Syrian refugee Ali was crowned Prince Ali I in Maastricht in the south of the Netherlands on 11 January. The agriculture student, now living in a centre for asylum seekers, thus became the first refugee ever to be a Carnival Prince.
Carnival is huge in the south of the Netherlands. For several days all cities in the southern provinces turn into large festival areas, with people dressed-up and partying around parades and sing-along music. The festivities are organized by carnival associations and require lots of preparations.
Because of the arrival of so many refugees in 2015, iArts students of Zuyd Hogeschool Tess Elschot, Jasper Wüller, Gerold Sewcharan and Raki Eckstein-Kovacs worked on a project addressing the current issue of refugees under the guidance of music theatre company ‘Het Geluid Maastricht’. Together with citizens of Maastricht they decided to found a new association, Common Carnaval, for and with those born to the city as well as refugees and newcomers.
‘For us refugees it is really great to be involved in the carnival,’ Ali says. ‘All together we have been working on the chariot for the parade and our costumes. During the work we talked a lot and we really got to know each other. Through my role as Prince I want to reach as many Dutch people as possible to show them that not all refugees are the same. I’ve made lots of friends. Together we can change something and come closer to each other. I can’t do that on my own.’
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