Podcasts 4 Brainport, featured by Radio 4 Brainport, 747AM and DAB+

Salaai! Welcome to Lampegat! Every year during Carnaval, Eindhoven changes its name to Lampegat, the hamlet of the lamps. Festivities take place all over the Southern part of the Netherlands, but with differences between cities and regions. In Eindhoven it started as a catholic tradition to kick of the period of Lent, six weeks before Easter. It puts hierarchy in society upside down: everyone can dress up to assume any role, be it the major, fairy queen, a musketeer, rock star, football hero, whatever. To internationals, Carnaval often is a culture shock. The smartest city suddenly becomes “de gekste”, the craziest, the wildest. As an ex-stadsprins, Joep Verheijen had the experience of leading the town into threes days full of cultural events, a parade, but maybe most of all the vibrant nights in the many pubs and out in the street. Parag Gupta, of indian ethnicity but born and raised in the U.S., believed that he got into some kind of New Orleans Mardi Grass when he experienced Carnaval. Geisa Barra Cordeiro knows Carnaval in her home country Brazil, but she now lives in Den Bosch which hosts a very traditional Brabant-style Carnaval.

February 3rd, “Lampegat” will announce its new prince.  Eindhoven, the city of light will be emersed in a vibrantCarnaval, just one week later. Joep Verheijen had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being stadprins in 2007. For many internationals it is a weird experience to see the city go wild, young and old dressed up and joining in the festivities. But what are the cultural roots, and what is it beyond just drinking lots of beer? He will give a longer interview about the ins and outs of Carnaval. Join Jean-Paul Linnartz at Radio 4 Brainport for brief preview.

Soon to come on Radio 4 Brainport, the tips, advices, and wisdom condensed into a series of short podcasts. Geisa Barra Cordeiro advices and coaches many internationals.

The second week of 2024, we see a drop of temperatures in

Hosts and guests: Stephen Harianto, Martin Beekhuis, Anton Alexeev and Jean-Paul Linnartz

Radio 4 Brainport linguist Bart Bruijnen chats about the word of the year in a live program from the Muziekgebouw in Eindhoven. What would be your vote for Word of the Year? What word would be the best sign of the times? Program hosts are Andrea Potgieter and Jean-Paul Linnartz.

Archive Photo (c) Lev Azarkh

RaluonBoard gives a stage to leaders to share their stories and inspire others. On our next special edition we have an incredibly inspiring leader on board! Already a decade ago he was named "the politician of the year" by the Dutch parliamentary press. He is known as a "bridgebuilder" who does not shy away from talking about the "pink elephant". He is a proud Eindhovenaar, who embraces and supports the diversity of the Brainport area and made it his mission to ensure that the growth of Eindhoven does not make us fall apart. When John Jorritsma came into office with a statement that "Eindhoven is a collection of villages". Jeroen Dijsselbloem also talks about Eindhoven as a collection of nationalities and sees it as his task to integrate these better.

The skill to bring together many national financial interests in Europe is a skill that now helps to bring together the local interests and solve the challenges of cities and villages in the region.

Will Brainport continue to grow? what if the economy cools down? Jeroen Dijsselbloem sees it as his responsibility not only to consider the growth scenarios but also oversee the risks of not so gloomy scenarios, including economic down turn. His ambition is to serve at least two terms of six years each, which require also long term strategies. As an ex-minister of finance, he openly critizes political parties that do not produce a solid financial a plan to back up their promises to the voter.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem takes strong positions. The migration crisis is just not the hardest issues of the moment. According to the mayor it rather is a consequence of a housing crisis.

Next, in our expat diaries, we have Ineke Hurkmans, an entrepreneur with a heart that carries the essence of the community; Ineke creates spaces where connections thrive, and stories unfold.
Curious about how to “Burst the bubble,"?
Join us for a riveting conversation on Tea-Talk with Karishma and Supriya this coming Friday at 8 pm, only on Radio 4 Brainport, the expat station.

Photo (c) Lev Azarkh

Breaking boundaries and amplifying diverse voices—Join me this Friday on a radio journey as I engage in a compelling conversation with the accomplished Dr. Nupur Kohli, a trailblazer of Indian origin vying for a seat in the Dutch Parliament. From her roots as a medical doctor to her strides at Harvard Business School, TEDx Talks, and impactful leadership at Shell Netherlands, Nupur's story is a testament to transcending borders and backgrounds.
Tune in for an enriching discourse that goes beyond politics, exploring evolving education needs, the role of expats as catalysts for positive change, navigating the ethical maze of AI, and addressing significant social causes. Be part of this wholesome experience on Friday, Nov 17th at 8 PM CET on Tea-Talk with Karishma and Supriya only at Radio 4 Brainport, the expat station, to unravel her inspiring journey, profound ideas, and vision for a happier society. 
Nupur Kohli| Karishma Vij| Mahesh Vallabh P.| Tea-Talk with Karishma and Supriya| VVD| Radio 4 Brainport, the expat station| 

A pre-election political debate among Mpanzu Bamenga, D66 (Democratic 66); Jan Joosten, CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal); Judith Tielen, VVD (People’s Party for Liberals and Democracy), Eva de Bruijn, GL-PvdA (Labour and Green left coalition) and Valerie Pajak, Volt (Pan-European political movement), organized by EindhovenNews.com

The debate has four segments that each focus on key topics. The first segment addresses international students, housing, minimum wage and the development of the Brainport region. The second segment will focus on immigration, 30% ruling, and asylum. The third round is dedicated to innovation, sustainability, mobility and security. The final round highlights housing, health insurance and taxation.

Moderator Beena Arunraj, Eindhoven News is joined by Zach Newmark from NL Times, Jean-Paul Linnartz and Robin Pascoe from Dutch News. Dutch News also reports results from a poll among internationals.

Team Ignite, powered by students of TU Eindhoven will show off once again at the GLOW light festival. Interaction remains a key theme, as Lieke Diederen explains in this podcast interview for Radio 4 Brainport.