ROTTERDAM, 3 July 2023 – Rotterdam gears up for the upcoming Zomercarnaval, a vibrant celebration that will take place at the end of this month. The highlight of the event will be the Straatparade (Street Parade) on Saturday, 29 July. With a route spanning five kilometres, more than 2,500 dancers, 25 carnival groups, 25 music groups, and DJs will electrify the Rotterdam city centre, moving from Blaak to Coolsingel. The NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting) will broadcast the evening's highlights live from a restaurant at Raadhuisplein. Additionally, a three-part series offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse into the preparations will be available on YouTube in the weeks leading up to the event.

The Zomercarnaval originated in 1982 as an Antillean festival in Utrecht. Since 1983, Rotterdam has become its home, and it has since evolved into a tropical celebration of diverse cultures, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators who revel in the art of dance, stunning costumes, music, and cuisine.

Zomercarnaval on television

Hosted by Malou Petter, the NOS program will feature engaging discussions with guests and showcase the most captivating footage, accompanied by insightful commentary from Saïna Lucio, one of the Zomercarnaval's costume designers. Viewers will also be treated to reports about the spectators along the parade route, preparations such as the selection of the festival's King and Queen, and a segment on the crowning of the first Queen back in 1983.

The NOS Zomercarnaval Rotterdam 2023 program will air on Saturday, 29 July, from 9:21 PM to 10:11 PM on NPO 1.

Zomercarnaval on YouTube

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in preparation for the Zomercarnaval? The NOS has created a three-episode YouTube series that provides a comprehensive look into the event's preparations. Each episode, hosted by Salwa van der Gaag, will be approximately 10 minutes long and released in the weeks leading up to the Zomercarnaval. "On the Road to Zomercarnaval" will be available on NPO 3's YouTube channel.

Episode 1

Witness the process of selecting the King and Queen. The NOS will showcase the candidates' preparation, delve into the significance of this title to them, and explore their daily lives. The program will be present during the announcement of the winners and capture their emotions upon receiving the coveted title. Episode 1: Available online from Thursday, 13 July.

Episode 2

Discover what it takes to participate in the straatparade (Street Parade). From costumes and music to choreography, brass bands, and the jury, the episode will explore the intricate preparations involved. Episode 2: Available online from Thursday, 20 July.

Episode 3

The Zomercarnaval is a celebration that embraces many people and cultures. With the participation of 25 different cultures, the NOS series will delve into the importance of the event for each group, highlighting the symbols and rituals that characterize their respective cultures. Episode 3: Available online from Thursday, 27 July.

ROTTERDAM, 30 June 2023 – A new initiative to tackle financial worries, poverty, and debt among Rotterdam's residents has been unveiled. The plan, named 'Rotterdam for Everyone – United Against Poverty and Debt', is set to address these issues over the next few years.

Rotterdam's plan against poverty and debt

The rising energy prices and expensive groceries over the past year have affected many Rotterdammers, businesses, and institutions. An increasing number of Rotterdammers are facing financial worries or problematic debts. The city council, led by Alderman Enes Yigit, aims to tackle these issues with their new plan. The plan was presented on Thursday afternoon at Thuis in West, a community centre in the Middelland neighbourhood of Rotterdam.

Alderman Enes Yigit (Poverty Reduction, Debt Assistance, and Language) stated, “Together, we stand strong against poverty and debt. In Rotterdam, we have already embarked on the right path in terms of poverty reduction over the past few years. We aim to maintain what is good and add new elements. The priorities for the coming years are combating child poverty, making income support more accessible, and helping Rotterdammers out of debt. We cannot do this alone as a municipality, and therefore work closely with organisations in the city that prevent financial worries and support Rotterdammers in financial need.”

Child Poverty

The plan places the highest priority on addressing child poverty. The successful family approach will be continued. This term, the aim is to reach 1,000 families in Bospolder-Tussendijken, Crooswijk, Tarwewijk, and Carnisse. The family approach brings stability to the financial situation of families, improves children's wellbeing, and provides hope for the future.

Rotterdam Residents at the Centre

The plan also aims to assist Rotterdammers as much as possible and reduce referrals. The application process for schemes will be simplified. An online advice module will be introduced, allowing Rotterdammers to easily see which income support schemes they are entitled to.

Helping Rotterdammers Out of Debt

In 2022, 5,109 Rotterdammers approached the municipality for help in resolving their debts. The plan aims to receive signals from Rotterdammers who are in trouble even earlier so that they can be helped more quickly.

Strong Together

The municipality is not alone in tackling and preventing poverty and debt. An important part of the approach is the collaboration with, connection between, and support of various partners, organisations, and volunteers in the neighbourhoods.

