Venue provided complimentary food and drinks during Sherika’s visit for this feature. The Hague Online retained editorial control, and the views expressed are the writer’s own
Legendary chef and writer Anthony Bourdain once said, “You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together” — and this philosophy is nowhere truer than at the newly opened The Storycafe.
Moroccan-Dutch owner Meryem Hammiche, who is also a dietician and mental health coach, knows the power of food and how it can bring people together. She created this space for exactly that: the community.
When you walk into the café, you feel a sense of warmth and community support right away. Drawings cover the walls, painted by hand by a Mexican artist. The corners are filled with beautiful homewares for sale — bags, cards and toys — from small businesses that Meryem personally wants to support. Each table carries words of encouragement, and the delicious smells of soup and baked goods fill the air.
“Everyone has their own story and when they come together, they make one story. I want to bring people together and create a space where people feel welcomed. The café is like an extension of my living room.”
The menu is varied, drawing influences from Morocco, Ukraine and Japan. Everything is homemade from the freshest ingredients, health-conscious and plated in bright colours that reflect the cheery atmosphere. One of Meryem’s favourites is from Chef Layla: the black sesame dream bowl — yoghurt with homemade chia, granola and energy bites of dates, walnut and matcha — freshly made, filling and kind to your waist. The Harira soup, containing chickpeas, lentils and warming spices, arrives with a chicken-filled pastry that is both sweet and savoury. It was deeply comforting and reminded me of a soup my mother used to make when I was a child — you know a place is special when it can bring up memories like that, particularly from childhood. On arrival, I also got to try a mini tasting platter of sweet Moroccan treats: a pancake, a semolina cake and an almond and honey wrap — all new flavours for me, and it almost felt like I was in Meryem’s home, catching up with an old friend.
Their coffee is sourced from DiMello fairtrade beans and their sourdoughbread comes from Pain de Mer Bakkers, a bakery based in Zeeland that makes all of their bread with seawater — making it suitable for people with food intolerances. You can feel that Meryem has put a lot of thought into each and every corner of this café, and because of that, it feels truly special. The space also works beautifully if you need a change of scenery from your home office, and everyone from young to old is welcomed here — dogs included, as puppuccinos are on the menu too.
The Storycafe is open seven days a week on Appelstraat 175. Events like Closet Confetti (buy and sell second hand clothing) and a cookie pop up are on the calendar, so be sure to follow them on Instagram so you don’t miss out. If you’re a small business looking to sell your items, feel free to reach out to Meryem.
Do you have a story about your own café, restaurant or bar in the city? Reach out to sherika@thehagueonline.com to possibly be featured.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
Stamkartstraat, near The Hague University of Applied Sciences, has recently been brightened up with a series of new street art murals. The artworks were officially unveiled recently in the presence of district alderman Mariëlle Vavier, local residents and others involved in the project.
Mariëlle Vavier, alderman for the Laak district, said: “It is wonderful to see how cooperation between residents, the municipality and artists has transformed this street from an unpleasant and unsafe place into somewhere fresh and bright. Initiatives like this make me very happy as district alderman. Only by working together can we make Laak, and keep Laak, a pleasant place to live for everyone.”
Klaas Verschuure, alderman for Urban Development, said: “We are working on major area development in the Central Innovation District (CID). This involves building, renewing and improving. At the same time, it is important that the area remains a pleasant place to live. As a municipality, we cannot do this alone. I am therefore extremely proud of these committed local residents, who have rolled up their sleeves and helped create something beautiful.”
Peter van Daalen de Jel, chair of BOLF Laak, said: “Only together, with residents, organisations and people from the municipality, can we make and keep the city enjoyable, clean, safe, green and liveable. And it is something you can enjoy doing together too.”
In recent weeks, local residents, BURO Samen, students and new residents of the container homes worked together on the colourful murals. The result is a series of artworks that create a bridge between the past and the future. The design refers both to the history of the former Laakhavens harbour area and to current urban developments, including the growth of The Hague’s skyline as part of the wider Central Innovation District development.
The initiative came from the Bewonersoverleg Leeghwaterkade, Fijnjekade en omgeving, known as BOLF. The residents’ group had noticed that many local residents and passers-by experienced Stamkartstraat as an unpleasant and unsafe place. With funding from the municipality’s Stadmaken programme, they were able to support a project intended to make the street feel more welcoming.
The colourful murals have given Stamkartstraat a fresher appearance and created an opportunity for local residents, students, organisations and the municipality to work together on a shared neighbourhood initiative.
Text and image: Gemeente Den Haag Translation: The Hague Online
The following community story has been submitted by Kees Hulsman, director Stichting Arab-West Foundation, Head of the Anna Lindh Foundation in the Netherlands.
The October War of 1973 between Israel, Egypt, and Syria made me want to support Israel as a volunteer on a kibbutz. Many more visits, including to neighbouring countries, followed. It was during these visits that I first became aware of the Palestinians and became involved in the Israeli-Palestinian peace movement. These early experiences developed into a lifetime of peace activism.
