The negative image that
minorities in Holland - especially Turks - face is nuanced: Religious
stereotypes, as evidenced by Gert Wilders’ party, that depict Muslims
as criminals and the question of whether immigrants are integrating
into European society remain as obstacles.
The Turkish Institute in the Netherlands serves to eradicate these
prejudices by informing Dutch society about Turkey and its people.
“It’s been two-and-a-half years since we were founded,” Turkish
Institute Director Lily Sprangers said. “We still need time to change
Turkey’s image.”
Whether Turkish immigrants have integrated
into Dutch society is
still debated, even within the Turkish community. “We can’t say Turkish
immigrants have integrated into Dutch society yet,” said Zihni Özdil,
program manager at the Turkish Institute. He said Turks in the
Netherlands rank lowest among immigrants in the country when it comes
to participating in social activities.
“The question is whether Turkish immigrants are going to become Turkish
Dutch or whether they will segregate themselves,” he said. Integration
means “the Dutch will become a little bit Turkish and the Turkish will
become a little bit Dutch. But except in some underdeveloped countries,
there is no example of this kind of ideal integration.”
But Islam Erkal, the secretary of a
Turkish charity foundation that
runs a mosque that was originally a synagogue in The Hague, said that
especially after the first generation of immigrants, the Turkish
community completed the integration process. He also said the Dutch
government made a big mistake by labeling the first immigrant workers
as “guests” and not encouraging them to learn the Dutch language.