AID 2023 started in sunny conditions. Photo Luuk Zegers Generally speaking, all AIDs are similar to the ones before: new students come to Wageningen to get to know each other, the city, the associations, and the university. However, each AID board has its own focus. This is also the case for the 2025 edition, which will start in mid-August. Lars Dohmen, chair of the AID board, looks ahead.
To make the approximately 1,700 AID participants feel even more at home, the program has been carefully reviewed, Dohmen explains. ‘In general, the AID is already well established: almost everyone thinks it’s a great week. We mainly looked to see if there was room for minor improvements.’
Last year, the AID opened with a so-called Pub night. ‘AID participants went there with their groups to play card games and break the ice’, says Dohmen. ‘This summer, we’re keeping the pub element, but we’re turning it into a big pub quiz. So instead of card games, there will be a big quiz on the festival site. It’s pretty relaxed, a lot of fun, and it gets the conversation going within the groups.’
Dike dinner
There have also been changes to locations. For example, the AIDinner—where all groups have dinner at one location—has moved from the arboretum to the Grebbedijk. ‘Every summer, Food of Cultures organizes Dinner on the Dike there, where a thousand people dine on the dike. It’s a great local initiative, which will be extra big this time because the whole AID is participating. We expect around 3000 guests on the dike, with many newcomers but also many people who have lived in Wageningen for a long time. It’s a great way for AID participants to get to know the dike and the floodplains.’
By holding the market a day earlier, participants can sleep on it for another night
Lars Dohmen, chair of the AID board
The Crazy 88, in which AID groups had to carry out all kinds of assignments at various locations in the city center, has been replaced by Wageningen Uncovered. Dohmen: ‘There are still assignments at various associations, but we are focusing more on the city itself by carrying out assignments about and at important historical sites. Think of the city wall, hotel De Wereld, the great church, and the town hall.’ The AIDinner on the dike and the street theater will also take place on the same day. ‘It’s really a day dedicated to getting to know the city.’
Sleep on it
The infomarket, which was moved from the arboretum to the campus last year, is now returning to the arboretum. ‘The atmosphere there is very nice’, says Dohmen. ‘It’s spacious, you can walk around relaxed among the trees, and it’s a way to get to know that part of Wageningen too.’ Another notable change is that the infomarket will no longer be held on the last day. There are several reasons for this, explains Dohmen. ‘Smaller associations in particular found that they only became truly visible to AID participants during the infomarket. As a participant, you then have to decide on that last day whether you want to become a member or not. By holding the market a day earlier, participants can sleep on it for another night. It’s nice for less visible associations to be visible earlier, and it’s nice for participants to have some time to think about it.’
In addition, Dohmen expects that bringing forward the infomarket will make the last day a little less intense. ‘Previously, you first had the information market, then the final festival on campus, and then closing parties at the associations. By spreading things out a little more, we hope that it will be a little less intense and that AID participants will be able to enjoy the closing more.’
Radiate
The theme of this AID is Radiate. Dohmen also wants to elaborate on that. ‘During the AID, we want to radiate a positive, welcoming atmosphere as a board and volunteers. That’s where the theme comes from. We also hope, of course, that the groups will radiate positive energy to each other. Such a new start in a new city is quite a big step, so a warm welcome is important.’
Translated using DeepL
