On July 28th, the Embassy of Peru to the Netherlands together with Hilton’s BlueBlood Restaurant in The Hague, celebrate Peru and its culinary tradition through a delicious food marathon, under the direct supervision of Chef Luis Rojas.
As Diplomat Magazine is supporting the event, we talked to Chef Rojas about his passion for food, vast experience and love for Peruvian traditions.
As he recalls, some of his warmest childhood memories in Peru are related to food, to going to the market with his mother and choosing fresh ingredients for their family.
He says: ‘I started cooking when I was only 14 year old and I remember being especially inspired by how my mother managed to make the most savory and delicious dishes with the simplest ingredients’.
After he completed his studies in culinary school in Peru, he started working as a professional cook in different countries, and the list is quite impressive: Chile, Brazil, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and now, The Netherlands. He has fond memories from everywhere, he worked in a Michelin-Star restaurant in Brazil, worked for Marriott in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and he is now the Head Chef at the BlueBlood Restaurant at the prestigious Hilton The Hague.
He traveled the world looking for inspiration, always learning new techniques and discovering ‘secrets’ about fine cuisine. He also experienced cooking fusion Indian-Peruvian foods, as both usually use lots of spices.
‘Coming to Europe offered me additional opportunities to learn new cooking techniques and experience high quality local ingredients’, he mentions.
At Hilton he is managing a professional team where, he says, ‘good atmosphere is everything. I need to feel comfortable in the kitchen, I am not the boss; I am part of my team. We cook together, make authentic food together and always add a little bit of magic to it’.
He says his favorite dish is Peruvian Ceviche, a spicy food which he prepared even for royal guests at Blueblood restaurant. When talking about his local guests, he says that ‘Dutch people like to go out to eat a lot, and they like doing it in style. They like good food and quality wines and they are always eager to try new foods, they also like spices’.
He is proud of his national heritage. He says: ‘one of my main goals is to present Peruvian food to the world because it has a lot of history and it is so rich in ingredients. Peru has more than 2000 different kinds of chilly, 200 different types of potatoes, there is a lot to discover and experiment’.
Chef Luis Rojas at Hilton’s Blueblood Restaurant, The Hague.
Because of that, he had the idea of a Peruvian Food Festival at Hilton. He has done similar projects in Abu Dhabi, in cooperation with the Peruvian Consulate.
‘In The Hague, I presented the idea to the Peruvian Ambassador, H. E. Marisol Flavia Aguero Colunga, who was very receptive and immediately agreed to participate to it. We are planning the event together’.
The event, with more than 20 different traditional Peruvian and Nikkei inspired dishes on the menu, is expected to be attended by around 100 guests, hosted by Hilton’s exquisite BlueBlood Restaurant.
Chef Rojas hopes that this will become an established annual event which will attract many people and will bring Peruvian food to everyone’s attention.
This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute which established the International Criminal Court. Different commemoration events will be organized with a view to celebrate this extraordinary achievement of the international community. This includes an exhibit entitled “Common bonds” in The Hague, which opens on 12 July, a commemoration event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 17 July, the day when the Rome Statute was adopted, and an event in Rome on 12 and 13 October.
Looking back at the Rome Diplomatic conference in July 1998, what were the hopes then when deciding on the creation of the world’s first permanent International Criminal Court? How much has been achieved, and how much is yet to be fulfilled?
At the end of the diplomatic conference, on 17 July 1998, an enthusiastic crowd of representatives of States and civil society hailed the adoption of the treaty – the “Rome Statute” – creating the first international permanent criminal court to investigate and try perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Rome Statute also covered the crime of aggression, but only in a programmatic way pending an agreement on its definition and other requirements, which could only be attained some years later.
Expectations were high. The creation of the Court was based on the belief that prosecuting those responsible for the worst atrocities would not only bring remedy for past crimes but also prevent others in the future, thus contributing to international peace and security.
In the 25 years that followed, the Court demonstrated its capacity to investigate and prosecute in situations in Africa, Asia, America and Europe. It also showed that it was possible to involve the victims and survivors of the crimes in its proceedings and to repair the harm suffered by thousands of them, with the assistance of the Trust Fund for Victims.
Notwithstanding these achievements, the Court has not been able to meet the expectation that all atrocities, wherever committed, would be addressed. This is because the Court can, in principle, only intervene in those situations where States directly concerned are parties to its founding treaty. This leaves entire situations beyond its reach and is the reason why achieving universality is so important.
The Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened at the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague, The Netherlands.
As President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, and former President of the International Criminal Court, what are the challenges that you foresee for this institution in the future?
The main challenge is to ensure that the Court can indeed address all atrocity crimes equally. Today, the Rome Statute has 123 States Parties, a significant number that comprises two thirds of the international community, but still insufficient to achieve the Court’s global aspirations. Increasing this number to attain universal participation is thus of crucial importance. Another important challenge is to ensure sufficient political support and resources for the Court as well as concrete cooperation for its investigations and prosecutions. The Court has no intelligence service, police, or army of its own. It relies entirely on the cooperation of States, organizations, and civil society to collect evidence, protect witnesses, arrest suspects, and provide victims access to justice and reparations.
In a world that is becoming more polarized than in the 1990s, and in the midst of violent conflicts, how do you think the Assembly and the Court should proceed to be able to meet the expectations of the victims around the globe?
In our turbulent world, justice is more necessary than ever. It is thus crucial that the Court can deliver justice to its full potential. Currently, the Assembly is undertaking, together with the Court and civil society, a holistic review that aims at strengthening the Rome Statute system by accelerating proceedings and improving the performance, governance, and work culture of the Court. Among other initiatives, the Assembly has already implemented measures and practices to improve the selection of judges and other high officials, in recognition that the Court can only be as good as the individuals that are trusted with its important functions.
However, to meet the expectations of all victims of the world, it is necessary not only to deliver high quality justice at the Court but also to contribute to justice efforts undertaken by others. Fighting impunity for massive crimes cannot be and was never intended to be the work of the Court alone. On the contrary, the Court was created as a complementary institution of last resort.