Council Meeting

After the summer recess, the new policy framework will be discussed in the committee and council meeting.

ROTTERDAM, 27 June 2023 – In a significant stride towards marine restoration, Rotterdam-based startup Oyster Heaven has secured €800,000 in funding from Orange Wings Investments. The investment will bolster the startup's mission to regenerate lost oyster reefs on a global scale, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the realm of cost-effective marine restoration.

Oyster Heaven's mission

Oyster Heaven, established by George Birch in 2021, is pioneering a solution to a pressing environmental issue. Oyster reefs, once covering 20-30% of the North Sea, have been reduced to a mere 5% of their original extent due to overharvesting. These reefs are crucial to marine ecosystems, providing habitats for numerous species, filtering water, and naturally managing excess nitrogen, thereby combating climate change.

The startup's innovative approach involves the creation of a low-cost and efficient substrate for oysters, known as the Mother Reef. This natural reef system, made of clay and preloaded with baby oysters (or “spats” in Dutch), is designed to repopulate the barren sea floor.

The Mother Reef: A scalable solution

Following two years of successful lab and field testing, Oyster Heaven continues to validate the efficacy of the Mother Reef at Stichting Zeeschelp in Zeeland. Thus far, tens of thousands of baby oysters have attached to the Mother Reefs and are thriving, demonstrating the potential of this technology to regenerate oyster reefs on a large scale.

Mother Reef

A sustainable model for ocean conservation

Oyster Heaven's approach uniquely combines ocean conservation with a financially scalable model. By partnering with local fishing communities to plant the Mother Reefs into the ocean, the startup is fostering a new circular economy.

George Birch, founder of Oyster Heaven, stated, “Sustainability has been the sole ambition of my career. Oyster Heaven is the opportunity to make this happen. Today, countries are in various stages of recognizing the value of ecosystem services. Oyster Heaven is leading the way, preparing for a society willing to pay for the services oyster reefs can provide.”

Shawn Harris, Orange Wings Investments’ founder and George Birch, Oyster Heaven’s founder

Future plans and impact

With the backing of Orange Wings Investments, Oyster Heaven plans to deploy 5 million oysters in Europe and the US in 2024, with a goal of regenerating 100 million oysters by 2027. This initiative is expected to significantly enhance marine biodiversity, water quality, and waste management across various industries.

ROTTERDAM, 23 June 2023 – A new initiative to combat antisocial driving behaviour is being launched in Rotterdam. The city is introducing a series of measures, including hefty fines, to deter drivers who repeatedly flout traffic rules.

Rotterdam's response to antisocial drivers

The city of Rotterdam is acting against drivers causing nuisance. This summer, the city will introduce a new enforcement method, imposing fines of €500 on drivers who repeatedly break traffic rules. This measure is part of the new Rotterdam Traffic Nuisance Approach (Rotterdamse Verkeersaso Aanpak - RVA), presented today by Alderman Vincent Karremans.

Antisocial driving behaviour, particularly during the summer months, is a significant annoyance in the city. Residents find it highly disruptive, impacting the city's liveability. This behaviour includes unnecessary rapid acceleration, modified cars with loud exhausts, cruising (show traffic), and loud music.

Alderman Vincent Karremans (Enforcement, Public Space and Mobility) stated, “We now have a set of stringent measures that will significantly impact those causing nuisance. Together with the police, we will eradicate antisocial traffic behaviour from our streets. Rotterdam is not, and will not become, a silence garden, but we aim for a more decent environment.”

The Rotterdam traffic nuisance approach

The approach comprises several robust measures to both stop the nuisance-makers and prevent nuisance:

• A dedicated 'traffic nuisance team' of municipal enforcers will focus specifically on antisocial driving behaviour.
• A fine of €280 for 'unnecessary noise nuisance' from vehicles will be imposed by the police and municipal enforcers. This includes unnecessary rapid acceleration, modified cars with loud exhausts, and loud music.
• Persistent offenders will be subject to a penalty under compulsion. Municipal enforcers will conduct targeted actions in streets with a high level of nuisance. Enforcers will observe, report, and impose the penalty under compulsion. For each subsequent offence, the driver will have to pay a penalty of €500, up to a maximum of €3000.
• Agreements will be made with car rental companies at regional and national levels to facilitate the seizure of rental cars more easily. This will curb the proliferation of fast, noisy rental cars with foreign licence plates.
• Noise meters will be installed at various locations to monitor noise nuisance. In collaboration with the traffic nuisance team and the police, this will help determine which locations and time periods require enforcement.
• A behaviour campaign will start in the summer of 2023, addressing the offending group about their behaviour.

One of the measures that will continue this year is the closure of streets in the city centre. More information about this and the complete package of measures can be found at rotterdam.nl/verkeersoverlast.