Thomas Huttinga

You only have to open a newspaper to see that the threats around us are increasing. From the war in Ukraine to the United States stepping back: Europe increasingly has to stand on its own.

However, this also creates opportunities for our societies. Europe is becoming stronger and more independent. Yet this also affects the way we live and work, and it is important to discuss this together. For example, how will we pay for increased defence spending? Can we still rely on the United States? And what needs to change within the EU to move forward? If you have lost track of the latest developments, Thomas is happy to provide an overview and outline a path for the future.

The audience is offered new perspectives and new topics to discuss in the workplace. This is an interactive lecture in which the audience is taken along in the story. There is no maximum group size. The session can also be delivered as a webinar. Thomas welcomes questions, and the audience can engage in an active dialogue about current affairs.

A lecture based on the book about what connects us as Europeans, why it is important to develop a sense of European identity, and what we can learn from our shared history and culture. In this session, Thomas explains the historical origins of our sense of national belonging and what we can and should place alongside it.

Drawing on his background and cultural perspective, he offers a fresh approach to the subject. Even for those without a particular interest in history, there is plenty to learn from practical examples from the present: where the bicycle originated, for example, what the nineteenth century can teach us about the European Football Championship and last summer’s Olympic Games, and how travelling by train or plane connects us to that same era.

The aim of the lecture is to inspire and provide insight into the relatively recent nature of our national identity, but above all to explore the international layer of our identity. All our histories are interconnected, and our identity is layered. This is important both in society and in the workplace. We are connected to one another on a European and global level, and through practical examples Thomas shows how this already works in our daily lives.

The audience is offered new perspectives and new topics to discuss in the workplace. This is an interactive lecture in which the audience is taken along in the story. There is no maximum group size. The lecture can also be delivered as a webinar.

Whether you work in telecommunications, transport, marketing or another industry, our work and lives increasingly cross borders. We have become more connected, and our backgrounds have become increasingly diverse. Yet we still primarily feel a sense of national belonging. Why is that, and why is it important to emphasise our international connectedness more?

This workshop explores our national identity, why we tend to feel connected primarily on a national level, and how we have always been connected throughout history; in Europe and across the world.

The workshop creates an opportunity to bring different cultures together and start a conversation. Work is also about people, and participants discuss each other’s backgrounds in smaller groups. What are the similarities and differences? What do you do differently or in the same way? And do you also feel connected across borders? The workshop therefore focuses on human connection, beyond the professional relationships between colleagues. This allows colleagues to get to know each other better.

Thomas provides the historical context and examples, facilitates the conversation and creates a sense of connection through inspiring stories from the past and present. The client is offered new perspectives and new topics to discuss in the workplace. It is an interactive session in which the audience is taken along in the story. There is no maximum group size, although the individual workshop groups can be larger.