It is a welcomed development that nowadays, despite adverse current circumstances, the international community has redoubled its demand for justice and initiatives to that effect have multiplied. In addition to proceedings by the Court and other international tribunals, more States are willing to exercise jurisdiction over international crimes at the national level, and international mechanisms are set up to assist in the collection and preservation of evidence. Furthermore, a new treaty was adopted in Slovenia, a few weeks ago, to facilitate inter-State cooperation for the investigation and prosecution of these crimes, which will be opened for signature in The Hague early next year. We witness the gradual emergence of a global justice system, or a justice “eco-system”, within which international and national courts have a role to play. In this context, the Court and the Assembly must join forces with all those involved in justice efforts to help to consolidate this system.
Many major powers have not ratified the Rome Statute, some of them were or are openly hostile to the ICC. Does this affect the cohesion of the Assembly of States Parties and its commitment to defend its Court?
The lack of universal participation in the Rome Statute affects the effectiveness of the system. We need more States to join, big or small. Open hostility against the Court, when it translates into threats and attacks, seeks to frustrate its core mandate by undermining its independence and integrity.
These attempts are extremely grave and need to be countered effectively. These are not just hypothetical dangers. We have already witnessed economic sanctions being imposed against the former Prosecutor and one of her directors, which were lifted by the new US administration in April 2021. When these sanctions were imposed, States and civil society mobilized against them, demonstrating their commitment to the Court. I trust the same resolve will be shown to counter the reprisals by the Russian Federation against the Prosecutor and judges involved in the Ukraine situation.
The Assembly has recently adopted a mechanism to be followed in case of threats and attacks against the Court, its officials and staff, and any other person cooperating with it. This mechanism intended to improve coordination within the Assembly and to contribute to a robust collective response is without prejudice to any other initiative that may be taken by individual States or civil society.
The twenty-first session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened today at the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague, The Netherlands.
Finally, as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Rome Statute, what message you would like to leave our readers, here in the Netherlands, with?
The Court has its seat in the city of The Hague, which has now become the symbol of justice against the worst crimes and a beacon of hope for victims of all over the world. I encourage all those in the Netherlands that have not yet done so to visit its beautiful premises, to see the Court in action and get to know more about its goals and achievements. This year is a particularly good occasion to do this as we commemorate the twenty fifth anniversary of its historic creation. In 1998, the Court was an idea seeking to be realized. Now that we confront an increasingly fragmented world, it is the time to join our efforts again to preserve the bonds that united us at the time of its creation.
Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi is the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute. She was President of the International Criminal Court (2015 – 2018) and served as a judge (2010 – 2018). She played a leading role in multilateral efforts to create the International Criminal Court (ICC), by presiding over the entire negotiating process of the ICC criminal procedure provisions in the Rome Statute and the Rules of Procedure and Evidence (1995 – 2000); as Vice President of the Ad Hoc Committee and the Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of the ICC, which led to the Rome Conference (1995 – 1998); as Vice President of the Committee of the Whole (the negotiating forum) and President of the Working Group on criminal procedures in 1998; and as part of the Preparatory Commission of the International Criminal Court (2001 – 2002).
The Hague, the 29th anniversary of Rwanda’s liberation, was celebrated on the 4th of July 2023 under the theme “Together we prosper”. The Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda hosted the Kwibohora29 celebration with an elegant reception at the Marriott Hotel The Hague.
H.E. Ambassador Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, his spouse and the Embassy team welcomed more than 150 guests including members of the diplomatic community, hight-ranking representatives of the Dutch government, representatives of international organizations, leaders of the Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda.
The breakdown of the program. Dutch National Anthem, Rwandan National Anthem, immediately followed by a Kwibohora29 video.
Ms. Martine Van Hoogstraten, Deputy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa’s desk of the Ministry of Foreign The Hague, delivered her remarks at the Liberation Day festivities, she made the following statement:
“I am honoured to stand here in commemoration of the 29th Liberation Day and the celebration of the 61st Independence Day of the Republic of Rwanda. While we celebrate this memorable moment, let us also reflect on the many obstacles Rwanda had to overcome. The decades that followed on independence were characterized by turbulence and trials. Ethnic tensions and political conflicts often intertwined, leading to acts of violence against innocent civilians.
Ms. Martine Van Hoogstraten, Deputy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa’s desk of the Ministry of Foreign The Hague.
Tragically, these events reached a devastating climax with the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. The genocide destroyed the lives of countless Rwandans, including those of moderate Hutu and others who opposed the atrocities. To honour the victims, our Director General, Mr. Marcel de Vink, participated in a Kwibuka ceremony held in Amsterdam on the 19th of April this year. During the event, he assisted in the unveiling of a commemorative statue in the Beatrixpark.
Exemplifying our longstanding collaboration in the field of justice, a high level delegation from the Rwandan justice sector recently visited the Netherlands. During this visit, the delegation members met with esteemed institutions such as our Supreme Court and the International Criminal Court (ICC). These fruitful exchanges of perspectives benefitted both sides involved.”
Hoogstraten further stated, in line with the new Africa strategy of the Netherlands “I would like to emphasise the importance of reciprocity. The relationship between our countries is now characterised by enhanced bilateral trade rather than development aid. This new focus marks a significant milestone in our bilateral relations. It is fitting to highlight this today, during this celebration of independence and emancipation.
By working as equal partners, we can jointly find solutions for global threats to peace and security, such as Russia’s war against Ukraine. The vicinity of both our countries to armed conflict shows that peace is never self-evident. In light of the escalating tensions in Eastern DRC, I encourage Rwanda to maintain open lines of communication with its neighbouring countries and actively pursue the de-escalation of tensions in the Great Lakes Region. “
The Keynote address was delivered by H.E. Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda.
The Ambassador commenced his keynote address as follows. Some extracts.
