The Wolkentheater group organized a visit by Sinterklaas for the children living at asylum seekers centres in Emmen, Zweeloo and Assen over the weekend.
Translation by Traci White
The idea for Sinterklaas’ visit came from Adrijan Siniša Rakić, a former refugee from Yugoslavia. Dagblad van het Noorden reports that Rakić is the founder of the Wolkentheater, a theatre group that has been organising performances for refugee children for the past 25 years.
Around 25 children met Sinterklaas and three Piets at the dining hall of the asylum seekers centre in Assen, but many more children got a chance to have a festive afternoon in Emmen in Zweeloo. The group has been taking this year’s Sinterklaas-themed theater show on the road since November, visiting 20 asylum seekers centres across the Netherlands.
“These children also want to be able to celebrate, and we want to help them be carefree for at least an afternoon”, Rakić told the Dagblad. He started the group because he felt that the world of theatre in the Netherlands was traditionally the realm of well-off families, and the families living in the centres are deeply appreciative of their efforts. The group will be giving performances in Drachten, Sneek, Burgum and Dronten in Friesland on Monday and Tuesday.
Photo source: Wolkentheater Facebook
