I’m honoured to be one of the opening speakers for this exhibition, sharing a short reflection on the role of stories, language and identity across generations.
Grandparents play an indispensable role as storytellers. They are the guardians of fairy tales, a culture’s imaginative stories and stories inspired by real events in their family or country. These are stories that connect generations and cultures, strengthen identity and family bonds, and convey important life lessons. But what happens when grandparents live far away in another country and regular storytelling is no longer self-evident because of the distance?
Barbara Butta, community librarian at the Eindhoven Public Library (involved in Van Alle Talen Thuis), collected dozens of stories from grandparents from fourteen countries in their mother tongue. Grandmothers and grandfathers shared their stories in their own handwriting, sometimes accompanied by drawings and photographs. The exhibition Grandparent Stories from Around the World presents a selection of these stories and honours the role of grandparents in passing on stories and language.
On Saturday, January 31 at 1:30 PM, the official opening of this exhibition will take place, featuring stories, live music and traditional Hungarian scones - an iconic element of Hungarian folk tales.
The exhibition can be visited free of charge during the opening hours of the Best Public Library until February 25, 2026.
Program of the opening on Saturday Januari 31:
Doors open: 1:00 PM
Exhibition opening: 1:30 PM, with speeches by:
Barbara Butta (Community Librarian)
Maria Potvin (Multilingualism Specialist)
Live music: Paola Tásai
Stories read aloud by children
End of program: 2:30 PM (with a possible extension until 3:00 PM)
Admission: Free, but registration is required for the opening on Saturday, Januari 31!
You can register HERE
Throughout the entire month of February, dedicated to the theme “Mother Tongue,” several related activities will take place at the Eindhoven, Best, and Waalre locations. Check our website for more information about these activities.