stories.
De Facto | 3 Dec 2025