“ My wife Virginie, the whole staff of the Embassy of Rwanda and I wish to thank you all for finding time on your busy schedule to be with us today. I will only take a few minutes of your time to tell you why you were invited and what we are celebrating. This evening, we are not celebrating a national day only. We are celebrating values and principles – actually three sets of values: (1) togetherness and prosperity, (2) friendship and cooperation, and (3) multilateralism and international law.
Rwanda Independence and Liberation Day, 4 July 2023.
We are celebrating togetherness and prosperity on the occasion of the National Day of Rwanda, which is a two-in-one event. Today 4th July 2023 is first and foremost the 29th anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation Day, which marks the day on which the forces of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) overthrew the ethnic regime that was committing the genocide against the Tutsi for the previous hundred days.
The official theme of this Liberation Day is “Together We Prosper”. Those two words “together” and “prosper” are equally important. Indeed, unity, reconciliation and togetherness were critical in July 1994 to rebuild today’s Rwanda, because it’s the destruction of the social fabric of our country over several decades, through a divisive ideology that was entertained by the colonial administration and two successive regimes, which led to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. As for prosperity, it was the blueprint of the government of Rwanda since the end of the genocide, which led to a significant socio-economic transformation that we all witnessed over the past 29 years.
Today’s national day is a two-in-one event as I said earlier, because we also mark the 61st anniversary of the Independence of Rwanda, which was recovered on July 1st, 1962, after more than six decades of colonisation.
Some of the ambassadors attending Rwanda Independence and Liberation Day 4 July 2023.
This evening, we are also celebrating friendship and cooperation. Friendship of Rwanda with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but also with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, to which I am also accredited as non-resident Ambassador. Those three Baltic States have become solid economies since their independence and reliable partners of Rwanda, to which they serve as development models, especially in e-governance, FinTech, manufacturing industry and technology.
The Netherlands is also a shareholder of our “prosperity”, to which they contributed by their significant and growing trade and investments with Rwanda, as well as cooperation in critical sectors such as agriculture and water resources management. As the two countries have now transitioned from aid to trade, we hope that our friendship and cooperation will continue to flourish.
Finally, we are today celebrating multilateralism and international law. This celebration is sometimes necessary in this troubled world; and there was no better city on this planet where we can do that other than The Hague, the international city of peace and justice. Rwanda, as a small country on the map but great in ideas, firmly believes in multilateralism, which is a kind of “international togetherness”. We all know our divergent geostrategic interests and the tensions and conflicts in our respective regions, but we believe that institutions such as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are playing a critical role in bridging the gaps between nations and building a better world free of chemical weapons. As we cannot all of us be “like-minded”, I hope that we will at least remain “open-minded” and continue supporting this organization and its work.
Rwanda also appreciates the contribution of The Hague-based international courts to peace, justice and international law. Beyond the internationally-renowned jurisdictions, I would take this opportunity to congratulate and highlight the work done by three institutions in the promotion of international law. Those are (1) The Hague Academy of International Law, which celebrated its centenary this year; (2) the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which will celebrate its 125th anniversary next year; and (3) The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), which Rwanda has just decided to join.
H.E. Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of Rwanda together with Ms. Martine Van Hoogstraten, Deputy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Let me conclude my remarks by making an obvious toast, together with Mrs Van Hoogstraten, whom I invite to join me: “To our togetherness and prosperity, to our friendship and cooperation; and to multilateralism and international law”.
Traditional Rwandan dance performers animated the reception.
Amsterdam, 29 June 2023, H.E. Mr Giorgio Novello, Ambassador of Italy in the Netherlands together with H.E. Mr Juan (Ady) Thijsen, Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba, organized a cordial event at the Italian Cultural Institute in Amsterdam which is part of the Italian Diplomatic Mission in the Netherlands.
The Italian Cultural Institute in Amsterdam served as a backdrop for the special Aruba – Italy evening. This evening we are going to explore the connections and relations between Italy and one of the four countries which constitute the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba.
Ambassador Giorgio Novello who is at the heart of this initiative will be our first speaker. Ambassador Giorgio Novello touched on many aspects of the event. He addressed the audience in Papiamentu, Dutch and English. In part, this is what he said in Papiamentu:
Kara amigonan, bon biní na Instituto Cultural Italiano na Amsterdam caminda awe anochi tin un evento sumamente special pa nos. Mi ta hopi agradecido na Ministro Plenipotenciario Juan Thijsen, kende ta un bon amigo di mi, cu kende mi deseo ta pa cuminsa awe anochi un colaboracion cu lo dura durante lunanan y añanan cu ta bin.
The public roared! A prolonged applause followed. The text was composed by the Ambassador just hours before the presentation.
The speech in Dutch, “sinds twee jaar ben ik Ambassadeur van Italië in Nederland. Ik heb veel belangrijke dagen meegemaakt, maar vandaag is een speciale dag.”
Ambassador Giorgio Novello went on to state.
“Since my arrival here, I have harbored a strong desire to collaborate with Aruba. I am well aware that the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprises four equal nations. During my time in the Caribbean, I had the opportunity to work with the French and even visited Saint Martin, crossing the land border between France and the Netherlands on a motorcycle.
While studying law at university, I closely followed the developments surrounding the separate statute with great interest. Consequently, I have always deemed it crucial to strive for the position of Italian Ambassador in Aruba as well.
In due course, I had the pleasure of meeting the remarkable Minister of Aruba, Mr. Thijsen. Together, we formed a trio, uniting Thijsen’s office, the Italian Embassy, and the Italian Cultural Institute. I would like to express my gratitude to the exceptional director, Ms. Paola Cordone, for hosting us tonight at the institute.
Ambassador Novello during his speech at the Italian Cultural Institut in Amsterdam.
My passion lies in exploring the parallels, similarities, and exchange of experiences between Italy and the Netherlands. There is always room for mutual learning, and this extends to the relationship between Italy and Aruba.
