(Meppel, NL, 1952) is a writer, agricultural scientist and columnist. In her novels De Kosmopolieten (The Cosmopolitans, 2003), De Tuin van de Sultan van Rome (The Roman Sultan's Garden, 2005) and De Utopisten (The Utopians, 2007) idealism, power, and friendship play important roles. Subsequently, she published Nieuwe Spijswetten (New Laws for Food, 2006), Hamburgers in het paradijs. Voedsel in tijden van schaarste en overvloed (Hamburgers in paradise. Food in times of shortage and abundance, 2012), Kruisbestuiving. Over kennis, kunst en het leven (Pollination. About knowledge, art and life, 2014) and various others works among which Verraad, Verleiding en Verzoening (Treason, Temptation and Reconciliation, 2010, with Helen Westerik). Fresco's Paradijs (Fresco's Paradise, 2013) is a six-part documentary TV-series broadcast by Human, published with an accompanying text. In 2014 she was appointed chair of the executive board at Wageningen University and Research. Her latest novel De Idealisten (The Idealists) will be published late January 2018.

(Rozenburg, NL, 1976) is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. She interviewed her own parents for her series Veerboot naar Holland (Ferry to Holland), about five Turkish families emigrating to the Netherlands. She followed this up in 2012 with Ik zie een verre reis (I See a Long Journey Ahead), about her sister and two friends who want to return to Turkey. Born and raised in the Netherlands, the girls used to sing along with Dutch crooner Marco Borsato as kids. However, embittered by the aftermath of 9/11, they now read Turkish newspapers, watch Turkish television, and support Turkish football teams. After her journalism studies, Ekiz first worked for the Rotterdams Dagblad daily newspaper. In 2003 she went to Iraq as a reporter, and later became a correspondent in Istanbul for RTL Nieuws, BNR Nieuwsradio, the NMO (a Muslim radio and TV station), and the news agency GPD, among others. Back in the Netherlands she worked as an editor for "Pauw & Witteman," a popular late-night TV talk show, and was a panellist for the women's talk show "Vrouw & Paard". IN 2016, Dutch public television network VARA broadcast her six-part documentairy series De Pen en Het Zwaard, in which she visits journalists in countries where rulers try to silence them.

(Brummen, NL, 1959 - Amsterdam, 2016) was a poet, journalist, and media presenter. At a young age he debuted as a poet in the Dutch literary magazine Hollands Maandblad. Since then he has published books of poetry quite regularly, such as Neem me mee zei de hond (Take Me With You Said the Dog, 2010). After the publication of his first collection Inslag (Impact, 1985), he began working as an interviewer for the VPRO broadcasting company. Later he became head producer of the Radio 6 programme "De Avonden." Since 2005  he talked to writers on VPRO's book programme "Boeken" on both TV and radio. He put together Briefgeheimen (Postcard Secrets, 2007), a colourful compilation of postcards linked to a website where people can divulge their deepest secrets. Overkomst dringend gewenst (Return Voyage Urgently Requested), his anthology of the work of poet Jan Emmens, was published in 2012, and his most recent poetry collection, 's Middags zwem ik in de Noordzee (In the Afternoons I Swim in the North Sea) in 2014. Brands was one of the "Lonely Departure" poets who compose and present a final poetic tribute to people who pass away without friends or family.