Jonathon Hagos' design work focuses on themes often avoided. Among them are colonization, the subject of race, and (less controversial) the idea that buildings tell stories through their external textures. To learn more about Jon's recent work, check out his portfolio.

This presentation was part of a special PechaKucha Night during Tokyo Designers Week 2009.

"Presentation of the Day" on October 12, 2013.

"The reason I went back to Kabul … is I felt something was changing, something was very different, and I wanted to see it with my own eyes."

In Being Young in Kabul from PechaKucha Night Maastricht Vol. 30, Samina Ansari tells us that in March 2015, a woman was stoned and burned to death in the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan. That's when Ansari decided to return to her birth country after 20 years of absence. One year later, she wants to share her experiences and observations: Kabul is more than what you see in the news.

We have all seen the images of migrants arriving in Europe, but have you met one? Haroon Rezaie and his family took the risk and journeyed to the Netherlands. Now he wants to share his experience in order to give people a vision about the life of refugees and why they became a refugee. This could be either that they came by favour or they were compelled by the living circumstances to leave everything behind and start life again in a new place. This is the ultimate story to inspire perseverance and determination in any situation.

Conservation biologist and bird lover Debra Kriensky discusses the importance of bird safety in architectural design in this PechaKucha presentation for NY Build. 

Debra Kriensky works at NYC Audubon - where she works on conservation and research programs as a staff conservation biologist. Debra holds a BA in communications from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a MA in conservation biology from Columbia University. 

Last November, Sueli Brodin and her family adopted a cosmopolitan chicken named Akosua. This experiment is part of Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen’s #PerfectStrangers citizen science art project. Sueli not only takes care of Akosua, but also keeps a diary about everything that she experiences with her. Sueli tells us about the adventures she and her family have lived together with Akosua and what thoughts and questions this experience has provoked.

For Leon Aarts, food has been a common thread throughout his life as he journeyed from chef to restaurant owner to establishing two charities related to food. The founder of #FillTheCup, #Compassion and#CalaisKitchens speaks about the power of food in connecting people. Compassion is truly delicious.

Why do highly-skilled individuals come to the Maastricht region? Why do they want to stay? Or why do they plan to leave again? And how can we make the Euregio Meuse-Rhine more attractive for them? 

These are some of the questions that Julia Reinold tackles in her PhD research at Maastricht University. She also is a true child of this region herself: Julia grew up in the German part of the Euroregion, studied at Maastricht University and is now working there as a researcher. 

Emma Cooksey talks about where she considers herself to be a local and why. 

Abi Stevens is a freelance illustrator who also suffers from chronic migraines that affect all of her senses. She talks about the influences for her stunning art work and also about a series of very personal illustrations depicting the pain of her migraines.