Thuis in Den Haag is a community art project by Haags Verhaal that explored what it means to feel “at home” in the city. Over the course of a year, the project travelled through all districts of The Hague and collected nearly a thousand personal reflections from residents. These reflections were not written in notebooks or recorded on audio, but stitched by hand onto small fabric squares.
The project used needle, thread and cloth as its main medium. Participants were given small white fabric pieces and red thread and were invited to embroider words, symbols, memories or feelings connected to the idea of “home”.
The Red Thread of Home
The core idea of the project was to find the “red thread” that connects people’s sense of home. This thread was both symbolic and literal: red embroidery thread was used to stitch the stories, creating a visual language of belonging.
The stitched pieces reflected deeply personal meanings. For some, home was connected to nature or the sea. For others, it meant family, pets, safety, language, childhood, or freedom. The project revealed that the same place can mean very different things to different people, and that the feeling of home is experienced in many forms.
The process of sewing itself played an important role. Embroidery is slow and deliberate, requiring time and attention. This created space for conversation and reflection. Many participants shared that they felt truly heard simply by being given the time and calm to tell their story while working with their hands.
Inspired by an International Community Art Practice
The project was inspired by an international community art initiative that used embroidery as a way to collect personal stories about home and belonging. Haags Verhaal adapted the concept specifically for The Hague, connecting it to the city’s diverse population and neighbourhoods.
During the project year, the team visited more than a hundred locations across the city, including libraries, community centres and neighbourhood spaces. People from all backgrounds were invited to participate, often assisted by volunteers and experienced embroiderers who helped translate words into stitched form.
The result was not one single artwork, but a growing, collective archive of stitched narratives.
A Mobile “House” Made of Stories
As the collection grew, the embroidered pieces were assembled into a mobile installation often referred to as a “house” of stories. This symbolic structure represented the idea of a shared home and travelled through the city alongside the project activities.
The house became a space for reflection, gathering and dialogue. It also showed how individual stories, when placed side by side, revealed both differences and surprising similarities in how people experience belonging.
From Project to Ongoing Presence
The official project period concluded in May, but the work has not disappeared. The embroidered stories and the installation continue to appear at public events and festivals, including recent appearances at the Haagse Stadmaker Festival yesterday.
A Social and Cultural Record of The Hague
Thuis in Den Haag functions both as an artwork and as a form of social documentation. It records how people in The Hague experience safety, loss, migration, memory and identity.
What makes the project distinctive is its use of textile and handwork as a storytelling tool. The act of sewing turns abstract ideas into physical traces. Every stitch becomes a record of a moment, a thought or a feeling.
By choosing fabric and thread instead of digital tools, the project slowed down the storytelling process and gave it a tactile, human quality.
A Living Collection
Though formally completed, the project continues to resonate. The stitched pieces now exist as a living collection that can be shown, revisited and expanded. It remains open to new contexts and new audiences.
Thuis in Den Haag shows how a simple act — threading a needle and stitching a few words, shapes or images — can create a powerful collective portrait of a city.
Magazine
In addition to the travelling installation, the project was documented in a comprehensive magazine that brings together the results of the work, which is free to download here
The publication includes: • Background essays on the idea of home and belonging • Reflections by participants from across the city • Stories related to loneliness, migration, memory and identity • Portraits and photographs of participants • Photos of many of the embroidered fabric pieces
The magazine also documents notable moments during the project. One of these is the participation of Queen Máxima, who joined a sewing session at a public library in Ypenburg and embroidered a fabric piece herself.
For more
To read more about this project (in Dutch but with English translation possible on the website):
At ABC, Thanksgiving has always been our favorite day of the year and an important moment to share joy and gratitude. Thank you to all of you, our amazing customers, for supporting us this past year, and we hope you enjoy this day as much as we always do.
First and foremost, on Thanksgiving Day we give everyone 10% extra discount on our stock, both in the physical stores and on web-orders. And yes, that means that all of you who normally already get 10% off now get 20% discount! More information and details on this can be found at the bottom of this post.
The Hague
Now, if that discount is not enough to lure you to spend a bit of your day with us we also have the following planned in The Hague:
– Baked Goods Potluck: sharing a meal has always been an important part of Thanksgiving. We’d love for anyone who loves baking to join our potluck. You can bring cookies, cupcakes, a bit of that sourdough — anything you fancy making and sharing. All bakers will receive a little gift voucher as a token of our appreciation.
– Book Swap: between 16.00hrs and 18.00hrs upstairs. Bring a book you’d like to swap and pick another from our table!
– Blind Book Bundles: three Blind Book Dates in one parcel for a nice price. This year’s themes include “AI with Anxiety”, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy”, and “Back to (Magic) School”.
– Bundle Golden Bookmark: hidden inside one Blind Book Bundle per store (Amsterdam, The Hague, Leidschendam) is a Golden Bookmark. Find it, and you’ll win an exclusive ABC Booklover Box, packed with literary goodies.
