Piter Tjeerdsma and Syds Wiersma appointed as member of the Fryske Akademy

Tjeerdsma and Wiersma received their awards from Nelleke IJssennagger-van der Pluijm, director-administrator of the Fryske Akademy, at the 87th Akademydei. Breimer will be honoured at a later date.

De leden binne wichtich as ambassadeurs foar de Fryske Akademy, dy't oantrune wurde om aktyf mei te tinken op it mêd fan it wittenskiplik ûndersyk en de maatskiplike posysje fan 'e Fryske Akademy. Mar boppe alles is it lidmaatskip in erkenning fan immens wittenskiplike of kulturele fertsjinsten.

The members are important ambassadors for the Fryske Akademy, who are encouraged to actively contribute ideas in the field of scientific research and the social position of the Fryske Akademy. But above all, membership is a recognition of a person's scientific or cultural achievements.

About the new members Tjeerdsma and Wiersma

The laudatory speeches were written and delivered on Akademy Day by Rev. Liuwe Westra. Below is a short excerpt.

Piter Tjeerdsma (resident of Grou)

Until his retirement, Piter Tjeerdsma was a programme maker at Omrop Fryslân, but his programmes reach far beyond the borders of our province. He has made a name for himself in the media world, particularly with his brilliant series of documentaries FryslânDOK, and in that respect he has put Fryslân on the map where the north of the Netherlands previously seemed to be a distant, white and low-lying area. Thanks to Piter Tjeerdsma, not only do we know better, but so do people outside Fryslân. This is not the result of a single stroke of luck or being in the right place at the right time, no, it is the result of 40 years of consistently delivering quality. And that deserves recognition.

Syds Wiersma (resident of Oudebildtzijl/Ouwe-Syl)

In addition to his incredible work at the Frisian Film and Audio Archive, which has brought us images of the first female Elfstedentocht skater in the hell of 1963, among other things, Syds Wiersma is also an experienced scholar, with a PhD on the medieval Catalan theologian Ramon Martí. He also passes on the Catalan link as a man of letters by translating the work of poets from Catalonia. As a result, Syds Wiersma's work is now also being translated into Catalan. All in all, he is a scholar in the best tradition of the Fryske Akademy, combining difficult Frisian source study with inspiration from beyond the borders, especially in other places where some of Europe's less powerful languages are spoken.

About the membership

Ever since the Fryske Akademy was founded, new Akademy members have been appointed every year. Donors and members of the Fryske Akademy can nominate people for appointment as members of the Fryske Akademy throughout the year. Traditionally, new members are appointed on Akademy Day by the director-administrator, who is assisted in this by an appointment committee.

The Fryske Akademy warmly congratulates the new members and looks forward to an inspiring future.

A photo report of the Akademydei will be online soon.

(Picture from left to right: Piter Tjeerdsma, Nelleke IJssennagger-van der Pluijm, Syds Wiersma. Photo: Marieke Balk)