Job Cohen
(Haarlem, NL, 1947) studied law in Groningen, founded the law faculty at the University of Maastricht, and later became its vice-chancellor. In 1993, he briefly held the position of Minister of Eductaion in the Lubbers III cabinet, then became a member of the Senate and Minister of Justice in the Kok II cabinet. In 2001 he took office as Mayor of Amsterdam, with the murder of Theo van Gogh as his blackest hour. Nine years later he was elected leader of the Labour Party, with strong support from its ranks. In 2010 he published his lectures and speeches under the title Binden (Bonds), with a foreword by Bas Heijne. After a tumultuous time he became disillusioned, stepping down as a political leader and member of parliament in early 2012. Cohen now holds positions such as chairman of the OBA's Supervisory Council, special lecturer at the University of Leiden, and chairman of the Foundation for Refugee Students. He grew up in a liberal Jewish family; his paternal grandparents perished in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. His father was vice-chancellor of the University of Leiden.
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Archive available for: Job Cohen
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Writers' Fest
With: Aad Meinderts, Adriaan van Dis, Anna Woltz, Annelies Verbeke, Dick van der Harst, Edward van de Vendel, Femke Halsema, Francis Broekhuijsen, Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, Job Cohen, Joris Wijsmuller, Lamin Kuyateh, Michael Krüger, Rodaan Al Galidi, Typhoon
A festive event built around the presentation of the Jan Campert Prizes, the literary awards of the City of The Hague. In collaboration with the Jan Campert Foundation and the Dutch Foundation for Literature, Dutch literature is celebrated with various performances by writers, poets, and representatives of other disciplines (who honour the winners). The event is intended, in part, to highlight the state of Dutch literature. The afternoon culminates in the presentation of the Constantijn Huygens Prize for a whole body of work, which this year is awarded to Adriaan van Dis, beloved author and a great friend of the festival since day one. In Dutch