Undoubtedly, Italy and Aruba are two distinct countries with their own unique characteristics. However, there is a strong sense of affinity between us, as we share many common traits. In fact, I consider myself a genuine friend of Thijsen, not only due to the respect I hold for his esteemed position but also because of the deep connection we have established.
Moreover, I have come to recognize numerous other similarities that exist between our nations. Although I will mention ten of these parallels, I will refrain from listing them in a specific order, as they pertain to various aspects of our shared interests.
Tourism – For both countries, tourism is essential for the economy. The number of tourists in Italy in 2022 was 252 million. About 10,000 Italians go to Aruba every year.
Green Economy – In recent years, both countries have been experiencing a moment of transition to a greener and more sustainable economy. An excellence in our case is waste recycling, in fact, we are the country with the highest recycling % in Europe. But Aruba is no different, here you can see the transition of an old refinery into a new generation hydrogen factory
Multilingualism – According to a Unesco survey, 31 languages are currently spoken in Italy, including Italian and various dialects. The most spoken and remembered Italian dialects are: Veneto, Neapolitan, Friulian, Piedmontese, Sardinian, Lombard, Emilian and Romagna, Sicilian and Ligurian.
One of the great things about Aruba is multilingualism. In Italy it can be seen as vertical, meaning that there are many language groups that coexist. In Aruba, on the other side, it is horizontal because the same people speak all languages such as Papiamento, Spanish, English and Dutch.
International Organisations – Italy is a member of all the most important international organizations in the world. G20, G7, Council of Europe, NATO, OECD, OPCW (we have the vice presidency), ICC and many others. Only 2 are missing: the security council (in which we were included in the league of nations) and the organization of Caribbean states of which our fantastic Aruba is a part.
Being an Island- Italy is a peninsula because we are surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea but taking into account the presence of the Alps in the north, we can consider ourselves almost an island; Sicily, Sardinia and Elba are the 3 largest and most important islands in Italy; Venice is an island city; Aruba, from above looks very similar to Venice.
Navigation – Evento Margottini nel porto di rotterdam di due settimane fa. Italy ranks first in the world in terms of trade balance in the shipbuilding sector; first in the sector of pleasure or sports yachts and vessels. For the superyacht category, the volume of orders amounted to 49.3% of the total number in the world (December 2022.) According to the latest data (March 2022), the Italian Navy fleet consists of 53 armed units. 2,550 boats fly the Italian flag, for a total amount of 15.252.137 GT.
Geopolitical Dimension – Italy is a European country with the north belonging to Central Europe while the southernmost part (such as Lampedusa) belongs to the African continental shelf. While Arubans are Caribbean, Europeans and Americans at the same time.
Cultural Heritage – Italy is very proud of its cultural heritage, a history spanning 3,000 years and the first country in the world for assets on the UNESCO heritage list. As far as Aruba is concerned, I will leave the word to the minister who surely knows more than I do, but this photo of Oranjestad speaks for itself.
Music & Cuisine – Finally, the last 2 parallels are Music and Cuisine. For these last 2 topics I have no slides because you will be able to see and try them tonight for real.”
Aruba Minister guests.
Mr Juan (Ady) Thijsen, Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba made the following statement.
H.E. Mr Giorgio Novello, Ambassador of Italy in The Hague, Mrs. Paola Cardone director of Instituto Italiano di Cultura in Amsterdam. Ladies and gentlemen. Good evening, Buona Sera, Bon Nochi.
First of all I would like to thank Ambassador Giorgio Novello and director of the Instituto Italiano di Cultura Mrs. Paola Cardone for this beautiful event “Aruba and Italy meet” Aruba, va a ruba – Aruba y Italia ta topa. Thank you for giving Aruba the opportunity to profile our beautiful island.
“Aruba is a Dutch island, located in the Southern Caribbean Sea at 18 miles of the coast of Venezuela and has a population of approximately 110 thousand inhabitants. Aruba is a constitutional state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. After a long struggle, Aruba obtained its autonomous status in 1986. Aruba has its own national anthem and flag of which we are very proud. Together with our Kingdom partners we have the obligation to guarantee good governance, legal certainty and protection of the human rights.
I have the privilege and honor to serve my country for 18 years now. From 2005 till 2021 in the parliament of Aruba, of which the last four years as president of the parliament of Aruba. In 2022 I became the Representative for Aruba at the European Union in Brussel and the Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba in the Hague. The Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba plays a very important role in the development of the island. Together with the staff and personnel we have established our vision and policy for the years to come. Aruba has to be visible and Aruba has to strengthen its relationships within the Kingdom and outside the Kingdom.
As regards the European Union, Aruba is a member of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA), which gives us good opportunities in terms of obtaining support for important projects. Aruba is also an observer in CARICOM. The Caribbean Community promotes and supports a unified Caribbean Community that is inclusive, resilient, competitive; sharing in economic, social and cultural prosperity. We are evaluating the possibility of becoming an associate member.
Aruba has an advantage. Most Arubans speak four languages: our own language Papiamento, Spanish, English and Dutch. Our language Papiamento emerged from the Spanish and Portuguese creole languages that developed in the West Africa coast. It has many similarities with Cape Verdean creole and Guinea-Bissau creole. Besides in Aruba, the Papiamento language is also spoken in Curaçao and Bonaire, yet there is a slight difference in the way it is written and spoken. Whereas Papiamento in Aruba has a more etymological based spelling, Curaçao and Bonaire have a phonological based spelling.
Next to our beautiful language Papiamento, we have our cultural values in music, dance and art. We celebrate San Juan/Dera Gai Festival in June and the Dande Festival in December. And our famous Carnaval celebration in February/March. Tonight we will give you a little taste of our carnival music of calypso and also little carnival show with beautiful costumes. We proudly present one of our famous artists Lord Cachete and the dancers of the carnival group Kingdom under the Sun of well-known Rossini van Wijk.
