By Jan van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague
The Hague has been the city of peace and justice for 125 years. From the first International Peace Conference back in 1899 and the construction of the Peace Palace to the conglomerate of international organisations and courts today. Many of these are concentrated in the International Zone near Scheveningen.
This zone is part of the coastal strip where the occupiers in the Second World War demolished all the buildings to make way for the construction of the Atlantic Wall and a clear line of fire. The symbolism that it is here and in the rest of The Hague that thousands of people work on peaceful conflict resolution and international law every day will appeal to everyone.
Yet this world of diplomacy and justice is very remote from the world of a large proportion of the population in The Hague. It is therefore important that we make peace, law and justice relevant to our residents in their daily lives.
And it’s not just about international law. National civil and criminal law also fail to engage many people. Until they are involved as a suspect or witness. That can make a big impression. Court buildings are often imposing or even intimidating. That commands respect but also creates distance.
It is sometimes better to bring justice closer. Occasionally, ‘ordinary’ judges in our country go to the scene of a crime or dispute. In long-running TV programmes like De Rijdende Rechter, for example, in which Judge John Reid solves disputes and conflicts between neighbours, this has been happening for years. Each episode always ends with an official legal judgement with which both parties are bound to comply.
In The Hague, we do things slightly differently. Last year, we started alternative dispute resolution in Moerwijk. This type of local arbitration has now been adopted in other places in the Netherlands and beyond where people live in densely populated areas, creating many complex situations. For example, disputes between families and neighbours, antisocial behaviour on the street or people causing problems to themselves and others due to the challenges they face. It is not primarily about who’s right and who’s wrong. It’s about how we ensure that people sort out their lives and are able to live together.
This is the approach taken in Moerwijk, as well as at several secondary schools in The Hague. Students take on the roles involved in our legal system and tackle minor misdemeanours and disputes at school themselves. Not by imposing severe punishments but by solving problems. To ensure that everyone can coexist in the school environment.
In The Hague, city of peace and justice, there is more going on than just the world of the Peace Palace and International courts of justice. It’s also about experiencing law and justice in the neighbourhood and at school.
