As of the 1st of June 2022, Mrs. Karin Lodder will start as the new manager of the Peace Palace Library. The library specializes in professional literature on public and private international law, comparative law and jurisprudence from all parts of the world. Since its opening in 1913, the Peace Palace Library has grown over the past century into one of the most prestigious libraries in its field and is consulted by lawyers, scholars and students from around the world.
Karin Lodder has rich experience in managing library employees: over the past 16 years she has held various management positions at the KB, the national library of the Netherlands. Before, she led the information centre of law firm NautaDutilh. The move to the Peace Palace gives her the opportunity to bear final responsibility for this prominent library in the field of international law.
The Peace Palace Library is on the eve of major changes. As a result of an impulse in the subsidizing policy of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in addition to providing services to the Courts at the Peace Palace, the digitization of the library will be accelerated. Karin Lodder brings with her the expertise needed to facilitate this change, not only in terms of technology but also in terms of the necessary changes for the employees and the way that the services are provided. The Carnegie Foundation, owner and manager of the Peace Palace, is therefore pleased with her appointment.
Another aspect of the plans in the context of financing is that the Library of the Peace Palace focuses more explicitly on supporting the Courts in the Palace and must generate income for the services it offers to other parties. The library is not only used by the institutions in the palace (the United Nations International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Hague Academy of International Law), but also by other international tribunals and organizations. An important group of customer are also academics and students of international law from various Dutch universities. Every year, the library’s unique collection is also frequently consulted by this group.
Jeroen Vervliet, librarian of the Peace Palace Library, has been freed to further develop the relationships with the two courts and the institutional users. He has extensive knowledge of the collections and services of the library thanks to his many years of experience at the Peace Palace.
The Embassy of Kazakhstan in the Netherlands, together with the N. Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue, held a round table on “Interfaith Dialogue for Peace and Harmony.” The event was organized ahead of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands Askar Zhumagaliyev welcomed the participants of the online round table: “Today, representatives of more than 130 nationalities, represented by 18 religious denominations, live in peace and harmony in our country. That is why Kazakhstan is rightly called a “crossroads of civilizations,” A.Zhumagaliyev said.
The Ambassador noted that Kazakhstan is a natural border between Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. Moreover, our country has managed to become a unique international platform for dialogue between world and traditional religions. For almost 20 years, Congress has been playing an important role in the reconciliation of cultures and civilizations, in the search for answers to the key challenges and threats of our time.
The Ambassador’s thesis was supported by the Vice-Rector of the Islamic University Rotterdam E. Akgyunduz.
“The world we live in is, unfortunately, fragmented. People argue and fight about almost anything. We are all different, but we all have something in common that unites us and will help us get through all the challenges of the 21st century – faith. Therefore, dialogue between confessions is more important today than ever,” said E. Akgyunduz. He thanked Kazakhstan for the initiative in organizing and holding the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
In her speech, Erin Wilson, Professor of Politics and Religion at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at University of Groningen, noted that today there are no challenges that only certain countries face. In the geopolitical arena all states go through common difficulties.
«Therefore, we need to establish a dialogue not only between religious confessions, but also to involve non-religious circles in the dialogue. I suppose this is a fundamental change in attitude towards the current situation. This action will direct us to build peaceful and sustainable communities in which every person can achieve and unleash his potential», said Professor Wilson.
According to Yuliya Shapoval, Professor of the Department of Religious Studies at Eurasian National University, between the states there should be a clear coordination and support not only at the political level, but also through the prism of religion.
«The future of our world is our responsibility. Therefore, as soon as the situation with the coronavirus more or less stabilized, Kazakhstan continued its work on establishing interfaith dialogue», said Professor Shapoval.
In turn, the Chairman of the “Uzbek Ethno-cultural center of Nur-Sultan”, Sherzod Pulatov informed the participants of the round table on the activities of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. He noted that the Assembly is a unique model of interethnic accord and support between representatives of different ethnic groups.
