Sytse Jansma (1980) lives in Harlingen and is a bilingual writer (Frisian/Dutch) and a visual artist. In his poetry, multilingualism is an important theme. His work can be characterized as exotic, imaginative and experimental.
Sytse: Every person encounters loneliness in their lifetime. It is part of being human. So it is with me too. You feel useless and unseen. You can no longer mirror yourself in the other—but because you have returned to yourself in this way, you can also find something that you were never really looking for.
Gerard Marcel de Jong (St.-Anne, 1979) is a multilingualism coordinator, European policy advisor, chairman of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, and a writer. He mainly writes in his ‘mimmetaal’, Bildts. His novel Blau fan dagen, griis fan ônrust — the first novel ever written in Bildts — was awarded the Rink van der Velde Prize in 2024.
Gerard: Loneliness is something we all face, and it can take on a thousand different forms. It runs deep — intimate and personal — and is as unique as each individual. But by speaking about it, by giving it attention, we can begin to unlock it. We can transform what’s deeply personal into something shared — something communal.
Anne-Goaitske Breteler (1996) grew up along the Wadden Sea dike in Friesland, where she now lives once more. She is a writer, podcast and exhibition maker, and a public speaker. Her work often draws on oral history, and through nonfiction she seeks to build bridges — between city and countryside, between present and past.
Anne-Goaitske: To me, loneliness is an emotion that can arise at any moment — and just as suddenly fade. You can feel it even in the middle of a crowd; being alone isn’t a requirement. And yet, having others around you can make all the difference — bystanders who can help pull you out of that depth.
Gerard Marcel de Jong (St.-Anne, 1979) is a multilingualism coordinator, European policy advisor, chairman of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, and a writer. He mainly writes in his ‘mimmetaal’, Bildts. His novel Blau fan dagen, griis fan ônrust — the first novel ever written in Bildts — was awarded the Rink van der Velde Prize in 2024.
Gerard: Loneliness is something we all face, and it can take on a thousand different forms. It runs deep — intimate and personal — and is as unique as each individual. But by speaking about it, by giving it attention, we can begin to unlock it. We can transform what’s deeply personal into something shared — something communal.
Iris Dicke (2005) was born in Leeuwarden and currently lives in Arnhem, where she has been studying at the Arnhem Theatre School since 2023. She mainly writes plays, performed both by herself and others. Her work is marked by a love of the quietly human and a flair for the absurd.
Iris: For me, loneliness is closely tied to shame — the shame of feeling alone. That makes it hard to talk about. That’s why I think Sprekende Stenen is such a beautiful initiative. By making the topic accessible, through stories from people in the city, we lower the threshold to speak about it. Hopefully, walking the route will help make loneliness more visible.
Anne-Goaitske Breteler (1996) grew up along the Wadden Sea dike in Friesland, where she now lives once more. She is a writer, podcast and exhibition maker, and a public speaker. Her work often draws on oral history, and through nonfiction she seeks to build bridges — between city and countryside, between present and past.
Anne-Goaitske: To me, loneliness is an emotion that can arise at any moment — and just as suddenly fade. You can feel it even in the middle of a crowd; being alone isn’t a requirement. And yet, having others around you can make all the difference — bystanders who can help pull you out of that depth.
Peter van Lier (1960) studied philosophy, but went on to develop primarily as a poet. In his poems, images and thoughts intertwine to offer new perspectives on existence.
Peter: For those who are lonely, the world seems to lose all meaning or purpose. But once you learn to accept that, a shift in experience becomes possible — one that moves from darkness toward light. I came across this transformation in books, in the people around me, and in myself — especially in my poetry.
Peter van Lier (1960) studied philosophy, but went on to develop primarily as a poet. In his poems, images and thoughts intertwine to offer new perspectives on existence.
Peter: For those who are lonely, the world seems to lose all meaning or purpose. But once you learn to accept that, a shift in experience becomes possible — one that moves from darkness toward light. I came across this transformation in books, in the people around me, and in myself — especially in my poetry.
Iris Dicke (2005) was born in Leeuwarden and currently lives in Arnhem, where she has been studying at the Arnhem Theatre School since 2023. She mainly writes plays, performed both by herself and others. Her work is marked by a love of the quietly human and a flair for the absurd.
Iris: For me, loneliness is closely tied to shame — the shame of feeling alone. That makes it hard to talk about. That’s why I think Sprekende Stenen is such a beautiful initiative. By making the topic accessible, through stories from people in the city, we lower the threshold to speak about it. Hopefully, walking the route will help make loneliness more visible.