THIS AND THAT
[EDIT: Maastricht, March 15] Neelie Smit Kroes, European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, gave an excellent speech at TEFAF’s business meeting hosted by the Province of Limburg, which we shall summarize in our next issue. She noted that it was the TEFAF which gave some gloss to the Maastricht brand. Interestingly, a mere mention of Bollywood films being shot in Maastricht had filled the papers with gossamer frills and thrills the week before. Noting that it was only international glamor that burnished the brand to the ‘dynamic duo’ in charge, your editor was informed that they had known this all the time, despite a focus on rather self-obsessed chatter in the social media. The social media, however, must know something though, because they put Maastricht in the Eindhoven Region before ELAt had become reality. On the technology front, Chemelot is moving forward, but the proposed cardiovascular faculty at Avantis would appear to have hit an obstacle. On the social front, as is their wont, the ‘Corps Consulaire’ of the Province of Liège held a Gala evening in the Baroque setting of the Prince-Bishop’s palace. On this occasion, the event highlighted Belgo-Moroccan relations and showed that everyone could get on perfectly well with one another when they wanted to. SW
The beginning of March has been an extremely busy time in Meuse-Rhine. It has seen the AGM of the Aachen Chamber; a change at the helm of the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion; a new look at a top technology region and the start of the TEFAF. It was pleasing to see a Delft plate, with an asking price of EUR 350,000 go to the Wadsworth Athenaeum.