Before I finish my speech I have to mention that we are very proud of our Aruban soccer player Denzel Dumfries who plays for Inter in Italy. Siamo molto fieri di lui!! Finally I will close my speech with two quotes. I am a person who believes in connection, working together and make your dreams become reality. To realize that, you always have to act. So the first quote is from Dante Alighieri “Il segreto per fare le cose é agire” – the secrets of getting things done is to act. The second quote is a famous quote in Italy. “Chi trova un amico, trova un Tesoro” He who finds a friend, finds a treasure.
We consider excellency ambassador Giorgio Novello and the Italian people our friends. Since I met the ambassador I am convinced that we will have a very strong and beautiful relationship between our two countries.
We believe in the potential of Italy. We believe in the potential of Aruba. This can already be proven by the cooperation in the touristic industry between both countries, where recently, Aruba branded trams are making their rounds in Rome and Milan. I’m sure that much more cooperation can be established between both countries. We both know that we can climb mountains, but we also know that together we can climb higher mountains.
With its world famous pristine white sand beaches, year round warm sunny weather and its friendly people, Aruba is best known as “Aruba, one happy island”…. Aruba, l’ isola felice! So, we invite you to plan a visit to our island as we guarantee it will be un unforgettable experience.
Ancora una volta, grazie mille, soprattuto a coloro che hanno reso possibile questo evento. Godetevi la serata!
Grazie mille; Hopi danki
Many blessings, hopi bendicion, tante bendizioni! “
The program featured a genuine Arubian Carnivalesque ambience with dancers and a vibrant show by the renowned s Lord Cachete. To complete it all, finger food from the beautiful island of Sicily, but with a zest of the Caribbean to surprise you.
The “Aruba and Italy meet”, Aruba, va a ruba – Aruba y Italia ta topa, evening was a tremendous success !
Ambassador Giorgio Novello envisages co-organizing similar evenings with other partners of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
A delegation of mayors from the National Region Manila, the seat of government of The Philippines, with an estimated 15 million large population comprising 16 cities, visited several cities an organizations in The Netherlands for a study tour.
The delegation was led by Secretary Romando S. Artes, chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) a government organization responsible for amongst others development planning, solid waste disposal management and flood control and sewerage management.
In his welcoming speech Philippines’ ambassador to The Netherlands, His Excellency Jose Eduardo Malaya noted that “there are best practices and cutting-edge technologies available in the Netherlands which can be examined and considered for use in the Philippines, the visit is also in line with the sectors identified as priorities for cooperation at the Philippines-Netherlands Bilateral Consultations in June 2021, namely water and infrastructure, circular economy and sustainable development generally”.
Earlier this year President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved the proposal to establish a water resource management office under the Department of Environment and Natural resources, responsible for integration and harmonizing government efforts that will manage Philippine water resources. Such office is also responsible to “shepherd and champion, together with the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, the passage of a law creating an apex body such as the proposed Department of Water and/or a regulatory commission on water.”
During the study tour the mayors visited the Cities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam next to that a visit to Global Center on Adaptation, the AEB waste-to-energy plant, and the offices of Royal Haskoning, Deltares and Ocean Cleanup was on the program. The debate at The Hague city hall was focused on waste management as well as the management of water resources and its challenges. Since there’s no overall water and waste management “coordination” in The Netherlands, there was considerable interest in future developments in The Philippines with the express wish to exchange views and expertise.
The tour started with a welcoming dinner at the Kurhaus in Scheveningen which also included former deputy mayor of The Hague and member of Parliament Ries Smits and former city councillor and founder of Netherlands City Councillors Association (Nederlandsse Vereniging van Raadsleden) Anton Lutter, both have visited The Philippines several times.
The Philippines’ delegation also composed of MMDA Deputy Chairman Undersecretary Frisco S. San Juan, Jr., Caloocan (population 1.6 million) Mayor Dale Gonzalo R. Malapitan, Malabon (population 380.000) Mayor Jeannie N. Sandoval, Mandaluyong (population 425.000) Vice Mayor Carmelita A. Abalos, Muntinlupa (population 540.000) Mayor Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon, Navotas (population 247.000) Mayor John Reynald M. Tiangco, Pasay (population 440.000) Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, Pateros (population 63.000) Mayor Miguel F. Ponce III, Valenzuela (population 715.000) Mayor Weslie T. Gatchalian and the mayor of the most populated city of The Philippines Josefina G. Belmonte, Mayor of Quezon City (population 3 million) and lastly the Mayor of San Juan (population 126.000) Francisco Javier M. Zamora who is also the Chairman of Metro Manila Council, the governing and policy making body of the MMDA. Next to that several officials and city councillors were part of the delegation amongst them the President of the Metro Manila Councilors League as well as treasurer of the Philippine Councilors League Carolyn Cunanan.
Almost 50% of Philippines’ population live in cities, estimations are that about 84% are expected to live in urbanized areas by 2050. Manila is now the fourth largest urban area in the world and still growing every year. This rapid urbanization is accompanied with many environmental challenges like solid wastes problems and water problems. All these topics and more have been extensively discussed with a broad variety of organizations and companies in The Netherlands. As Ambassador Jose Eduardo Malaya emphasized in his speech in The Hague city hall “The delegation’s visit contributes significantly to the deepening of PH-Netherlands partnership”
“The 9 July early presidential election was technically well-prepared”, – said Ambassador Urszula Gacek, head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observation mission during a press conference held today in Tashkent on the preliminary findings following the early presidential election in Uzbekistan.
The event was attended by the head of the election observation mission Urszula Gacek, her deputy Maša Janjušević, as well as media analyst Elma Šehalić.
“The election administration handled technical preparations effectively despite the compressed timeline set, and met legal deadlines”, – the head of the OSCE/ODIHR Mission stressed.
As Urszula Gacek noted, during the observation, the compliance of the elections with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as national legislation, was assessed.
The final report with an assessment of the entire electoral process and recommendations, according to the practice of the OSCE ODIHR, will be published a few months after the elections.
At the end of the press conference, Urszula Gacek, on behalf of the mission, thanked the Uzbek authorities for the invitation to observe the elections, as well as the Central Election Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their assistance.
