Philosophy

Join us for a fun session of improv theatre in English! A great opportunity to meet new people in Utrecht and learn something new with Improv Utrecht. Everyone can partcipate, you don't need any experience in theatre nor fluency in English. **Special topic: Movement & Theatre improv** Movement improvisation is a wonderful basis for all other forms of improvisation. Well before we had language we had movement; there is so much that can be expressed without words. Instead of the games that are used in theater improv, we work mostly with “scores”, or a kind of blueprint to what will happen in a space of time. A kind of a structure. We will do exercises that originate from Viewpoints, physical theater, and other forms of improvisation (including a bit of Contact Improv at times), and moving in/with/through the space, non verbal contact and how we can communicate through our bodies. Anyone can participate, you don’t need any experience in movement or theater nor complete fluency in English. This workshop is without shoes: bring non-slippery socks In this session you will: * Meet fellow international and local players. * Learn the basics of improvisation, a 21st-century skill that is useful in many aspects of life. * Get out of your head. * Enjoy failing. * Play funny and moving theatre games. * Laugh a lot, while surprising yourself and others. Doors open: 19:50-20:00, come in with the others ([SIDE entrance, at the Troelstralaan](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntLDUqbkDxMHjp7B7)). After 20:01 the door may be closed, but you may find a participant who knows the door code. Workshop: 20:00-22:00 Every Friday except in school holidays Afterwards we have drinks at [O'Leary's](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gL878K1MZf8v5fpm7) pub together ### How to sign up Full details about how to sign up and any other questions you may have can be [found on our website](https://www.improvutrecht.nl/drop-in-workshops/). An RSVP in this Meetup event is not enough! We track attendance by counting the attendants in GrasshopperSignup. If you flag yourself as attending and can no longer make it, please delete your x in the sheet so that someone else can take your spot. If you leave your contact details at the Signup form we will contact you if there is a problem with a drop-in you are scheduled to attend. We also have a WhatsApp group with a variety of members from across Utrecht where we share events and updates. You can find our courses and shows on [our website](https://www.improvutrecht.nl). Participation is pay-what-you-can, but we suggest a donation of €10-20 by cash or Tikkie to help cover costs (location, travel) and show your appreciation for our professional trainers who dedicate their Friday to promoting improv.

*Since the guided meditations for this event are in Dutch, this description is too.* Wil je je drukke week afsluiten en ontspannen aan het weekend beginnen? Dan ben je geheel vrijblijvend welkom bij de vrijdagavond meditatie van [Jewel Heart](https://www.jewelheart.nl/). Deze meditatieavond heeft een licht en open karakter. De meditaties bestaan uit drie delen. We beginnen met het gewaarworden van je lichamelijke sensaties. In een korter deel twee doen we een loopmeditatie en in deel drie is er een eenvoudige, geleide visualisatie meditatie. Het geheel wordt afgesloten met een gesprek onder het genot van een kop thee, voor wie daar zin in heeft. 📍[Jewel Heart, Hatertseveldweg 284, Nijmegen](https://maps.app.goo.gl/D4FzqLbkaqs2JNDG8). Loop de oprit op en dan is de ingang aan je rechterzijde 🕒Zaal open vanaf 19.30 uur, meditatie van 20.00 tot 21.00 Je bent van harte welkom! Aan deze activiteit kun je per keer meedoen. Er zijn geen verplichtingen. Op vrijwillige basis kun je op de avond zelf een donatie doen. Kijk ook naar onze -[Open activiteiten](https://www.jewelheart.nl/nl/open-activiteiten/) -[Cursussen](https://www.jewelheart.nl/nl/cursussen-overzicht/)

