Leiden University: Knowledge to the neighbourhood on Day of Empathy

The tuktuk of the European City Of Science Leiden 2022 sent science on its way to the neighbourhood. In the town center of Oegstgeest, the Empathy Team, consisting of Liesbeth van Vliet, Hinke Hoffstadt, Yvette van der Linden and Jenny van der Steen, took interested visitors on a journey into the experience of empathy. Relive the day of empathy in the photo report.

As part of the European City of Science, the empathy team organised Tuesday 3 May (Day of Empathy), a day for spreading more knowledge about empathy. Empathy can make an important difference in communication, for example when talking to a sick friend or neighbour. Research by Liesbeth van Vliet and colleagues shows that terminally ill patients feel better when treated by more empathic doctors.

During the experience route visitors could experience in an interactive way the importance of empathy in the last phase of life. Visitors could register in advance, or were invited by means of a flyer at the market in Oegstgeest to visit the experience route. The visitors were welcomed with coffee and tea, after which they could start their experience route in one of the four rooms. In these rooms, they could talk to experts or researchers, look at art objects or participate in a small theatre play.