– Cozy BBDs: if 3 Blind Book Dates in one parcel is too much for you, no worries! We’ll have special cozy- and family-themed single BBDs available as well.
– Bookstore Golden Bookmark: we’ll also hide a Golden Bookmark in a book in the store. Find it and win a €25 ABC Gift Certificate!
– Thanksgiving Book: write down what you are thankful for in our book, and see what others shared as well, also from last year.
– Prize Draw: guess the answer to our ABC-related trivia question for a chance to win a €25 ABC Gift Certificate.
– Booklover Card Raffle: leave you ABC Booklover Card number in the box for a chance to win a €25 ABC Gift Certificate.
Keep an eye on our social media for more details. We really hope to see you then!
Leidschendam
– Baked Goods Potluck: sharing a meal has always been an important part of Thanksgiving. We’d love for anyone who loves baking to join our potluck. You can bring cookies, cupcakes, a bit of that sourdough — anything you fancy making and sharing. All bakers will receive a little gift voucher as a token of our appreciation.
– Book Swap: all day on the book cart by the register. Bring a book you’d like to swap and pick another from our cart!
– Blind Book Bundles: three Blind Book Dates in one parcel for a nice price. This year’s themes include “Feline Companions”, “If the Shoe Fits”, and “Dark Romance for Beginners”.
– Bundle Golden Bookmark: hidden inside one Blind Book Bundle per store (Amsterdam, The Hague, Leidschendam) is a Golden Bookmark. Find it, and you’ll win an exclusive ABC Booklover Box, packed with literary goodies.
– Cozy BBDs: if 3 Blind Book Dates in one parcel is too much for you, no worries! We’ll have special cozy- and family-themed single BBDs available as well.
– Bookstore Golden Bookmark: we’ll also hide a Golden Bookmark in a book in the store. Find it and win a €25 ABC Gift Certificate!
– Prize Draw: guess the answer to our ABC-related trivia question for a chance to win a €25 ABC Gift Certificate.
– Booklover Card Raffle: leave you ABC Booklover Card number in the box for a chance to win a €25 ABC Gift Certificate.
Keep an eye on our social media for more details. We really hope to see you then!
Thanksgiving Discount Details On Thursday, November 27th, all ABC shoppers will receive a 10% discount in all of our stores – Amsterdam, The Hague, Leidschendam and online!
Complimentary discount: students and other groups Students and others who receive a complimentary discount will also receive 20% off their purchases on Thanksgiving! This extra discount does not apply to our webshop, so visit our brick-and-mortar stores on Thanksgiving and show your valid student ID at the register.
Pathé Buitenhof officially opened two completely renovated boutique screens yesterday. Designed by architect Kees Doornenbal and located in this beautiful historic building, each are furnished with luxurious single and double armchairs and a convenient table for food and drinks.
The screens also feature new laser projection with a curved screen for optimal images, and the lighting has been updated to further enhance the beautiful murals. Visitors can now enjoy an extra luxurious cinematic experience.
The building is a national monument dating from the seventeenth century, with the current facade and entrance dating from 1904. Characteristic features include the coats of arms of Alkmaar and Enkhuizen and a beautiful ceiling painting in the ballroom.
The building has a rich history and has served as a hotel, restaurant, bridge club, and Cineac cinema over the years.
For thirty years, the building has been the familiar home of Pathé Buitenhof, which also houses a charming grand café.
Inspired by the Vienna Secession
Architect Kees Doornenbal designed the new boutique screens. He was previously responsible for the renovated boutique screens of the Royal Tuschinski Theatre and Pathé City in Amsterdam, and for the renovation of the General Affairs department at The Hague’s Binnenhof.
For Pathé Buitenhof, he drew inspiration from the Vienna Secession: an art movement characterized by refined colors, sleek geometry, and an eye for craftsmanship.
Combined with a bold colour palette, each room has a distinct character. Details from the former hotel served as inspiration for the new murals, bringing the building’s rich history into the design.
Screens 2 and 3 officially opened yesterday, screen 1 will follow at the end of this year. The last three screens of Pathé Buitenhof will be completed in 2026.
Doron Kurz, Commercial Director of Pathé: “With the new boutique cinemas at Pathé Buitenhof, we’re elevating the cinema experience to a new level, an experience unlike anything The Hague has ever seen. Our service and grand café enhance this unique experience, making a movie night feel like a complete day or evening out. At Pathé, we strive for the same experience everywhere, at Buitenhof and in all our theaters.”
About Pathé
Pathé is the first and largest cinema brand in the Netherlands, founded in Paris in 1896 by the Pathé brothers with the aim of sharing the wonderful world of film with as many people as possible. In the Netherlands, Pathé is the market leader in both home and away film experiences in cinemas and through transactional video-on-demand (TVOD). Pathé Theatres has 30 locations in the Netherlands, including the Royal Tuschinski Theatre, with 253 screens and 1,900 employees. The cinema brand offers a wide range of films and special livestreams in innovative theatres and with innovative technologies such as IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, and ScreenX. Through Pathé Thuis, film fans can enjoy the most complete film offering in the Netherlands from the comfort of their own home without a subscription. With all this, Pathé creates special experiences in the cinema and at home.