**This might be the girls night you didn’t know you needed.** Many women are living in constant “on” mode- always busy, always giving. And somewhere along the way, we forget how good it feels to simply *be together*. This is your invitation to a real **girls night, where you can come as you are.** Every 3 weeks we come together to relax, laugh, connect and support each other — without pressure, without fixing, without performance. **When women gather in a safe and supportive space, something powerful happens.** We uplift each other through shared laughter, honest conversations, and non-judgement presence. Being around other women who get it can make everything feel a little lighter and brighter. It helps us feel less alone, more supported, emotionally stronger - sometimes simply by being in the same room together. Sometimes we talk. Sometimes we listen, Sometimes we laugh - and even sing - until our bellies hurt. You’re free to share what’s on your mind, or simply enjoy the energy of being around other women who get it. There’s no agenda. No judgement. Just genuine connection, joy, and friendships that feel *easy and real.* And often, there’s that quiet thought: *“oh wow, I didn’t know I needed this.”* All I ask is that you come exactly as you are — tired, joyful, quiet, loud, curious, or unsure. Everything is welcome. We meet every 3 weeks - in Utrecht, Amsterdam or Leiden - because connection grows when we keep showing up for each other — not perfectly, just honestly. ✨ Come as you are. ✨ Leave feeling lighter, more connected, and a little more yourself.

Op vrijdagavond 27 februari is de EENENTWINTIG Bitcoin Utrecht meetup bij Wonders of Work! Je kunt je drinken betalen met Bitcoin Lightning, dus neem je wallet mee. Tijdens het Vierdevrijdag programma zal er kennis gedeeld worden over diverse tech onderwerpen. Heb je zelf een onderwerp over Bitcoin, neem dan contact op en we zetten deze op het programma. Het doel van deze meet-up is vooral om andere (toekomstige) bitcoiners te ontmoeten. Je bent welkom vanaf 19.00 en duurt zolang er mensen zijn (maar uiterlijk tot 22.00). Mocht je om 17.30 mee willen eten, geef dat dan aan op Telegram of Signal. Meer info over Vierdevrijdag is beschikbaar via https://wondersofwork.nl/agenda/vierdevrijdag-voorheen-tech-tuesday-27-02/

Let’s go to all nighter Speedy J at Club Basis

SEA (Search Engines Amsterdam) is coming ! This session focuses on **IR evaluation for LLMs and agents**, featuring two speakers: **Arthur Câmara** from **Zeta Alpha** and **Mouly Dewan** from **University of Washington**. **Location:** Science Park 904, Room C3.161 **Date**: February 27 **Zoom link**: [https://uva-live.zoom.us/j/65011610507](https://uva-live.zoom.us/j/65011610507) Details below: **Speaker #1**: **Arthur Câmara** from **Zeta Alpha** **Title**: Evaluating (and automatically improving!) Deep Research agents **Abstract**: Given a user's complex information need, a multi-agent Deep Research system iteratively plans, retrieves, and synthesizes evidence across hundreds of documents to produce a high-quality answer. In our case, an *orchestrator agent* coordinates the process, while parallel *worker agents* execute tasks. Current Deep Research systems, however, often rely on hand-engineered prompts and static architectures, making improvement brittle, expensive, and time-consuming. Similarly, evaluating the quality of these agents is far from trivial, specially when no golden-answer exists. At Zeta Alpha, we are looking into improving **both** of these aspects and in how they may interact. Starting from our LLM-as-a-judge project RAGElo, we are looking into how the LLM-as-a-judge framework, specially using pairwise comparisons, may lead to better agents that can self-play and explore different strategies to produce high-quality Deep Research systems that match or outperform expert-crafted prompts. **Bio:** I’m a Senior Research Engineer working on agentic search and evaluation at Zeta Alpha, an R&D-oriented startup based in Amsterdam. Zeta Alpha develops a sovereign AI platform for enterprise costumers allowing large companies to deploy agents that work on their private data, with a high-quality search backend. Before joining Zeta Alpha, I obtained my PhD from TU Delft, working on Search-as-Learning and Neural IR. **Speaker #2: Mouly Dewan** from **University of Washington** **Title:** LLM-Driven Usefulness Judgment for Web Search Evaluation **Abstract:** Evaluation is fundamental to optimizing search experiences and supporting diverse user intents in Information Retrieval (IR). Traditional search evaluation methods primarily rely on relevance labels, which assess how well retrieved documents match a user's query. However, relevance alone fails to capture a search system’s effectiveness in helping users achieve their search goals, making usefulness a critical evaluation criterion. Recent LLM enabled evaluation works have mostly focused on relevance label generation. In this paper, we explore an alternative approach: LLM-generated usefulness labels which incorporate both implicit and explicit user behavior signals along with relevance to evaluate document usefulness. We introduce Task-aware Rubric-based Usefulness Evaluation (TRUE), a reproducible rubric-driven evaluation framework that leverages iterative sampling and Chain-of-Thought reasoning to model complex search behavior patterns. Our comprehensive study shows that: (i) pre-trained LLMs can generate moderate usefulness labels when provided with rich session-level context; and (ii) LLMs with TRUE framework outperform existing state-of-the-art methods as well as our systematically constructed baseline. We further examine whether LLMs can distinguish between relevance and usefulness, particularly in unique divergence cases between them. Additionally, we conduct an ablation study to identify key features for accurate usefulness label generation, enabling cost-effective evaluation. Overall, this work advances LLM-based evaluation beyond relevance by proposing a reproducible and scalable framework for usefulness judgment, addressing key reproducibility challenges and supporting large-scale LLM-based evaluation. **Bio:** I am Mouly, a 3rd Year PhD student in Information School at the University of Washington, Seattle. My research lies at the intersection of Interactive Information Retrieval (IIR) and Conversational AI, with an emphasis on developing and applying novel evaluation methodologies, particularly leveraging LLMs (LLM4Eval) to improve search, recommendation and proactive conversational information seeking systems. **Counter:** SEA Talks #299 and #300.

