On Friday afternoon, 19 September, the Research School Political History officially opened the academic year at the Allard Pierson in Amsterdam.
We were honored to welcome historian prof. dr. Gert Oostindie as keynote speaker. In his lecture Colonialism & Memory Wars, Oostindie discussed the recent resurgence of interest in Dutch colonial history within society and politics. He reflected on the reasons behind this renewed attention, the role of historians in shaping the debate, and the merits, challenges, and pitfalls of the current boom in critical colonial studies.

The opening also marked a special farewell to Margit van der Steen and Henk te Velde, who both played a vital role in the development of the OPG. Marijke van Faassen offered a playful presentation that connected interpretations of hand gestures in early modern paintings to photographs of Margit and Henk taken during OPG events—although the exact meanings were sometimes open to debate.

The afternoon concluded with drinks, giving participants the chance to raise a glass together and continue the conversations in an informal setting.