Recall that the OSCE/ODIHR Presidential Election Observation Mission led by Ambassador Urszula Gacek was deployed on June 7 and included 11 international experts based in Tashkent and 24 long-term observers who were deployed throughout the country starting on June 14. On election day, 198 observers from 26 countries were involved.
A few times per year, Diplomat Magazine in cooperation with Leonardo Royal Hotel in The Hague organizes Food Festivals, where international Chefs selected by different embassies create special menus, full of authentic flavors, together with Chef Sido de Brabander.
Each Food Festival highlights a specific cuisine, from one of the countries represented in The Hague.
On March 16 and 17, 2023, the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in cooperation with Diplomat Magazine, organized at the Leonardo Royal Hotel some high gastronomy evenings. Presenting traditional food from Bosnia and Herzegovina, this was one of the biggest promotional events of this country in the Netherlands so far.
H.E. Ms. Beti Jacheva, Ambassador of North Macedonia and H.E. Mr. Almir Šahović, the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Leonardo Royal Hotel, one of the most prestigious places in the Dutch capital, ensured the elegant venue for the event, which was further enriched by a musical cultural program and a touristic presentation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The refined and special menu for the evening was elaborated and crafted under the close supervision of Chef Din Vreto, one of the eminent chefs from the famous restaurant Kibe Mahala in Sarajevo, coming especially for the event to work with Chef Sido de Brabander and his colleagues from Leonardo Royal Hotel. Together they presented a delicious and authentic 3-course Bosnian menu, enjoyed by hundreds of people during each of the two evenings of the gastronomic event.
Dr. Mayelinne De Lara, Diplomat Magazine’s Publisher and Mr Bert Kunders, former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador of Bosnia & Herzegovina and the Ambassador of Egypt, H.E. Mr. Hatem Kamaleldin and their spouses.
Over the years, the Kibe Mahala has catered for prominent figures from all over the world, including statesmen and politicians, representatives of international organizations and international artists.
The Food festival in The Hague also gathered distinguished guests, including high-ranking Dutch officials, ambassadors and top representatives of international organizations, friends of Bosnia and business people from different spheres.
Numerous producers of traditional food and wines from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina have joined, as partners, this event.
A group of Dutch and Bosnian musicians performed in front of the guests and completed the lovely ambience.
Before dinner started, H.E. Mr. Almir Sahovic, the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Netherlands warmly welcomed all guests. ‘I want to congratulate the two chefs for such a great job, the musicians for the refined performance, brilliantly combining Dutch and Bosnian music together’. He also thanked the great number of sponsors who made the gastronomic nights possible.
Chef Din Vreto, from Kibe Mahala.Bosnia and Herzegovina wines.
Suho meso (dried smoked meat) and Kupres cheese were among the displayed traditional specialties, together with many others and also good Bosnian wines.
The event also included a Tombola, with extremely generous and attractive prizes. The lucky winners received free passes to the famous Sarajevo Film Festival, accommodations at some of the most beautiful hotels in every region of the country, wines and other gifts.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Gastronomic Dinner.
H.E. Ambassador Almir Sahovic addressed the audience again saying: ‘I hope that this opportunity will convince you to come to Bosnia and Herzegovina, to discover it and see all its positive changes. And now, please enjoy the evening!’
On June 12, 2023, the embassy of Greece in The Hague, together with Diplomat Magazine, hosted the inauguration event of a beautiful photo exhibition entitled ‘Greece, Images of an Enchanted Land‘, by world-renowned photographer Robert McCabe. The Embassy presented the pictures that the American photographer took in Greece from the 50’s at the Atrium City Hall in The Hague.
H.E. Ms. Caterina Ghini, Ambassador of Greece to the Netherlands welcomed all the participants and officially launched the exhibition.
Greece, Images of an Enchanted Land.
In her opening speech she mentioned: ‘Robert McCabe made his first visit to Greece in 1954. He was instantly captivated by the country, preserving his impressions within the clicks of his camera’s shutter button, capturing moments of history in iconic images.
His first trip gave him the opportunity to experience the islands before they became “destinations”. Robert is a contemporary wanderer: in modern times he continues the age-old tradition of foreign travellers in the country. Influenced by his classical studies at Princeton University, his work constitutes a photographic archive of Greece in the 1950s and 1960s.
H.E. Mr. David Solomonia, Ambassador of Georgia, H.E. Mr. Arnoldo Brenes Castro, Ambassador of Costa Rica, H.E. Ms. Aiga LIepina, Ambassador of Latvia and H.E. Mr. Ilkka-Pekka Antero Similä, Ambassador of Finland.
The exhibition of the renowned photographer includes two sections: the first section illustrates the aspects of daily life in Greece in the 50s and 60s: seascapes, festivals, women’s and men’s occupations, work at sea. The second section presents some archaeological sites. Most of these sites have a long history, some as religious centres, others as commercial hubs and some with strategic military importance.
As is the case with many iconic works, the photographs can be interpreted in many ways. Besides their undoubted quality of documentation of an era, Mc Cabe’s photographs are a work of art. They are characterized by realism, but also by a rare aesthetic quality’.
H.E. Mr. Dren Doli, Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo, H.E. Ms. Anick van Calster, Ambassador of Belgium and H.E. Ms. Salima Abdelhat, Ambassador of Algeria.
As the photographer could not attend the event, Frederiek Lommen, a journalist, a writer, a Greece connoisseur and a publisher who traveled to Greece in May to meet McCabe, further presented the artist and his art work.
In her eloquent speech, she said: ‘I had the pleasure and the privilege of meeting Robert McCabe in person a few weeks ago, while I was in Athens. We had a very interesting conversation about his work and about Greece in general. We share a passion for Greece, which goes back several decades. As a short introduction to this exhibition, I will tell you today what I learned from that marvelous conversation.
Frederiek Lommen and the Ambassador of Greece, H.E. Ms. Caterina Ghini.