Have you always wondered about the beautiful art of calligraphy? Come and learn with a world renowned calligrapher at Atelier77. This famous calligrapher will be giving a workshop and teach you everything from materials to different writing techniques and style. Come and join us for this truly unique experience! Please sign up for the workshop through: dynamoatelier77@outlook.com or 06-19 35 37 27.

**🟢🟢 ABOUT OUR WATERCOLOR PAINTING PARTY / AMERSFOORT** 🎨🥳🍷🏢 Amersfoort - Utrecht Province / Center of the City / Easy access from train station. Create your very own **portrait, animals, landscape, or figurative** masterpiece in only **2.5 HOURS using watercolor and our secret mixed media techniques!🧪🧫.** This session is not about perfection; it is about capturing emotions and personal expression. **No experience required** **\- trust us\!** our professional artist will guide you step-by-step through this unique self-portrait journey. You can look forward to a fun and exciting evening with other participants, **so it doesn't matter if you want to come with friends or alone - you are very welcome!** This is the perfect after-work or weekend activity where you'll unleash your creativity while creating something deeply personal. You will create a portrait combining painting, drawing, and creative techniques to bring your unique vision to life. When finished, you'll take home your newly created self-portrait artwork to cherish or share with loved ones. Each participant will have pencils, colored pencils, watercolor, acrylic/gouache paints, and a surface. You'll work from an image we will bring. **🎟️ READY TO HAVE FUN?** Get your Ticket and book your seat **✨[HERE](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555) ✨** 🤔 **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP HERE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) 💬** .................................... **🟢🟢 WHAT'S INCLUDED?** 🔶 All supplies included 🔶 **2.5-HOUR [TICKET SESSION](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555)** 🎟️ 🎁 **EXTRA BONUS:** **FREE TICKET**🎟️ to participate in our Drawing and Painting Cafes in Amersfoort or Our Online Still-Life sessions if you live far away. 🔶 New friendships and Conversations💬 🔶 Freedom to work at your own pace 🔶 **English tutored activity** (And of course, you can speak in your local language with your friends!🍷🥰🥰🍹) ⭐ No experience needed **🎟️ BOOK YOUR SEAT🪑 IN ADVANCE ✨[HERE](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555) ✨!** 🤔 **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) 💬** **🕑 2026 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:** First Sunday or every month from 11.00 AM - 1:30 PM. .................................... **🎟️ ART LOVERS CLUB / ABOUT US** **ART LOVERS CLUB** is a community where art enthusiasts come together to explore their creativity and connect with new buddies through various events and sessions ( In-Person and Online) . Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting, we have something for everyone!⭐ To share with you more about what we do, you can see here the overall atmosphere of our events in Amersfoort and also follow us if you want⭐: **[https://www.instagram.com/art_lovers_social_club](https://www.instagram.com/art_lovers_social_club)** 🤔 **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) 💬** **🕑 2025 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:** First Sunday or every month from 11.00 AM - 1:30 PM. **See you soon. We are looking forward to painting and having Fun Together! 🎨👩🏼‍🎨👨🏼‍🎨👩🏼‍🎨🧑🏼‍🎨🎈**