Between 1994 and 2022, I lived and worked in Egypt as both a freelance journalist and a dialogue activist. On October 7, Hamas murdered around 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds hostage. I have many Israeli and Palestinian friends and found both the polarization and the massive loss of human life devastating. Close friends of mine have also lost relatives. Meanwhile, we have seen the war result in deep polarization in the Netherlands and most Western countries, often expressed through the denunciation of entire groups in society: “the” Jews, “the” Palestinians, and so on. These polemics only make matters worse. I even see this within my own family.
In 2024, our Dutch NGO, the Arab-West Foundation—an organisation founded by friends of mine to support our dialogue work in Egypt—was elected Head of the Dutch civil society network of the Anna Lindh Foundation. The Anna Lindh Foundation is an intergovernmental network bringing together all EU countries and all countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Across its 43 member countries, it has more than 4,500 civil society member organisations. Each national network elects its own Head of Network and organises its own activities. Promoting dialogue across borders for the sake of mutual understanding is at the heart of its mission.
The establishment of the Anna Lindh Foundation in 2005 is directly related to Israel and Palestine. The Foundation was preceded by important political developments, including the Madrid Conference of 1991, where the principle of “land for peace” became central. This principle formed the basis for the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The Barcelona Process subsequently developed into a Euro-Mediterranean partnership for peace, cooperation, and dialogue. The Anna Lindh Foundation became the first Euro-Mediterranean organisation in which Israel and Palestine participate as equals alongside other European and Mediterranean countries, in the hope of promoting mutual understanding and peaceful cooperation. Sadly, that objective has not been realised.
The exhibition was organised within a very short period of time. Everyone who feels involved with Israel and Palestine was invited to submit work to our selection committee. Every individual and organisation that contributed material is responsible for the views represented in their own contributions. The Dutch Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation emphasises the importance of listening with empathy to different perspectives without endorsing specific political solutions.
We present photography and photographs of artworks that reflect the immense pain experienced by both Jews and Palestinians. At the same time, we must continue to hold on to hope for a just and peaceful future for Jews and Palestinians alike. We therefore explicitly invited participants to contribute works that express hope.
Mariëlle Vavier, Deputy Mayor and Alderman for Poverty Reduction, Inclusion, Healthcare and International Affairs in The Hague; former Mayor Wim Deetman; former D66 Senator Hanneke Gelderblom-Lankhout; Rabbi Asjer Waterman (LJG); award-winning Palestinian photographer Mohammed Zanoun (Gaza); and Dr Afaf Badran, Head of the Initiatives of Change Art Planning Team and curator of the exhibition have agreed to open the exhibition and its accompanying activities on 18 June at 16:30 at Believe Together, Weimarstraat 300, The Hague.
The majority of the activities will be bilingual, in English and Dutch. Admission is free, but please register for the opening event, as attendance is limited to 100 people.
One of the largest open-air markets in Europe, De Haagse Markt sits on Herman Costerstraat with more than 500 permanent stalls stretching across 450 metres and three wide walkways. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9am to 5pm, roughly 35,000 people pass through it — and once you’ve been, you’ll understand why. This is not a quaint farmers’ market with artisan candles and €8 sourdough. This is the real, loud, colourful, chaotic heart of the city.
Dutch cauliflower sits next to fresh ketoembar coriander, baklava, sharon fruit, and fresh fish. Street food stalls cover Turkish, Moroccan, Antillean, and Dutch cuisines alongside cheaper clothing, flowers, rugs, household items, and more. It is, in the best possible way, a place where everything exists and nothing costs what you’d expect.
Which brings me to the question I decided to answer on a recent Wednesday morning: what can €35 actually get you here?
I arrived at 10am, cash in hand — many vendors prefer cash, so come prepared. Here is my mini haul
Fresh produce — a bunch of fresh herbs and veggies, mangoes, and fresh Hollandse strawberries and salmon for 4 people. Prices here are significantly lower than at supermarkets, and the quality of meat and fish is often better Total €21
Street food —2 chicken pasties Total €8
Flowers — Fresh roses for €5
Grand total of €34 for a light lunch, flowers and dinner for 4 people
What to know before you go
The market is best experienced without a list and when you’re not in a rush. Go with a rough idea of what you need, then let the stalls take you where they want to. The market is divided into several sections covering food, clothing, living, and nature.
Wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking on uneven surfaces and covering more ground than you expect. Bring a tote bag, or two. And bring cash — it will make everything faster and occasionally cheaper.
One more thing: the market reflects the genuinely multicultural population of The Hague in a way that few places in the city do quite so openly. Walking through it on a busy Saturday morning, hearing five languages in ten minutes, eating something you’ve never tried before, is the real thing the Haagse Markt gives you.
