Page 3 - Rotterdam. Make It Happen

WELCOME TO ROTTERDAM.
Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the most international city in the Netherlands. When you drive into the city from the south over the Van Brienenoord Bridge and see how the sky is reflected in the river, how the sunlit skyline sets the city ablaze, you can’t help but hold your breath for a second.
When you arrive by train and get off at Rotterdam Central Station, you can see the city at your feet. And when you follow the red carpet, and see, hear and smell so many colours, scents and sounds, you can’t help but feel immediately welcome and at home.
When you take a sightseeing flight from Rotterdam The Hague Airport, you can see the city’s lifeline meandering towards the North Sea. You can see the largest and most innovative port in Europe, beautiful parks and bridges connecting the north and south banks. A city rebuilt with blood, sweat and
tears after the Second World War. A city with working hands, a scar that everyone cherishes, even if you have only been there for one day.
But the best thing about the city is the people who live here. People who originally came from far and wide, often driven by poverty, as in most port cities. Farmers from Zeeland and Brabant, Chinese dockworkers, Cape Verde sailors, Turkish and Moroccan migrant workers, Surinamese and Antillean com- patriots, Syrian refugees: they all came to Rotterdam in search of a better life, a good future for their children. They brought their cuisine, music and art with them. The city is home to more than 174 nationalities, and on the riverbank 174 flags wave on the wind.
All these people make Rotterdam what it is today. A place with opportunities to transform your dreams into reality. A place to
look beyond the horizon. A place where we can celebrate together, big and compelling or small and sophisticated. With the whole city or in the local park.
As the mayor of Rotterdam, but especially as a Rotterdammer, I am proud to welcome you to our city. I hope that this magazine, full of beautiful stories and tips to discover the city, will inspire you to make the most of your stay in Rotterdam, but above all, will make you feel like a Rotterdammer for a short while and be a part of the city we are so proud of.
Ahmed Aboutaleb
Mayor of Rotterdam
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