JULIANALAAN 100 park Angerenstein ( Entrance )

This meetup explores key ideas from \*\*Jordan Peterson’\*\*s book Beyond Order, focusing on how people find meaning, stability, and direction in a complex and uncertain world. Where his first book, "**12 Rules for Life"**, emphasised structure and discipline, his follow-up, "**Beyond Order**", looks at what happens when life becomes too rigid — and how growth often requires stepping into uncertainty while still taking responsibility for our actions. The themes are psychological and practical rather than political. **We’ll discuss topics such as:** * The balance between order and chaos in everyday life * Responsibility as a source of meaning * Truth, integrity, and self-honesty * Limits, discipline, and self-respect * Choosing meaningful difficulty over comfort This is a guided conversation, not a lecture or debate. It would be nice if those who attend also read the book, but it's not necessary — curiosity and personal reflections are also welcome. Disclaimer: This is not therapy and not a political discussion. **Who’s this for?** Anyone interested in psychology, personal responsibility, and meaning-making. First-timers are welcome. No prior knowledge of Jordan Peterson or the book is required. **Why pay for the event?** I have to reserve a table at a restaurant, they expect that we at least drink something, so your reservation includes a drink, whether it is tea, coffee or cola.

Come and join us for an evening of Buddhist meditation with like-minded people. The doors open at 7:00 PM, and meditation begins promptly at 7:15 PM. The meditation will last between 30 to 40 minutes, followed by tea and biscuits for anyone who would like to stay and chat. On some evenings, there will also be a short Dharma talk to provide some Buddhist context. The meditation space is down at the canal. To get there, you can take the stairs down. The meditation is offered on a donation basis. See our [website](https://utrechtbuddhistcentre.nl/) for more information.

Improv for Life Weekend workshop Improv for your personal development. Playful. Powerful. Transformative. What if real life could feel more like improv—full of joy, connection, creativity, and flow? Improv for Life is a one-of-a-kind course that blends the magic of improvisation with personal development. It’s not about being funny or performing on stage (though that might happen too!)—it’s about learning to navigate life with more presence, courage, and flexibility. In this course, you’ll uncover the hidden wisdom in improv games and exercises, and apply it to real-life challenges in a way that’s light, energizing, and deeply impactful. You’ll practice life-changing skills like: Being fully present Listening deeply Relating authentically Acting with courage Finding meaning in the moment And explore rich, human themes. Whether you’re a professional, a creative, or a curious human navigating change, Improv for Life offers a safe, playful space to shift stuck patterns, unlock your creativity, and reconnect with what makes you feel truly alive. Course Structure: Four full days, split into **two independent weekend workshops** — join one or both! **If you are new to improv it is recommended that you do Workshop 1 before you do Workshop 2.** #### **Workshop 1: Play, Presence & Relationships (31 Jan – 1 Feb)** **Saturday: Homo Ludens** – the playful human that learns through curiosity, exploration, and failure. Sunday: Homo Relationalis – the human whose identity emerges through relationship. #### **Workshop 2: Polarities, Stories & Meaning (28 Feb – 1 March):** Saturday: Homo Duplex – the human with inner tensions who becomes wise by holding space for paradox. **Sunday: Homo Narrans** – the meaning-maker who tells stories to make sense of life, and to make life make sense. **Sign up** by clicking the blue button on [Improv for life - Improv Utrecht](https://www.improvutrecht.nl/improv-for-life/) or go to improv-utrecht.weticket.io ### **Pricing**: * €279 per workshop * ***Early bird****:* €199 per workshop (until 16h of Jan = 2 weeks before the date) * **Both workshops**: €379 * all prices are including 21% VAT, ask Marieke for a specific invoice What previous participants say: “I feel more resourceful, more playful—and more me.” “Before, I thought my life was a mess. Now I know—that’s just a story I tell myself.” “It helped me see that I can choose my story, embrace both the good and the bad, and stay open to possibility.” “I used to think I had no control over anything—but now I know that with awareness, I can influence a lot of outcomes.” More about the facilitator: Burgert Kirsten is an Organizational Psychologist with a passion for unlocking adaptive, innovative, and integrated ways of working in teams and organizations. His Master’s research—focused on using improvisational theatre practices to spark workgroup innovation—was published in the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology. He holds multiple certifications in individual and team coaching, accredited by the International Coach Federation, and has facilitated leadership, team innovation, and creative collaboration workshops for top South African business schools, leading companies, and international conferences. Burgert Kirsten trained in improv at the renowned iO Theater in Chicago and performed for many years with Lagnes, South Africa’s longest-running Afrikaans improv group, which toured nationally and even had its own TV series.