De Haagse Marktis located on Herman Costerstraat, between Hobbemaplein and Hoefkade. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
June promises to be a month full of variety at Pathé, with films and events for every film lover. Journey to Eternia in the grand live-action adventure Masters of the Universe , laugh along with the return of the iconic Wayans family in Scary Movie , where no horror trend or blockbuster series is safe from satire, and relive the familiar toy magic of Toy Story 5. Superhero fans can also look forward to Supergirl , in which Kara Zor-El embarks on a perilous journey through the universe with an unexpected ally in her quest for justice. Fans of suspense and big names can look forward to Disclosure Day , Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi blockbuster featuring an impressive star cast and a story that is already generating high expectations. Whether you choose nostalgia, action, humor, animation, or major cinematic spectacles: June brings it all together at Pathé.
Scary Movie @2026 UPI/Paramount (NL). All rights reserved.
New Top Movies this month at Pathé
Masters of the Universe – June 4 In Masters of the Universe, director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen with a spectacular live-action adventure. When Prince Adam regains possession of the Sword of Might after 15 years, it leads him back to his homeworld, Eternia. Upon arrival, he discovers that Eternia is oppressed by the cruel regime of Skeletor (Jared Leto).
Scary Movie – June 4 Twenty-six years after they managed to escape a very familiar-looking masked killer (Ghostface), the Core Four are in trouble again, and all horror films are mercilessly dragged into it. Nothing is spared. All rules go out the window. Every boundary is crossed. The Wayans are back to cancel cancel culture.
Toy Story 5 (Original Version) – June 17 Toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, and this time it is: toys versus technology. Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen), Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack), and the rest of the group see their roles thrown into question when they come face-to-face with Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device with its own disruptive ideas about what is best for their child, Bonnie. Will playing ever be the same again?
Disclosure Day – June 11 Universal Pictures is releasing a new feature film conceived and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on a story by Spielberg, and the screenplay is by David Koepp, who previously collaborated with Spielberg on the scripts for Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Disclosure Day @2026 Universal Pictures International (UPI). All rights reserved.
Supergirl – June 25 When a ruthless adversary strikes unexpectedly and very close at hand, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl , is forced to team up with an unlikely companion. Their quest for revenge and justice takes them across the entire universe.
Pathé is the first and largest cinema brand in the Netherlands, founded in Paris in 1896 by true pioneers of film: the Pathé brothers. Their aim was to share the wonderful world of film with as many people as possible. Throughout the Netherlands, Pathé has 30 locations, 253 screens and 1,900 employees. Through its wide range of films, livestreams of opera, sports and gaming, among others, the latest techniques such as IMAX, 4DX, Dolby Cinema and ScreenX, and business events, Pathé creates special and unforgettable cinema stories for all.
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Pathé is a partner of The Hague Online, and we receive cinema tickets in exchange for sharing monthly updates and links on our website and in our enewsletter. Text is provided by Pathé in Dutch and translated into English by The Hague Online. Images are provided by Pathé. Text and images may not be copied and shared without written permission.
A student from The Hague has received international recognition for raising awareness about one of the world’s most overlooked environmental ecosystems: wetlands and peatlands.
Anay Pradhan, a student at The International School of The Hague (ISH), recently won 2nd Place globally in the High School category of the international “World of 8 Billion” student video contest, organised by Population Education in Washington DC, USA. His winning project, “Breathing Under Pressure: Earth and 8 Billion,” was selected from student submissions around the world and received a $600 cash prize.
The annual competition encourages students to explore global sustainability challenges connected to population growth, climate change, environmental protection, and resource management through short educational videos.
For his project, Anay chose to focus on wetlands and peatlands after discovering how significant they are for climate regulation despite receiving relatively little public attention.
“You often think of forests as the major carbon sink,” he explained, “but one fact that really surprised me was that peatlands cover only 3% of the Earth’s land surface while storing nearly 30% of all soil carbon.”
The topic also carries particular relevance for the Netherlands, where water management, environmental protection, and climate resilience remain central national concerns.
Rather than relying entirely on online research, Anay incorporated fieldwork into the project. He visited peatland areas, collected and tested samples himself, and combined scientific investigation with storytelling and video production. One of the biggest challenges, he said, was fitting complex environmental concepts into a one-minute format while keeping the film engaging and understandable for viewers.
The final result blended climate science, visual storytelling, and practical sustainability ideas, including awareness around paludiculture – a method of farming on wet and rewetted peatlands without damaging the ecosystem.
The project has already been recognised within the school community. The International School of The Hague shared the achievement through its newsletter and social media platforms, highlighting the combination of research, creativity, and environmental awareness demonstrated in the film.
Beyond this award, Anay has also participated in multiple Model United Nations conferences, sustainability initiatives, and mathematics competitions, reflecting a broader interest in global issues and problem-solving.
As conversations around climate change increasingly involve younger generations, projects like this demonstrate how students are finding creative ways to make complex environmental topics more accessible and engaging.
Anay Pradhan is a student at The International School of The Hague with interests in sustainability, global affairs, science communication, and environmental awareness.Text & images provided by Ankit Pradhan.