The municipality of The Hague is publishing a study exploring the possibilities for the international zone, the area surrounding the World Forum. This offers opportunities for The Hague’s position as an international city of peace and justice. The development opportunities could also contribute to improved public transport, more green space, and additional amenities in the area. This is evident from a spatial study commissioned by the municipality to explore the area’s development potential.
Robert van Asten, Alderman for Urban Development: “The Hague is the international city of peace and justice, with the NATO summit in June as a resounding highlight. To maintain this position, we must continue to invest in a safe, green, and future-oriented international zone. This study will help us make the right choices for the World Forum area and make it even more attractive to the international community and residents.”
The municipality is conducting this study in collaboration with the national government because more international organizations are seeking to establish themselves or expand in The Hague. This is a result of The Hague’s successful positioning as an international city of peace and justice. However, to meet this growing demand, more space is needed. This study will help the municipality manage the growing pressure on space and ensure it remains livable for all users in the area.
The study focuses on four possible scenarios for the area’s development and their impact on livability. These scenarios address, for example, where there is space for roads, rail, parks, and where construction is possible. The study also examined whether the scenarios align with shared ambitions for safety, green spaces, and mobility, among other things.
The study doesn’t make any choices, but rather highlights the opportunities for further development of the area. To make a well-informed decision, the municipality is consulting with various stakeholders, including residents of Statenkwartier and Zorgvliet, and the international organizations themselves.
The study thus represents a first step in the search for sufficient space for organizations in the International City of Peace and Justice. The results provide an important basis for further discussions and the development of concrete plans regarding safety, livability, and accessibility in the area. These plans will be further developed in the coming year and will form the basis of the area program.
Photo: Flag parade in the International Zone of The Hague. Credit: The Hague & Partners/Jurjen Drenth
Today, ImpactCity brought together around 1,500 international impact makers in The Hague for the tenth edition of ImpactFest. The annual event attracts start-ups, scale-ups, investors, knowledge institutes, policymakers, and other passionate individuals who are working towards a sustainable, inclusive, and fair economy. At the Fokker Terminal, they shared knowledge and built networks to tackle global challenges. A total of €240,000 in prize money was awarded to entrepreneurs.
Ten leading The Hague-based entrepreneurs in the spotlight The tenth edition of ImpactFest coincides with the ten-year anniversary of ImpactCity, the Municipality of The Hague’s programme supporting entrepreneurs who make a social and sustainable impact. To mark this milestone, ImpactCity launched a campaign celebrating the real impact makers: the local entrepreneurs themselves.
From over 200 active impact-driven companies in The Hague, ImpactCity selected ten exemplary entrepreneurs who have made a difference both within and beyond the city: Brute Bonen, Feelou, MediMaatjes, Naïf, North Sea Farmers, Seepje, Solar Monkey, The Young Digitals, Weco, and Yespers. Their stories will appear on large posters throughout the city in the coming weeks and are featured in the exhibition 10 years of ImpactCity at City Hall until 27 November.
Three emerging innovative entrepreneurs from The Hague During ImpactFest, the winners of the annual The Hague Innovators Awards were also announced — an initiative that supports local entrepreneurs tackling social challenges. The winner of the Best Innovator prize, worth €15,000, is Droppie, a recycling shop. The Future Innovator award, worth €5,000, went to Swarmed, an initiative promoting sustainable beekeeping. FarmBizAfrica, a knowledge network for farmers in Africa, won the Audience Award of €2,500.
Funding opportunities for impact-driven businesses In addition to The Hague Innovators Awards, the impact funds of Rabobank and Pels Rijcken also presented financial awards. In total, more than €240,000 was distributed among innovative entrepreneurs offering solutions to social challenges.
This year saw a record number of investors attend the event, thanks to a collaboration with the Netherlands Advisory Board on Impact Investing, which brought a network of more than 100 investors. Through matchmaking, speed dating, and pitch sessions, capital and innovation were brought together to create new collaborations and growth opportunities.
About ImpactCity and ImpactFest ImpactCityis one of Europe’s leading ecosystems for organisations that combine doing good and doing business. With this programme, the Municipality of The Hague supports entrepreneurs and other impact makers in developing and scaling their innovative solutions.
ImpactFest, launched in 2016 as an annual event, provides a festival-style setting where members of the ImpactCity ecosystem can connect. It has since grown into an international must-attend event in the impact community.
This year’s edition was organised by ImpactCity in collaboration with the Municipality of The Hague, Obsession, and Bureau Visueel, and was made possible by the Province of South Holland, Rabobank, Stichting DOEN, Unknown Group, RVO, Pels Rijcken, and Stichting SOMI.
Text: Impact City Image & Translation: The Hague Online
