WorldTalks Amsterdam: Post Lockdown

As close as we can get

After months of working from home and attending online drinks, fitness classes, and birthday parties, it’s finally happening again! The cultural season has begun and we want to invite you to join the first WorldTalks post-lockdown. The urban talk show where we can meet each other offline, listen to the stories of inspiring speakers, and have drinks with each other in real life – making sure we keep corona rules in mind and make them fun.

What have we all been up to the past few months? How did we make the best out of the situation? Who has reinvented themselves during this crisis? Come out of your hibernation and *insert drum roll and confetti poppers*, get ready for the very first corona proof edition of WorldTalks!

Vera van Dam photographed 60 people quarantined at home during the Corona pandemic. She made these isolation portraits without being physically there - via video call. By embracing technology Vera tried to find meaningful connections in times of social distance. Who would have thought that being physically separated can be so tough?

Isolation, panic over scarce resources, and information overload could be a recipe for anxiety and depressive feelings. Frequent exercise has many benefits for your mental health. But how to keep that up while gyms were closed en sports events were canceled? Luckily there were people like Lorenzo Saro, who during lockdown brought his Urban Booty classes straight to your living room via live stream. Tag your family, friends, and loved ones and move that booty!

Who else developed a daily walking routine during the lockdown and never thought they would walk for pleasure instead of seeing it as just a means to an end? By walking you produce serotonin, which is also called the happiness hormone. That's why Eva Spigt and Nicola Dow take city dwellers back into nature by organising walks. With their company Backtonature Hikes they frequently organise outdoor events like Hike&Rave, taking you on a coronaproof adventure.

In the midst of a pandemic, another crisis reached its peak this year, resulting in massive Black Lives Matter movements all over the world. Initiative #ZOLANGHETNODIG (in English #ASLONGASITTAKES) wants to remind everyone that racism is a serious issue in the Netherlands and it HAS to change. For that reason, from Friday 12th June on, every day from 9AM-5PM there is someone on Dam Square with the sign: ‘As long as systemic racism exists, someone will stand here'. We ask you to join too and hold the sign for 1 hour. Want to sign up? Go to their website to schedule your hour!

'Don’t shake hands, don’t high-five, and definitely don’t hug.' How can we cope with a lack of touch? Software engineer Nicolás Amaya is one of the co-founders of Human.Online, a platform that allows any two people on the planet to experience a deep connection with each other. Nicolas will share more about the magic of eye contact and how you can create authentic connections through online experiences.