Dies Fatalis

The Dies Fatalis is a yearly event that is organized by the Dies Fatalis Committee (a committee under LUC's student association Fortuna).

The Dies Fatalis is an event proposing a satirical and emotional take on our LUC experience in form of video and live performance. The first Dies Fatalis was held on May 25, 2013. The idea of a show like the Dies Fatalis was originally introduced by Aernout van Lynden, one of the professors of LUC, who had been involved in such a show before at the American University in Bulgaria.

History
The name Dies Fatalis is a reference to the annually celebrated Dies Natalis of Leiden University College. In its first years of existence, LUC used to throw quite pretentious Natalis parties, presenting the university college in all its glory; the Fatalis ‘friendly mocks’ this ‘glory’.

The Natalis is held at the beginning of the academic year and the Fatalis (the word itself hinting to ending and being fatal) at the end. The first Dies Fatalis was held at an old Municipal Swimming pool in The Hague turned into a theatre. It was aptly themed around the story of two fish after a story that was often recited by LUC’s first dean Prof. dr. Chris Goto-Jones during open days. The immediate point of the fish story, originally written by David Foster Wallace, is that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about.

It was also during this first show that the Fishy-awards were introduced. Both students and staff members can with Fishy Awards in different categories that come back every year, except for one yearly-changing category. All the students and staff members can select and vote for their favorite nominees. The winner of a Fishy Award receives an award statue and a dead fish in a zip-lock bag.

Organization
The Dies Fatalis is organized by the Board of the committee which normally consists of 5 LUC students. The content of the Dies Fatalis is produced by LUC students and Staff members and features different skits on the LUC society and its particularities. Usually over a hundred students voluntarily help organizing the show.

All current students and LUC alumni are invited to the event. There is usually a VIP list including members of previous boards and special relations of the LUC community, like old staff members.