{"id":131138,"date":"2021-10-05T14:20:22","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T12:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=131138"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:54","slug":"400-years-of-thanksgiving-an-essay-competition-in-the-context-of-globalisation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/10\/05\/400-years-of-thanksgiving-an-essay-competition-in-the-context-of-globalisation\/","title":{"rendered":"400 years of Thanksgiving: an essay competition in the context of globalisation"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of English colonists known as the Pilgrim Fathers left for America from Delfshaven in Rotterdam 401 years ago to escape the Anglican church in England and start a new life. Together with Harvard, Leiden and Delft, Erasmus University is organising an essay competition to commemorate this. One of the organisers, Harry Geerlings (ESSB), is in Historic Delfshaven and he explains the current importance of the Pilgrim Fathers.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Pilgrim Fathers walked around exactly on this spot,\u201d stated the public administration and port expert, Harry Geerlings, one of the essay competition organisers. He is standing in front of the Pilgrim Fathers\u2019 Church in Historic Delfshaven, where a couple of footprints have been carved into the pavement.<\/p>\n

Gratitude for the harvest<\/h2>

The Pilgrim Fathers created new ties between the Netherlands and the United States. Over half of these Pilgrim Fathers died during their first, harsh winter in America, but the traditions they founded still live on today. This year, it\u2019s exactly 400 years since the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time; a celebration and act of gratitude for the harvest.<\/p>\n

Delfshaven still looks exactly as it did in 1620. The Pilgrim Fathers ended up in Rotterdam after fleeing to Leiden from England, where they were no longer safe as they did not agree with the Anglican church. Their plan was to start a new life in Leiden, but, as they didn\u2019t feel at home there either, they decided to leave for America. The ship on which the Pilgrim Fathers travelled to America, the Mayflower, was berthed in \u2018the port of Delft\u2019. There\u2019s a miniature version of this ship in the Pilgrim Fathers\u2019 church, next to the church clock that rang out when the Mayflower left. And if you look around, you can see more references to this group, including the city brewery next to the church, which is also named after them.<\/p>\n

Towards globalisation<\/h2>

\u201cIt is simply amazing that the Thanksgiving tradition is still celebrated so actively. The Pilgrim Fathers\u2019 Church came up with the idea of commemorating this 400-year anniversary. The ball really started rolling after the university was approached about this,\u201d stated Geerlings on the origin of the essay competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Pilgrim Fathers took the first steps towards globalisation, making connections between the Netherlands and America. We then thought that we should really involve students in any such celebration as, after all, they are the future. It\u2019s a fantastic idea to have students from all those different disciplines reflect on how their profession will develop, as well as learn from 400 years of Pilgrim Fathers\u2019 America to consider what the future of globalisation holds. Globalisation has its good and bad points, so the essay should focus on the substance of your profession and how globalisation is set to influence your specialist field. All kinds of disciplines play a role in these questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Four universities<\/h2>

The essay competition is being organised by EUR, in cooperation with the universities of Leiden, Delft and Harvard. These universities were asked to take part, as the Pilgrim Fathers made their way from England to Delfshaven via Leiden and Delft and arrived in Massachusetts in the US after the crossing. \u201cIt\u2019s fantastic that Harvard is taking part too, as this university is located very close to the spot where the Pilgrim Fathers arrived. The Pilgrim Fathers are extremely well-known in America, and the painting of their departure from Delfshaven is still on display in the Capitol,\u201d explained Geerlings. \u201cWe\u2019re really looking forward to reading all the beautiful essays we\u2019ll receive from their side.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students are invited<\/a> to share their vision of the challenges of the future in a critical, English-language essay of up to 1,000 words. Once all essays have been submitted and assessed, the ten best Dutch essay writers will be invited to the Pilgrim Fathers\u2019 Church for the closing ceremony on 25 November. The Dutch winner will be offered a cultural trip to Harvard, Massachusetts, and the American winner can visit the Netherlands.<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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