Column Judith Witte: On silencing voices and speaking up

"I’m really going there, huh…!" I hear a slight panic in my middle child’s voice. She should sound excited now that she’s booked her first sun holiday - without parents - but the collapsed roof terrace of the Medusa Club dampens the mood. My heart goes out to the victims.

For the first time this summer, our family is spreading out independently to all corners of Europe: to Mallorca, and to France, Belgium, and Sweden. I brush aside my motherly worries. The chance of another building collapsing would be incredibly coincidental. Besides, something like that could just as easily happen here in the Netherlands; for example, when you drive in or out of a parking garage. A little voice in my head lists some potential catastrophes: the campsite gets swept away by a flood, a fire breaks out in their hotel... They break an arm, leg, or toe... I sternly tell myself: Come on, don’t worry so much!

Last year, I suffered a nasty foot injury during the holiday. Really annoying, but fortunately not a death sentence. It wouldn’t even have been in prehistoric times. Why not? Because we humans are social creatures: we take care of each other. That’s why we could and can still survive just fine with a severely sprained ankle or a torn tendon. I want to trust that there will be a social safety net ready for my kids abroad as well, should it be needed.

I’m pretty mobile again now. I’m looking forward to hiking in the Alps; an ultimate recharge moment. Most Dutch people (61%) are spending their holidays in Europe along with me; only 13% seem to be vacationing outside Europe (according to the Dutch Bureau for Tourism and Congresses). Yet, just before the European Parliament elections, I hear people saying they’re not going to vote: ‘Europe? That doesn’t concern me!’ Strange, isn’t it? So many Dutch people are spreading their (holiday) beds in a European country this summer!

I find it concerning and short-sighted to think that we in the Netherlands can solve refugee policy, labor migration, the energy issue, and the food issue all by ourselves. We need each other in Europe desperately! We need to invest together in safe, solid buildings, in fire safety, in food security, and food safety. And not just because a legislator requires it - although that helps create a level playing field - but mainly because it’s about the safety of ourselves, our fellow human beings, and the future of our children. Because we simply need to take care of each other.

Judith Witte
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