First Historic City Walk and Dialogue Session in Nijmegen

Last Saturday, Bildung Nijmegen hosted its first Historic City Walk and dialogue session. It was a warm, inspiring and thoughtful afternoon in which local history, personal stories and meaningful conversation came together in a natural way.

Guided by Adnan, participants walked through Nijmegen and explored the city not only as a place of buildings, streets and monuments, but as a living collection of stories. We reflected on the Roman roots of Nijmegen, the long history of people moving, settling and belonging, and the question of what it truly means to call a place home.

Nijmegen has deep historical roots. Around the year 100 AD, thousands of people already lived in this region. The Roman presence brought early urban life, trade and new forms of citizenship to the area. At the same time, this history also shows that identity has never been fixed. Many “Romans” in this region were not born in Rome, but became Roman citizens after years of military service. This made the conversation surprisingly relevant today: when do you truly belong somewhere? Is being Dutch only a matter of having a passport, or is it also about feeling connected, taking part and being recognised as part of society?

After the walk, we gathered for a dialogue session. In an open and relaxed atmosphere, participants shared thoughts and experiences about history, identity, migration, citizenship and belonging. The aim was not to debate or convince each other, but to listen, reflect and learn from different perspectives.

The lunch also played an important role in the atmosphere of the day. It was prepared beforehand in co-creation, which made the start of the afternoon feel personal, welcoming and informal. Sharing food, walking through the city and sitting down together for conversation proved once again to be a powerful way to bring people closer together.

For Bildung Nijmegen, this is exactly what these activities are about: learning beyond the classroom, creating space for encounter and making sure different stories are heard. This first City Walk and dialogue session was a beautiful start to a wider series in which we explore the history of Nijmegen and connect it to the people who live in and around the city today.

More Historic City Walks will take place on the upcoming Saturdays, each with its own theme and followed by space for dialogue and reflection. We look back on this first edition with great appreciation and would like to thank everyone who joined us.