CU leader Mirjam Bikker criticized the Hogeschool Utrecht for renaming Christmas and Easter to ‘holiday’ in its new calendar, stating it is ‘unimaginable’ to impose a ‘neutral blanket of nothingness’ over religious holidays.
- CU-leider Mirjam Bikker calls decision 'unimaginable'.
- HU renamed Christmas and Easter to 'holiday'.
- Minister Moes values freedom of religion and academia.
- VVD's Queeny Rajkowski emphasizes cultural significance of holidays.
- Hogeschool Utrecht shocked by decision's impact.
According to Trajectum, the decision was made by the college of governance to promote ‘inclusion’. PVV member Martine van der Velde warned that ‘our culture is being erased bit by bit’, while André Flach (SGP) noted the ‘one-sided view on inclusion’ at the HU.
BBB Minister Moes acknowledged the emotions surrounding the issue but stated it is not the minister’s role to dictate how a university names its holidays. The Hogeschool Utrecht expressed shock at the decision’s impact and clarified that the celebration of Christmas and Easter remains ‘unchanged’.
“Who confuses tolerance with indifference, gets a country where the connection increasingly disappears.”
— Mirjam Bikker, CU Leader
Originally reported by www.telegraaf.nl as “Boosheid bij Kamerleden over neutrale feestdag bij Hogeschool Utrecht” on 2025-09-23 19:38:00.
