On Februari 20-22, De Facto teamed up with writer Adwin de Kluyver and Podium Vlieland - the cutest cinema on the Wadden island of Vlieland - to organise an Off the Map film festival. People travelled from all over the Netherlands and even from Berlin to be with us on the island for three days.

De Facto was never closer to the Dutch border as at theater AINSI, Maastricht. With a mini-lecture by border professor Henk van Houtum, dance by Limburg performers Zoë Greten and Bo Jacobs. And: journalist Jorie Horsthuis about Nagorno-Karabakh, graphic designer Floor Koomen about fake islands in the South-China Sea and researcher Suzanne Hendriks with an exhilarating quiz.

Draw a map to get lost. This is one of Yoko Ono’s works of art, from 1964, and was part of Floor Koomens presentation about the imaginary land Nutopia. It was also a sort of motto for the entire evening in Mimik, Deventer. Geopolitical news can be very overwhelming and can make you feel lost. But to draw a map together to get lost and find something after all, felt like a welcome microcosm of curiosity.

What a ride! Our series of film nights about borders in Deventer (NL) has come to an end. Thanks to our guests Abed Al-Qadr Al-Attar, Karel Smouter, Lidija Zelovic, Romy van Baarsen and Reber Dosky.

With music from the choir Slavuj singing songs from the Balkan and the Black Sea area, where borders still scar the surface and Dutch-Kurdish filmmaker Reber Dosky about his work in Kurdistan. Of course also with graphic designer Floor Koomen with a talk about the United Koreans, a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks and moderation by Jorie Horsthuis.

With music from Ukrainian born Alex Tugushin about borders that turn into battlefields and professor Henk van Houtum about why we should change our maps and atlases. Of course also with graphic designer Floor Koomen with a talk about Cabinda, a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks and moderation by Jorie Horsthuis.

With writer Eva Vriend on new and old land in the province of Flevoland and music from Ukrainian born Alex Tugushin who shared his worries with us. Graphic designer Floor Koomen took us to space with micronation Celestia, Jorie Horsthuis shared her impressions from Kosovo and there was a quiz by researcher Suzanne Hendriks.

The evening was filled with islands, imaginary countries and music from areas where the borders never really consolidated. With Adwin de Kluyver, Nelis Smouter and Balkan choir Slavuj. Graphic designer Floor Koomen about Cabinda and a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

With Ukrainian musician Oleg Lysenko, Elten-born Wim Tjerkstra on post-war border corrections and professor Henk van Houtum about why we should change our maps and atlases. Of course also with graphic designer Floor Koomen with a talk about stamps, a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks and moderation by Jorie Horsthuis.

With maplover Martijn Storms, artist Anika Franke and documentary makers Kevin Kraan and Pieter Symon. As always also with graphic designer Floor Koomen, moderation by Jorie Horsthuis and quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Photography by Jerney Hakkenberg.

With musician Emrah Oguztürk, writer Philip Dröge and photographer Michael Rhebergen. Graphic designer Floor Koomen about a flag and a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis

With pianist and Soviet-expert Sara Crombach, journalist Milo van Bokkum and illustrator Jasper Rietman. Graphic designer Floor Koomen about stamps and quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis

‘Vanishing Lands’. With scientists Ingrid Boas and Ruben Dahm about the island state of Tuvalu, Elvira Osmanovic about the vanished state of Yugoslavia and graphic designer Floor Koomen about the micronation Hutt River. The Slavuj choir with traditional songs from the Balkans and the Black Sea. Quiz by Suzanne Hendriks, moderation by Jorie Horsthuis

‘Nature Calling’. With journalist Milo van Bokkum about nature & borders, artist Esther Kokmeijer about Antarctica and activist Raki Ap about West Papua. Introduction by graphic designer Floor Koomen, quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis

‘This Land is My Land’. With filmmaker Reber Dosky about Kurdistan, designer Inna Kochkina about the cyrillic script, graphic designer Floor Koomen and musician Dusty Stray about the Black Hills and a quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

On June 24, 2023, bookstore Evenaar in Amsterdam declared the independence of the Equatorial Republic. De Facto was one of the guests and introduced the audience to the exciting world of micronations.

De Facto was invited to participate at the Architectural Biennial of Timisoara in Romania: Beta 2022. One of the themes was the micronation.

With journalist Joeri Boom about Kashmir and graphic designer Floor Koomen about the unification flag of North and South Korea. Music by Dusty Stray, quiz by Suzanne Hendriks. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

With historian Thomas von der Dunk about South Tyrol, film maker Ineke Smits about Abkhazia, graphic designer Floor Koomen about Cabinda and journalist Jorie Horsthuis about EuroStaete. Quiz by Suzanne Hendriks.

With writer Philip Dröge about Moresnet, pianist and Soviet expert Sara Crombach about Nagorno Karabakh, artist Oscar Santillan about the Bermeja Island and graphic designer Floor Koomen about Celestia. Quiz: Suzanne Hendriks, moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

With multimedia journalist Pierre Crom about the Donbas, political analyst Wladimir van Wilgenburg about Kurdistan, designer Irene Stracuzzi about the Arctic and graphic designer Floor Koomen about the South China Sea. Moderation: Jorie Horsthuis.

We visited the Dutch radio show Bureau Buitenland to tell about our passion for stamps, frictional states and curious borders.

With journalist Koen Greven about Catalonia, artist Vibeke Mascini about the Mont Blanc, photographer Rachel Corner and journalist Jorie Horsthuis about Transnistria and graphic designer Floor Koomen about cinderella stamps. Quiz: Suzanne Hendriks.