Hello filmmakers, we welcome you to our next in-person networking Meetup! On Sunday March 1, we will meet again in the city center of Utrecht. We will meet in Lebowski (a cozy bar in the shadow of the Dom Tower), without a designated area, so this Meetup will be a quite informal, unstructured event, aimed at one-on-one networking, and getting to know other (aspiring) filmmakers. This meetup provides filmmakers (writers, directors, actors, composers, cinematographers, editors, everyone..) with the opportunity to meet and network with one another, share ideas, and potentially collaborate on present or future projects, all in a relaxed and informal setting. So if you have any specific project in mind that you would like to start up and are looking for people to collaborate with, or if you want to participate in upcoming projects initiated by others, don't hesitate and join this Meetup! If you want to exchange ideas before the Meetup, please do so on our Discord channel. The invite link can be found on our web page: www.openfilmmakingnetwork.nl Filmmakers with an idea are warmly invited to share it with us during the Meetup, in the form of a well-prepared tagline and/or pitch. So bring your ideas, skills and creative self to this meeting & see you then! This is a free Meetup. Please note there is no group account for our table—drinks and food should be ordered and paid for individually at the bar. Keep an eye on this page, as we sometimes move next door to Bar Walden, in which case we'll announce it here. btw: maybe needless to say, but you can walk in (and out) any time from 2 to 5. PS: Please update your RSVP so we'll know who to expect.

Meeting Room 2b, Main Library Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. We desirere to cultivate a space where all questions are welcome and all members are treated with compassion and respect. All backgrounds are welcome.

Meeting Room 2b, Main Library Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. We desire to cultivate a space where all questions are welcome and each person is treated with compassion and respect.

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Join us at Losing Weight in Columbus at Bloc Garten on a Saturday afternoon. This will be an active and engaging day, in lieu of our weekly check in. Why climbing you may ask? Because that's what I know best, and also since its and indoor sport, its great for a winter time hobby! Join us and find out what it's all about! We'll also do a brief check in to see how everyone is doing. 🚨🚨 Day passes cost 23$ + 7$ shoe rental fee for a total of 30$ 🚨🚨 [https://5.life/bg/](https://5.life/bg/)

This is not an event, but an announcement that we are accepting new members. If you'd like to pursue joining our group, please write us at columbusmensgroup@gmail.com with a few paragraphs about yourself, what you'd like to experience in the group, and the contribution that you'd like to make. Thank you!

This meeting will be an open discussion of adjusting to vision loss guided by participant interests. Target audience for this group is persons who are visually impaired, especially those who have experienced recent loss, however, all are welcome, including family members and supports. Light refreshments will be served. You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!