Our events

This is what happened over the past few years...

2025

A year full of inspiration, art, and connection: ranging from the theatrical performance *Groentesoep* (Vegetable Soup) and the exhibition *Inclusive Nation* to the guest exhibition *Faces of North Holland*—featuring young creators from the Zaan region—and several *Dreambuilders* evenings for entrepreneurs. Art, stories, and encounters continue to connect and surprise people.

2024

A colorful and creative year filled with exhibitions, workshops, and events. Highlights included *I See You!* in Zaandam, the outdoor exhibition *Zaan Masterpieces* (celebrating 50 years of the municipality of Zaanstad), *Left Behind*—a project focused on refugees—and the *Festival of Humanity* at the Hembrug site. The year also featured inspiring masterclasses, Peace Week activities, and *Dreambuilders* events.

2023

Active on both international and local fronts: photography trips to Israel, Palestine, and Iceland; the opening of *We All* in Zaandam; and educational initiatives such as the children’s book *Ruben and the Secret Museum*. The *Dreambuilders* initiative continued to grow, while campaigns like *Uit je Dak / Uit je Dakloos* (Out of Your Roof / Out of Your Homelessness) gave a voice to important social issues.

2022

From the *Resilience* (Veerkracht) pop-up museum in Veenendaal to the *Festival of Humanity* and the opening of *We Are Zaanstad*. Theatrical performances, concerts, and exhibitions—such as *Everyone* (Ieder-Een) and *Beyond the Portrait*—demonstrated how art and storytelling connect people and offer fresh perspectives.

2021

The first major international project took place in Ahlen, Germany, where 70 portraits literally brought color to the city. This was complemented by workshops like *Let's Face It!* and the inaugural *Humanity* social gathering for entrepreneurs. Exhibitions such as *16 x Trust/Distrust* (16 x ver(t)rouwen) invited the public to see young people and families in a new light. 2020

A challenging year, despite the pandemic, featuring unique initiatives: the exhibition *I Do Not Exist* (*Ik besta niet*) about Rohingya refugees; photography trips to Beirut and humanitarian stories from Lebanon; pop-up exhibitions in Sittard; and online projects such as *The Last Witnesses* (*De Laatste Getuigen*). Art and stories continued to foster connection, even from a distance.

2019

Initial international steps, including outdoor exhibitions in Warburg (Germany) and photography trips to Rohingya camps in Bangladesh and Iraq. Back in the Netherlands, there were movie nights, the opening of a permanent collection in Zaandam, and numerous local exhibitions and concerts—among them the *Hembrug Happening*.

2018

The inception of the Museum of Humanity as a physical and creative space: exhibitions at Artzaanstad and Tot Ziens Optiek, film screenings, book launches, and participation in events such as the IFIKZ Zaanse Fabrieksdag and The Justice Conference. These were the first steps toward bringing people together through art and stories.