Robert McCabe was born in Chicago in 1934 but grew up close to New York City. His father was working for a newspaper. When Robert was four years old, he received his first camera, as a present. It was a Kodak Baby Brownie. In the beginning, the little boy was interested in news. He gathered images of hurricanes, drownings, and car accidents. But after a while, his interests shifted to people and landscapes. In 1954, a life changing event occurred.
His older brother Charles, studying at Princeton, got an invitation from a Greek friend, to spend two weeks in Greece. Robert was lucky, his brother asked him to join. The two boys went by cargo ship to Le Havre, in France. This trip of course took several weeks. In France, they travelled to Paris, and from there they took the train to Venice, where they got on a boat again to Piraeus and finally arrived in Athens.
Linda Divon, H.E. Ms. Elizabeth Ward Neiman, Ambassador of Panama, H.E. Ms Carolina Olarte Bacares, Ambassador of Colombia and H.E. Mr. Haim Divon, former ambassador of Israel.
Robert’s strongest memory of those first days in Athens is of how much ‘at home’ he felt. There were no traffic lights, just a few cars and only one policeman. Athens was basically like a big village, not the city with millions of inhabitants which it is today. The boys had also planned to travel to Egypt and Italy. They wanted to do a version of the classical ‘Grand Tour’, in the footsteps of Lord Byron, Goethe and many other famous romantic artists and poets. But none of that happened. They cancelled all their plans and decided to stay in Greece a bit longer.
“It was love at first sight”, Robert explained to me. Because of his love for photography, his parents had given him a new camera for this trip (a Rolleiflex, a high-end, German made camera). So, of course he took a lot of pictures of this exotic country.
The Ambassador of Rwanda, H.E. Mr. Olivier Jean-Patrick Nduhungirehe, H.E. Mr. Paul Tschang In-Nam, Apostolic Nuncio, H. E. Ms. Madeleine Liguemoh Ondoua, Ambassador of Cameroon, H.E. Ms. Dubravka Plejic Markovic, Ambassador of Croatia and H.E. Mr. Dren Doli, Ambassador of Kosovo.
Even to this day, he told me, he still regrets not bringing more film with him on that first trip. The love for Greece was so intense and strong that back home, Robert decided to switch from English literature to Classics. But the university wouldn’t allow this because he didn’t know any Latin or Greek. So he remained at the English department but decided to write his final thesis on Lord Byron and Greece. That was his way to spend every minute on Greek history and culture. So, that’s how it all began.
Matthew Grima, Counsellor, and H.E. Mr. Marc Anthony Pace, Ambassador of Malta.
His photographs of that first trip to Greece were exhibited the same year at the library of Princeton University. Needless to say, he kept on returning to Greece each summer. In those years, he sometimes felt like an explorer in Greece, discovering a new civilization. Often together with his brother, they tried to visit as many places and islands as possible.
They preferred searching for places without any tourists. For example, when they first arrived in Ios – now a very popular island in the summer months – they saw four French tourists when they got off the boat. Too crowded, they decided, and so they left.
The Ambassador of Georgia and spouse during the exhibition Greece, Images of an Enchanted Land.
One day, someone from the National Geographic Society saw some of his pictures and asked him to travel to the Cyclades and take pictures for an already planned article about this group of islands. And that of course, was a crucial moment in his career. Over the years, McCabe became a true ambassador for Greece, showing the world the things that made him fall in love with the country so deeply, through his exhibitions and publications.
The bond with Greece became even stronger due to his marriage in 1963 to a Greek girl Constantina, or Dina, his lifelong partner.
H.E. Mr. Roberto Calzadilla Sarmiento, Ambassador of Bolivia, H.E. Mr. Philippe Couvreur, Judge ad hoc at the International Cour of Justice, H.E. Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez Otero, Ambassador of Uruguay and Dr. Eugenio Matos.
His photographs of Greece are of great value, for a couple of reasons. One reason is that a lot of pictures were taken long before mass tourism started. Back in the fifties, sixties, Greece was still unspoiled. People on the islands lived from fishing, and not from tourism. Robert could easily visit all the antiquities. He could come close, walk through the Parthenon, and touch the pillars. Now, we have to keep our distance, of course, to preserve the precious stone and marble.
A second reason, why – in my opinion – his work is of high value, is that he is really interested in people. In his photographs, we see the marble worker doing his job in the ancient temple, the lady on the dirt road close to the Acropolis, the barefoot children playing in the fields, the fisherman busy with his small boat. In a way, by including people in his images, Robert has given us a visual anthropological record of Greece. His work is a sort of time capsule.
Ambassador Ghini and H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa, Ambassador of Lebanon.
And last but not least, his pictures are extremely beautiful. The love for the country, and his profound knowledge, are reflected in his pictures. He knows the Greek light, the typical light that you will not find anywhere else. And he has mastered the art of capturing it.
Although I love his photographs and studied one of his magnificent books (he has published more than 17 until now), his work also has a strong hint of sadness, melancholy I would say. The photographs give us a last glimpse of a Greece which probably is vanishing.
H.E. Mr. Mifougo Youssouf Diarrassouba, Ambassador of Cote d’Ivoire and the Ambassador of Cameroon, H. E. Ms. Madeleine Liguemoh Ondoua.
Greece has rapidly changed over the last decades. The need to move forward, the urge to escape from poverty in the fifties, after the war; all these things have changed Greece.
Modern buildings are filling the beautiful landscape. The donkey has been replaced by the car. Quiet fishing villages have turned into a hustle of tourist shops, hotels and bars. Tourism is of course both a blessing and a curse. But luckily for us, Robert recorded this vanishing Greece.
H.E. Mr. Paul Tschang In-Nam, Apostolic Nuncio, H.E. Mr. Paulo Caminha, Ambassador of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez Otero, Ambassador of Uruguay and H.E. Mr. Olivier JP Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of Rwanda.
