By Joe Ray.
Food, music and the autumn sunshine were enjoyed by thousands on 3 September as the annual Embassy Festival returned to Laange Voorhout in The Hague.
For additional Roy Strik’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157675051434175
The 2016 edition of this vibrant international event was bigger and more animated than ever. The festival strives to bring a wave of global culture to The Hague, and this year’s festivities did not disappoint.
Video by Mirza Kamram:
Forty-three embassies participated, each proudly showcasing the best of their national cuisine and culture. More than 50 artists performed across three stages, while dozens of national costumes formed a moving patchwork of colour beneath the trees.
Throughout the day, the famous boulevard heaved with visitors – some 35,000 came to enjoy the occasion.
Crowds thronged cheerily from stand to stand, enjoying ice cream from the Philippines or pausing to sample wine from Azerbaijan.
Hundreds gathered to appreciate an energetic display of traditional Rwandan dancing, while visitors to the Russian stand were treated to authentic pastila sweets from a traditional recipe unchanged for centuries.
In the afternoon, ambassadors and dignitaries gathered in a function room of the splendid Des Indes Hotel for a reception.
His Excellency Dr Brett Mason, Ambassador of Australia to the Netherlands, delivered a short address to guests in which he highlighted ‘Aussie Oktober’ – an embassy initiative which celebrates the close Australian-Dutch relationship and marks 400 years since Dirk Hartog became the first European to land on the West Australian coast.
The Ambassador added that Australians and Dutch enjoy shared futures and dreams, and that the countries’ bilateral relationship is strong and enduring.
Deputy Mayor of The Hague Ingrid van Engelshoven observed in her remarks that the Embassy Festival continues to grow each year. As well as providing entertainment, she explained, the festival helps promote The Hague’s ideals of peace and justice, which begin with people getting to know each other.
Following the reception, invitees returned to the Laange Voorhout where the festival continued into the evening.
