By Jhr. Mr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland LL M, Justice (Judge) in the (Dutch) Court of Appeal and honorary Special Advisor International Affairs (since 2004) of the City of The Hague.
In 1950 on the 9th of May the French official Jean Monnet (‘the father of modern Europe’), the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Schuman and the West German ‘Bundeskansler’ Konrad Adenauer presented a plan – ‘The Schuman Plan’– for cooperation between the two old enemies France and Germany. Soon afterwards The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and Luxemburg joined and that was the start of what now is the European Union.
Every year on that same day – May 9th- Europe celebrates ‘Europe Day’. Of course The Hague participates, with no less than four European institutions based in that city: Europol, Eurojust, the Representation of the European Commission and the Informationbureau of the European Parliament. And of course all 28 EU member states have an embassy in the Hague.
On Monday May 9th the official opening will take place at the City Hall (‘Atrium’) of an exhibition on peace and justice in Europe, more specifically on the work and activities of Europol and Eurojust. From 4.30 pm onwards you are welcome. At 5 pm the director of the Foreign Press Association Mr Jan Hennop will welcome you and then the Mayor of The Hague, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Jozias van Aartsen will open the exhibition. Two more speakers will follow. First Mr Ale Ferzat , a well known cartoonist from Syria who was awarded the Sacharov prize in 2011 and then Mr Peter Altmeier, cabinet minister in Germany, to be followed by a reception at about 5.30 pm.