Fortunately, some places remain almost untouched and unspoiled: small islands you can only reach by boat or remote villages high up in the mountains. As Robert told me, and I agree with him, there are still some regions that are beautiful and quiet. There are still islands where the landscape is almost identical to the way it was centuries ago. Threshing floors, donkeys, vineyards, and fishermen with boats can still be found’.
At the end of her speech, Ms. Lommen cordially invited everyone to discover all those marvelous places and to visit Greece.
The speeches were followed by an animated reception. The event, attended by ambassadors, academics, and people from the art, business and political sphere, Greek nationals and friends of Greece, was a memorable experience for everyone.
The exhibition remained open for a week at the Atrium, in The Hague and thousands of people had the chance to see it.
Friday, 7 July 2023, Berlin, Germany: The French Ambassador in Germany, François Delattre was received for a bilateral meeting with the Premier of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther (CDU) at the Representation of the Federal State in the German capital.
The tête-à-tête served as the first encounter between the two dignitaries since Delattre was accredited to Germany on 27 September 2022. The two officials discussed possible manners to enhance the cooperation between France and Schleswig-Holstein.
Paper presented at the conference held on 29 June at the European Parliament to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief. The FORB Roundtables Brussels-EU and Netherlands as well as HRWF contributed to this event hosted by MEPs Peter van Dalen and Carlo Fidanza.
By José Luis Bazan, Legal adviser, COMECE (Commission of Catholic Episcopal Conferences of the EU)
HRWF (29.06.2023) – On 24 June 2013, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief. Three years later, in May 2016, the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker adopted the decision to create the function of Special Envoy for the promotion of the freedom of religion or belief outside the EU. Again, three years later, on 6 of September 2019, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy announced a new EU-sponsored “Global Exchange on Religion in Society” (1). If it were not a coincidence, I would say that every three years, the EU has got us used to seeing an institutional project concerning religious freedom outside the EU. I understand, unless I am mistaken, that in the coming months we should, perhaps, await something new in this area.
Expectations were high in 2013 with the EU Guidelines, which were hailed by many as a good first step in the right direction, disregarding certain limitations. Just to mention a couple of examples: the lack of explicit recognition of the right of parents that their children are educated according to their moral and religious believes that goes beyond “the right of parents to teach their children in the tenets of their religion or belief” (2); and of the fundamental right to conscientious objection beyond military service, in areas such as health or education. (3)
The appointment of Jan Figel’ as the first EU Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, despite the scarcity of human and financial resources provided for the post – which was also criticized by the European Parliament – (4), was a success thanks to the commitment of the appointee, which created a school, and paved the way for the proliferation of “Special envoys” and “representatives” on freedom of religion in EU members states.
However, the good prospects for the EU’s engagement in the promotion and protection of religious freedom have been progressively dimmed. First, there are many doubts about the actual implementation of the EU Guidelines in EU delegations around the world: there is a perception that in some cases they are not even properly known by the staff in those delegations, as the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Religious Freedom pointed out in its 2021 report (5).
The fact that no information is published or shared on their actual implementation does not help to dispel these doubts. We are aware of training activities that try to increase the knowledge and awareness of EEAS staff in this area, but knowledge does not seem to be enough to reach a sufficient level of commitment.
Photo credit: EU Brussels FoRB Roundtable – THIX Photo. — 10th Anniversary of the EU Guidelines on FoRB co-organized by the Eu Parliament Intergroup on FoRB&RT, with HRWF, EU Brussels FoRB Roundtable and Netherlands FoRB Roundtable.
Secondly, after the end of the Jan Figel’s mandate in 2019, the EU didn’t show much appetite in appointing his successor, and, except for the brief period in 2021, the Special Envoy position was left vacant for almost three years (again), until December 2022, when the senior Belgian diplomat Frans van Daele was appointed. But, once more, enjoying very limited margin of maneuver and with little resources at disposal.
Regarding the “Global Exchange on Religion in Society”, it can be a useful instrument to reach the attempted goal “to connect civil society practitioners inside and outside Europe working on faith and social inclusion” (6), if it is properly done and the autonomy of religious communities is respected. However, this would be more on the side of “prevention” than “protection” of those suffering religious freedom violations. Looking at the reports about religious freedom worldwide, the threats and trends that are endangering this fundamental human right, and the biblical proportion of the number of victims, the EU position can’t be neither cosmetic nor anecdotal: the response to these massive violations, where Christian are the most persecuted religious community as highlighted by the European Parliament (7), should be firmer and more explicit.
The credibility of the EU’s commitment depends on it acting with determination to protect and promote religious freedom. More resources are needed, greater awareness of the importance of religious freedom outside the EU as an essential factor in understanding the society and politics of the countries with which the EU has relations. But also, a firmness that is lacking in many cases: for example, responding to the massacres of more 50,000 Christians in Nigeria, at the hands of radical Islamists (8); or implement the EU’s own rules for the renewal of the GSP+ system with Pakistan, currently under negotiation.
Moreover, the external discourse cannot be detached from the reality in Europe of flagrant and, unfortunately, increasingly frequent violations of religious freedom and other fundamental rights of believers: for example, their possibility to educate their children according to their convictions or not to be forced in their professions to perform acts against their conscience. We cannot be critical without being self-critical: any moral authority derives from incoherence.
We should recognize that some EEAS staff members (as well as others in the European Commission and the EU Parliament) show a laudable openness and commitment to the cause of freedom of religion and offer the opportunity to religious and non-religious actors to engage in conversations and bring their respective concerns to the attention of the institution. However, the commitment should come also from the leaders of all EU institutions. It is in the interest of the EU to understand better the world, which is massively religious, and to avoid the temptation to consider as a universal paradigm that religion is purely a private matter.
I hope that the EU won’t wait three more years to take the decision to avoid the progressive postponement of religious freedom to a de facto status of a second-class human right, which must always yield to others, or to artificially promote non-consensual new “counter-rights”, breaking the natural harmony of the human rights ecosystem, as recognized by the international community in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1966 New York Pacts.
