“Here We Are” has been named the PrinsjesGedicht 2026

The poem “Hier zijn we” (“Here We Are”), written in 2024 by former Poet Laureate of the Netherlands Babs Gons to mark the 80th anniversary of the Democracy and Media Foundation, has been named the PrinsjesGedicht 2026. Every year, the Prinsjesfestival celebrates the democratic rule of law, and this year’s theme is “Democracy belongs to all of us. Join the conversation. Share your thoughts. Get involved.”

The mayor of Madurodam recited the poem during the opening of the Prinsjesfestival on Wednesday, September 9, and during the PrinsjesOntbijt at the Hofvijver on Saturday, September 12.

The poem is also printed and distributed as a token of appreciation to the festival’s speakers and volunteers. Gons wrote “Hier zijn we” during her tenure as Poet Laureate of the Netherlands (2023–2025).