By Roy Lie Atjam
A Diplomat Club has been launched in The Hague on 27 September 2022. The launching ceremony event was at the historical Restaurant ‘t Jagertje.
Mr Gilbert Monod de Froideville, Honorary Chamberlain and Former Master of Ceremonies of HM Queen Beatrix, delivered the welcome address.
Mr Gilbert Monod de Froideville recounted how the idea of establishing a Diplomat Club came about. In brief, this is what he said. ”while having dinner at ‘t Jagertje a couple of months ago, I was admiring the pictures on the wall, they reminded me of 1950 when the restaurant housed a Diplomat Club.
Over dinner, my sons and I spoke about the pictures and the club. In the meantime, a close friend Auke Piek, who was also dining in the restaurant, came to our table to say hello. We included Auke in our conversation and he was impressed. He introduced his table mates, his wife Esther, Gerard Hofman and some other friends. We were all subsequently invited for an after-dinner chat.
Gerard Hofman of construction company in Maasdijk also got interested in the story and suggested looking into the possibility of re-establishing the club. It was decided the same evening to check the feasibility of re-establishing the club.
Pretty soon, actions were taken, and meetings were arranged with the appropriate authorities. I later had the honour of meeting with the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps about the project.”
Gilbert Monod de Froideville continued, “after receiving only positive reactions, a date was set for the inauguration, a website was developed, a committee of recommendation was formed. Please allow me to introduce the members of the committee of recommendation: H.E. Mr. Carlos Jose Arguello Gomez, Ambassador of the Republic of Nicaragua and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
Mrs. Karla Peijs, Former Minister of Transport and Public Works and former Queen’s Commissioner in the province of Zeeland.
Mr. Henne Schuwer, Former ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Brussels and Washington. Mr. Martin van Pernis, Former President of the Board of Siemens, the Netherlands and myself.
I would also like to express special thanks to H.E. Mr. Jamal Jama Ahmed Abdulla Al Musharakh, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, who has offered to sit on the board of the Diplomat Club.
We particularly appreciate the presence of so many ambassadors, since we really need YOU to make this Diplomat Club successful. And we hope that the Diplomat Club will become a place where many diplomats will meet in an informal and friendly setting, where insights can be shared and international cooperation can be increased.”
The idea is to give every diplomat the opportunity to meet on Tuesday evenings from 17.00 to 19.00h, with a special focus on young diplomats, working in The Hague or abroad.
“I appeal to all of you, Ambassadors, to encourage your own diplomats to play an active role in coming to this Club in order to bring together a convivial group of individuals and to give this Club an indispensable place in social life among diplomats in The Hague.
Finally, I would like to thank the management of ‘t Jagertje for their hospitality and willingness to make their restaurant available for the Diplomat Club, to Esther and Auke (Robin) for their great assistance in the preparation and in particular Mr Gerard Hofman for his continuous efforts to reestablish this club and making it financially possible.”
The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Carlos Arguello Gomez, officially inaugurated the Diplomat Club.
Ambassador Carlos Arguello Gomez was reminiscent of how he met Mr Monod de Froideville the day he presented his letters of credence to HM Queen Beatrix.
H.E. Carlos Arguello Gomez, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the Netherlands is very pleased with the initiative and wishes the Diplomat Club every success. He went on to officially inaugurate the Diplomat Club.
Many had turn out to attend the festive launching ceremony of the Diplomat Club. In attendance were Ambassadors and diplomats representing over 15 nations such as: Afghanistan, Angola, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Qatar, Thailand, UAE, just to name a few.
A Jazz band animated the evening. The Diplomat Club’s first meeting will be at ‘t Jagertje on 4 October 2022.
It has been a successful inaugural ceremony.
