Oldenzaal residents urged to vote: Your ballot shapes the city's future
On 18 March, Oldenzaal residents have the power to influence their city’s future by voting. The mayor emphasizes that democracy isn’t just a right—it’s a responsibility to shape a community built on mutual care, effort, and shared values like noaberschap.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Local elections |
| Date | 18 March 2024 |
| Location | Oldenzaal, Overijssel |
| Key Concept | Noaberschap (community spirit) |
| Issuer | Mayor Patrick Welman |
| Call to Action | Vote to shape policy and community values |
The municipality of Oldenzaal, led by the mayor, oversees local governance, policy implementation, and civic engagement. Elections are a cornerstone of democratic participation, allowing residents to influence priorities and community development.
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Read the full translated article below
Your vote shapes our society
On Wednesday, 18 March, we will once again go to the polls. In doing so, we colour our society. Not just by marking a box on a ballot paper, but across our entire society. By colouring that box, you colour the future. Your future, the future of Oldenzaal, the future of us all. That is a great good, a right whose consequences extend far beyond the voting booth.
That interest in one another, that looking out for each other, that willingness to be there for one another is beautifully encapsulated in the word noaberschap. This centuries-old Twente concept is deeply woven into the fabric of our city. The word sounds familiar and evokes warm feelings in many. But noaberschap is more than a cultural concept or a sense of belonging. It is an attitude. And that attitude symbolises not only taking but, above all, giving. Selflessly and not half-heartedly.
A resilient, strong community does not come about by itself. It requires effort, responsibility and conscious choices. Community spirit means that we do not only look at what the government can do for us, but also at what we ourselves contribute to the whole. It means that we do not only claim rights, but are also willing to accept obligations.
In our democracy, we have the right to vote. That right is a great good. It is the foundation of our freedom, our influence on the governance of our town and country. But that same right also carries a moral dimension: it is also a responsibility. Anyone who wants to have a say in the future of Oldenzaal, who wants to shape policy and set priorities, cannot shirk that responsibility.
The question before us is clear: What kind of society do we want to be?
Do we want a community in which everyone looks after themselves first? Or do we want a city in which we continue to see, address and support each other? A city in which differences are allowed to exist, but where the shared course is the result of involvement and dialogue?
Local politics sets frameworks, makes decisions and supports initiatives. But politics alone does not create a community. A sustainable society requires active residents, thriving associations, entrepreneurs who invest in their environment, and volunteers who contribute selflessly. Together, they form the foundation of Oldenzaal. That is why I appeal to all of you. Think along, speak out and vote.
Not out of dissatisfaction or a sense of entitlement, but out of involvement. Not with the thought that “someone else” will solve it, but with the realisation that together we shape our future.
Noaberschap means that we find each other not only in celebration and tradition, but also in responsibility and decision-making. Only together can we build a city that is socially strong, economically vibrant and administratively reliable. Together, we bear responsibility for today. Together, we colour the city of tomorrow. So vote!