WILLEMSTAD, UTRECHT - Recently the symposium entitled Family ties and Father Absence took place in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The family ties research project, with emphasis on the absent father, is made possible by funding from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).

During the symposium the research results of both cross-cultural quantitative and qualitative research were presented. The research focuses on Curaçao youngsters living in Curaçao, Curaçaoan youngsters living in the Netherlands and Dutch youngsters living in the Netherlands. The symposium was opened by

Dr. Tina Kretschmer (affiliated with the University of Groningen), who considered the importance and added value of cross-cultural research for the community in both the Netherlands and Curaçao. From the University of Curaçao Moises da Costa Gomez, Dr. Odette van Brummen-Girigori, affiliated with the UCRI (University of Curaçao Research Institute) presented the preliminary results of cross-cultural quantitative research among 1657 young people. Subsequently, PhD candidate Mariëlle Osinga Msc, affiliated with the RUG, presented the results of cross-cultural qualitative research among 102 interviewees.

After both presentations, those present were subdivided into different workshops, offering the opportunity to debate and / or respond to the research results presented. Incidentally, the research results were interspersed with a number of performances by comedian Collin Edson and performer Guillermo Blinker, who was born in Curaçao.

The symposium was concluded with a word of thanks by the project leader Prof. Dr. Greetje Timmermans who thanked all those present for their attendance and participation. The organizers look back with pleasure at a successful symposium and intend to organize such a symposium on Curaçao in 2020 for all relevant actors and interested parties.