Bildung Community
Meet our Community: The board, the working groups and other volunteers.
Chairman
Yavuz Goktas
Hello, My name is Yavuz Goktas. From my background as a youth worker and expertise in Erasmus+ projects, I have learned to greatly appreciate the importance of Bildung through self experience. Giving young people a better chance and creating opportunities with regards to projects and Erasmus+ more accessible is my top priority. I would like to invite you to share your ideas so that together we can see how they can become reality.
Secretary | International Working Group
Adnan Sisman
Hello my name is Adnan Sisman.
In recent years I have worked as an intercultural consultant for disadvantaged groups in Nijmegen and surrounding areas
In addition to help with practical matters such as interpreting, reading letters from authorities and help with applications for (minimum) facilities, I tried to form a bridge between this group and social/social activities.
I am therefore convinced that it is very important to bring people from different backgrounds together for a dialogue, so that we can learn with each other, but especially from each other.
I now want to use my practical experiences through Bildung Nijmegen to organize activities for young people, such as workshops, Erasmus+ projects and cultural activities.
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I hope to meet you soon at a Bildung Nijmegen event. See you then.
Treasurer
Damian Coenen
Hello! My name is Damian Coenen. I am the treasurer at Platform Bildung Nijmegen Foundation.
I graduated as a lawyer in 2021 and am currently also working as a fiduciary administrator. In that capacity I am at the centre of the social domain.
I am a critical person. I don't shy away from big challenges and I don't take anything for granted.
One of my most important competencies is being open and approachable. In this way, I want to keep the threshold low for everyone to get in touch with the Bildung Platform Nijmegen Foundation as low as possible. Let’s have a coffee together sometime.
Board member | Regional Working Group
Cristel Busser
For me, Bildung means a sanctuary to exchange ideas with each other freely and without judgment on topics that sometimes contain sharp contradictions. We live in very turbulent times, polarization is taking place at all levels, putting freedom of expression and therefore democracy under pressure. The Bildung Foundation aims to be this sanctuary, a place where debate and dialogue on very diverse topics are discussed so that the development of all human qualities can be achieved. By organizing this dialogue and by talking to each other, critical thinking is stimulated. I would like to contribute to this based on my personal interests.
Board member
Stephan Spieker
My name is Stephan Spieker, I am 35 years old.
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I joined Bildung because I think it is important that educatiors and students are well connected.
I am good at designing websites and maintaining social media platforms.
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I work at Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN) as support worker to the professorship. And I am also involved in inclusion and diversity at HAN, because I think it is important that everyone can participate.
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I want to use my vision and my experience regarding this and implement this to Bildung Nijmegen.
Board member | Regional Working Group
Claudia Librizzi
My name is Claudia, I am a visual artist and singer. Since 2017 I have been active as a volunteer, mainly in social/youth work. I guide and train young people in non-formal education. In other words, learning by doing. In 2022 I joined Bildung as a board member. Why Bildung? Bildung is committed to young people. We at Bildung believe it is important that young people can learn not only from ‘us’ trainers, but also from each other. I enjoy promoting this form of learning and sharing it with everyone. And I hope this will motivate others to do the same.
International Working Group
Meet our International Working Group Members
International Working Group
Ramon Rahangmetan
Hi, my name is Ramon Rahangmetan. With a strong foundation in Urban Sustainable Development and Business Management, I am an independent accredited lobbyist at the European Parliament in both Brussels and Strasbourg, as well as an Observer at the United Nations Climate Change Conferences. I co-founded 'Circle of Sustainable Europe (CoSE)', based in Brussels, where I manage and support various international projects.
As a public speaker, I regularly present my insights and research at prestigious venues, including the United Nations Office in Geneva, the European Parliament in Brussels, and the World Summit AI in Amsterdam. In addition to this, I work as a freelancer under the name 'Digiquette' as a teacher, projectmanager, and content creator, collaborating with diverse organizations.
I’m motivated and committed to help Bildung grow bigger in European projectmanagement and international experience. Feel free to connect.
International Working Group
Aleksandr Stommels
When you meet me for the first time, you will experience my positive vibe, which will immediately make you want to discuss possibilities and start working together. How will we work together to tackle your personal development in new education?
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As a sensitive, social person with a lot of empathy, I am available to others as a problem solver and mentor and I am results-oriented to achieve maximum results in collaboration with students and teachers on the challenges that lie ahead.
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My passion for Bildung is deeply-rooted. In addition to knowledge and skills, attention must also be paid to personal growth, ethics, and the ability to think critically. With an open, honest and friendly attitude and a lot of humor, I stay in touch with an entire ecosystem and with this we achieve the development of your full potential at Bildung. I look forward to starting this journey with you!
International Working Group
Veronica Belzonella
Hello! I'm Veronica, from Italy. I left my country at the age of 17, lived in Brazil for a while and now study Artificial Intelligence at Radboud University in Nijmegen. My greatest passion is traveling, which allows me to discover the most diverse cultures and lifestyles. In our differences and uniqueness I find the inspiration to model and improve my own values and perspective. Volunteer work, especially for young people and in education, is another passion of mine. I believe that through my experiences I have learned as much as a teacher than as a student.
