Author Visit: Ahmed Aboutaleb
| 29 september 2026 | |
| Bibliotheek Leende Dorpshuis De Schammert |
|
In his candid autobiography Thuis, Ahmed Aboutaleb looks back for the first time on his extraordinary life and political career: from his childhood in Morocco to his tenure as mayor of Rotterdam.
On Tuesday, September 29, Ahmed Aboutaleb will be a guest at the Leende Library. He offers an honest, candid, and revealing look at his life and career, speaking for the first time about matters he has never been able to discuss in detail before.
Ahmed Aboutaleb was born in Beni Sidel, Morocco, and moved from the Rif Mountains to a disadvantaged neighborhood in The Hague as a fifteen-year-old boy. He quickly learned the language, worked hard in school, and took matters into his own hands at an early age. He didn’t just want to participate; he wanted to make a difference.
His hard work and social commitment took him from technical college to journalism, after which he became a spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. In 2004, he began serving as an alderman in Amsterdam, the first Dutch person of Moroccan descent to do so. There, he distinguished himself through his strict sense of justice and his advocacy for equal opportunities for all.
Shortly thereafter, the murder of Theo van Gogh shocked the nation, and his strong statements placed him in the eye of the storm. The threats were so serious that he had to go into temporary hiding.
In 2007, he joined the Balkenende IV cabinet as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment, and two years later he became mayor of Rotterdam. As the first Muslim mayor of a major European city, he was seen as a symbol of successful integration, but he also faced suspicion.
Above all, he remained a no-nonsense administrator. He was a visible presence in the neighborhoods, listened to residents, and spoke plainly, whether the topic was safety, radicalization, or social inequality. After the Charlie Hebdo shooting in 2015, he made an impression with his sharp, emotional response: “If you don’t value the freedom of others, then pack your bags and leave.”
Thuis offers an honest, unbiased, and revealing look at his life and career, in which he speaks for the first time about matters he has never been able to elaborate on before.
This evening is organized by the Friends of the Heeze-Leende Library Foundation in collaboration with the Dommeldal Library.
Practical Information
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: Leende Library, in De Schammert Community Center
Admission: €15 (includes a cup of coffee or tea)
Tickets can be ordered via www.bibliotheekdommeldal.nl/activiteiten
