— October 2025 Newsletter —
Dear members of Club Alpbach Netherlands,
After another successful edition of the European Forum Alpbach we would like to inform you of our upcoming events in the Netherlands and give you a brief oversight of the events we have organized at Alpbach, as well as give you some practical information about our club.
Membership and Community
We keep our members up to date by posting our upcoming events in our group chat. If you for any reason have trouble entering the chat, feel free to contact me. My contact information is to be found at the end of this letter. Below you will find a link to join the group:
CAN community groupchat: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaSgLnjVAwB2P3T0ztmEER
Upcoming events
Het Grote Europawoordvoerders debat – Hollands Nieuwe (Dutch)
Europa bepaalt steeds meer de spelregels voor Nederland. Of het nu gaat om stikstof, klimaat, migratie, defensie of zelfs het spoorwegnet: Europese afspraken zetten de kaders voor nationaal beleid. Maar welke keuzes willen de partijen in Brussel maken en wat moet juist in Den Haag geregeld worden?
In aanloop naar de Tweede Kamerverkiezingen van 29 oktober gaan (aanstormende) Europa-woordvoerders met elkaar in debat bij Nieuwspoort. Onder leiding van Sander van Vliet en de redacteuren van Brusselse Nieuwe kruisen zij de degens over drie grote thema’s: defensie, migratie en klimaat. Voorafgaand aan het debat schetst Mendeltje van Keulen welke Brusselse dossiers binnenkort op Nederland afkomen – en hoe ons land wat kan bereiken in Europa, i.s.m. de onderzoeksgroep European Impact aan De Haagse Hogeschool.
Location: Nieuwspoort
Date: Tuesday 14th of October
Time: 19.00-21:00
Prijs is 12,50 en kaartjes moeten vooraf op de site worden gekocht!
Online Fireside Chat with Sigrid Kaag – Diplomacy in Times of Crisis
Sigrid Kaag is a former Dutch diplomat and politician who has served as the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and as the Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. Previously, she fulfilled roles within the Dutch government as Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Minister of Finance. We invite anyone interested in foreign relations and aid, diplomacy, and Dutch politics to come and engage with one of the most extraordinary figures in international politics.
In this event, we will explore what it means to take on some of the world’s most complex and urgent diplomatic challenges: from coordinating the delivery of aid during a humanitarian crisis to building international coalitions. How does one keep their integrity during difficult situations? What role can young people play in diplomacy? This and more will be discussed with Sigrid Kaag.
Location: Online, link will be shard in the groupchat
Date: Wednesday the 22nd of October
Time: TBA
October 22 – Time TBA
November Social
The CAN Board would like to invite you to our April social in The Hague!
Feel welcome to reunite with your Alpbach friends from former years, meet new friends or spark a connection within our network.
Haven’t been to Alpbach nor to any of our events? No problem! Everyone is welcome. Also feel free to contact us for more information about our club.
Location: Cafe Restaurant de Zwarte Ruiter, The Hague
Date: Wednesday the 5th of November
Time: 19.00
Events organized at EFA 2025
Over the past editions of the European Forum Alpbach, our club has hosted and co-hosted a diverse set of events, bringing together leading thinkers and practitioners with young participants. Here’s a look back at what events we have organized this year:
Fireside Chat with Klaas Knot
We explored the future of common European debt issuance and European taxes with Klaas Knot, former President of De Nederlandsche Bank. The discussion covered Eurobonds, fiscal integration, and the pros and cons of EU-wide financing instruments.
Fireside Chat with Axel Van Trotsenburg
Together with Club Alpbach Macedonia, we welcomed Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Senior Managing Director, for a conversation on global megatrends, multilateralism, and Europe’s role in shaping the future of work, skills, and development.
Fireside Chat with Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn
We discussed with Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn how big data, blockchain, and emergent technologies are reshaping global governance and what this means for inclusive and resilient systems.
Fireside Chat with Belachew Gebrewold
In cooperation with other Clubs, we hosted Prof. Belachew Gebrewold (MCI Innsbruck) for an in-depth exchange on migration, African–European relations, and the consequences of a “Fortress Europe.”
Hike Session moderated by Guntars Upis
Our board member Guntars led a hike discussion on “Ageing in Europe: Can Europe Afford to Grow Old?”, engaging participants in dialogue on demographics and sustainability.
Executive Talk with Dariusz Mazurkiewicz
Together with Antonella Mei-Pochtler (EFA Vice President), our board member Guntars Upis moderated an executive talk on the future of European payments with Dariusz Mazurkiewicz, CEO of BLIK.
Panel Participation by Hanna Sakhno
Our board member and scholarship holder Hanna Sakhno joined the panel “Can (regional) inequalities be overcome?” alongside Prof. Ian Goldin (Oxford) and Mario Nava (European Commission, DG-EMPL), moderated by Tonderayi Mageza.
Fireside Chat with Yasha Mounk
In cooperation with other Clubs, we hosted Yasha Mounk, Associate Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Johns Hopkins SAIS; Senior Fellow (SNF Agora); founder of Persuasion and host of The Good Fight podcast; author of The People vs. Democracy, The Great Experiment, and The Identity Trap.
Scholarship holders
Hanna Sakhno:
“My first time at EFA as a scholarship holder was nothing short of transformational. The blend of people you meet, the daily intellectual stimulation, the chance to interact directly with role models, and the breathtaking Alpine setting make it very special.
One of my favourite EFA moments was having dinner with new friends at Jakober (a place every EFA attendee knows) when a message popped up in the WhatsApp group: a fireside chat with Meredith Whittaker, President of the Signal Foundation, was starting in just 10 minutes. Without hesitation, we quickly wrapped up our meals and ran up the hill to the venue. There, against the backdrop of an Alpine sunset, we absorbed ideas and perspectives on privacy, secure communication, and AI. It was unforgettable.”
Pol Koopman:
“I came to Alpbach without really knowing much about it. The experience turned out to be absolutely magical. This was not only due to the beautiful Alpine landscape but also, and perhaps mostly so, because of all the interesting, driven and inspiring people I met.
Though networking and talking to people on an almost constant basis sometimes proved a bit much, even for someone like me who thrives on social interaction, I learned again how seemingly everyone has an interesting story to tell. Next to that, the activities were absolutely marvellous. From drinking beers at Jakober, to gaining new insights during fireside chats and on beautiful hikes, I’m already looking forward to doing it again next year.”
Thank you
That was all the information for this month. If you have any more questions, feel free to reach out by sending us an e-mail.
Kind regards,
Marc Kooij and Jasper Hack of Club Alpbach Netherlands