International Working Group
Antoni Chen
My name is Antoni Chen and I am a third-year business administration student. I fulfill a special role, namely as an intern at the HAN Green Office and as an employee at Sustainable Solutions. This role is special because I can develop at two organizations, both of which have a major impact on sustainability in education. My position is account manager at both the HAN Green Office and Sustainable Solutions (SUSO) and I also manage SUSO's social media platforms. I am also following the honors program at HAN, where I further hone my qualities.
Thanks to my internship, work and interests, I am in a great place in my life, where I am gaining a lot of practical experience. I am very grateful for the opportunities that the organizations I am associated with offer me and I look forward to growing together, and now also together with Bildung Nijmegen.
International Working Group
Rebecca-Elisa de Jeer
I am Rebecca-Elisa de Jeer, a spontaneous International Social Work student at HAN with a heart for language and culture.
In my spare time I dance, sing and like to travel the world to get to know new people and cultures.
I already had the opportunity to do this a few times through Erasmus+, including through Bildung Nijmegen. These valuable experiences have inspired me to show my fellow students the opportunities and to offer help if they also want to discover Erasmus +. I will do this from September through membership of the Europeans Network and I want to do this locally through Bildung Nijmegen.
I find Bildung so fascinating because through experiences and art you can learn very differently, super fun and personally for everyday life. The Bildung Lumbung performance project showed me what this could look like in concrete terms. This explored another non-Western view of working with others as a community.
Come meet me at Bildung and I can tell you which other committees and organizations I am in! So see you soon :)
International Working Group
Berna Adiyaman
Hi, I'm Berna, an enthusiastic student with extensive experience in the Erasmus+ landscape. During my career I have participated in a number of projects, including training, seminars, study visits and youth exchanges. I have also organized several projects in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Turkey.
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My passion for Erasmus+ and Bildung stems from my belief that these programs give young people the opportunity to grow, learn and explore the world. I look forward to being involved in project development at Bildung and further developing myself within this field.
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In addition to my experience with project management, I offer support as a Turkish/English interpreter, content creator and creative writer.
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I believe that Bildung can play an important role in building bridges between different cultures and communities. I am therefore really looking forward to contributing to the Bildung Community! See you soon!
International Working Group
Åževket Yilmaz
I’m Åževket YILMAZ, and I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about myself. Currently, I’m pursuing my Master’s in Business Administration at Hasan Kalyoncu University, building on my Bachelor’s in Construction Education.
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I have a passion for project management and strategic planning, which I get to explore as the Executive Manager and co-founder of Pacific Consultancy Ltd. In this role, I focus on driving our vision forward, managing projects, and securing grants to support our initiatives. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our work make a tangible impact.
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Before this, I served as a Project Coordinator at KALITTO, where I had the pleasure of working on several EU-funded projects. I’ve also gained valuable experience at the UNFAO as an M&E Assistant, diving deep into monitoring and evaluation processes. Each of these experiences has taught me the importance of collaboration and building strong relationships with stakeholders.
I’m fluent in English and have a working knowledge of Spanish, which helps me connect with diverse teams and communities. I truly believe in the power of teamwork and approach every challenge with a positive and constructive mindset.
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I’m excited about the possibility of contributing my skills and experience to meaningful projects and making a difference together. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to connecting!
Regional Working Group
Meet our Regional Working Group Members
Volunteer | Regional Working Group
Keyshia Tshuma
Hello, I'm Keyshia, from the vibrant Nijmegen.
With a wealth of experience in event planning and management, I am an expert in creating unforgettable moments. As a passionate social media content creator and website builder, I know how to bring brands and ideas to life online. My networking skills allow me to create valuable connections between people and organizations.
My background in media, including hosting, filming, podcasting and video editing, has given me a versatile toolkit to tell stories in a dynamic way. Familiar with the youth hotspots in Nijmegen, I have built a network that is essential for reaching and engaging this target group. My good connections with local media companies are a testimony to my dedication and competence in this field.
Since 2014, I have gained a wealth of work and life experience as a youth worker at various organizations. These experiences have strengthened my ability to support and guide young people. I am currently completing my training as a social counselor in Arnhem, with the ambition to help young people reach their full potential.
I am passionate about connecting people and look forward to contributing to the Bildung team. Together we can make a positive impact on the community and create an environment where everyone can grow and thrive.
Greetings Keyshia Tshuma
Volunteer | Regional Working Group
Virgil Eijkhout
My name is Virgil Eijkhout, although everyone knows me as Viri.
In this Nijmegen landscape I am involved in all kinds of things that have to do with culture, from volunteer work at social organizations to working at festivals and I can also be found within a whole lot of subcultures.
Within Bildung I also want to focus on organizing events and contributing to Erasmus+ projects
Bildung Advisors
In addition to the board members, we also have the following contributors within the Bildung Advisors.
Board Advisor
Prof. Dr. Jan Bransen
I am a professor of Philosophy of the Behavioural Sciences and the author of a plea for a different education: Formed or Deformed? I would love to realise a location outside of all existing educational institutions where people can work on personal development in an everyday way every day.
That location should be called The In-Between.
Board Advisor | Communications Advisor
Damian Monsma
In my role as board advisor I will support the board in developing policy and strategy and making important decisions. In addition, as a communications advisor I will ensure clear and open communication internally and externally to share and realize our goals and missions as best as possible.
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Together we make Bildung a successful national and international platform!