«States can take it as a basis, as an example of friendship, respect and well-coordinated work between people», he concluded.
During the round table, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the N.Nazarbayev Center for development of interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue Nurlan Yessimov told the participants about the preparation and organizing work of the Center to the VII Congress of World Leaders and traditional religions, which will be held on September 14-15, 2022 in Nur-Sultan, noting that the Congress is a universal global interreligious dialogue platform that provides a constructive dialogue on the most pressing issues of our time.
In general, the participants of the round table noted the importance of promoting interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue at the international level, especially in the context of joint efforts to overcome the consequences of the pandemic, as well as to resolve regional conflicts that require interethnic and interreligious harmony in the name of peace and mutual understanding.
The round table was attended by H.E. Mr. Askar Zhumagaliev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands; Nurlan Yessimov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the N.Nazarbayev Center; Yuliya Shapoval, Professor of the Department of Religious Studies at the Eurasian National University; Sherzod Pulatov, Chairman of the “Uzbek Ethno-cultural center of Nur-Sultan”.
From the Dutch side the event was attended Emrullah Akgunduz, Vice Rector of Islamic University Rotterdam; Erin Wilson, Professor of Politics and Religion at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies of University of Groningen; Jessica Roitman, Professor of Jewish Studies within the Faculty of Religion and Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Ambassador Jos Douma, Special Envoy for Religion and Belief at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
International music project with orchestras from Hamburg and The Hague
Over 100 German and Dutch talented young musicians in the age of 15 up to 25 unite to form an extra large symphony orchestra to play in the AMARE concert hall on 3 July 2022. The two orchestras, the Hamburg State Youth Orchestra (LJO) and Viotta Symphony Orchestra (SO) from The Hague, will play Tchaikovsky’s spectacular 4th symphony.
Only half a year ago the orchestras found each other in their desire to finally perform for large live audiences again after too many lockdown periods. Coincidentally, they happened to be rehearsing the same symphonic work by Tchaikovsky. The idea to unite and stage this exhilarating work together was then quickly born.
The guests from Hamburg will stay with guest families in The Hague. On the first day rehearsals have been scheduled in a renovated barn in the Dutch countryside amongst the windmills of the village Stompwijk. There is also some leisure time reserved for sightseeing downtown The Hague, followed by a dinner at the beach. Sunday afternoon July 3rd is the highlight of the project, a joint performance in AMARE, hopefully with an immense, live audience.
Tchaikovsky XL Concert AMARE Concert hall, amare.nl 14.30 hrs, 3 July 2022 €15,- adults, €10,- up to 26 years old
Les Préludes, Franz Liszt by Viotta SO Moldau, Bedrich Smetana by Viotta SO -intervalSymphony no. 4, Pjotr Iljitsj Tchaikovsky by LJO and Viotta SO conductor: René Gulikers Landesjugendorchester Hamburg Hamburg State Youth Orchestra ljo-hamburg.de
Wednesday 25 May 2022 The Hamburg State Youth Orchestra was founded in 1968 – it is Hamburg’s oldest youth orchestra. The 60-70 young musicians between the age of 14 and 25 meet up for weekly rehearsals in the surroundings of the harbour of Hamburg. In two rehearsal periods a year, they work together on major works of orchestral literature.
The repertoire of the self-selected programs includes a wide range from baroque concertos and romantic symphonies to contemporary works and crossover projects.
The members work with great dedication not only on the music, but also on the organization required to make music together. The board of the self-governed orchestra cooperates closely with the Landesmusikrat Hamburg e. V. (Hamburg State Music Council). Since 2005, the Hamburg State Youth Orchestra has been under its sponsorship and is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
Conductor: Johannes Witt VIOTTA Youth Orchestras
viotta.nl Viotta Youth Orchestras is an association founded in The Hague, consisting of five orchestras of more than 250 young musicians in the age of 6 up to 25 years old. The Viotta Symphony Orchestra which will perform in this concert is the most advanced of the five orchestras and has approximately 55 members. René Gulikers is the conductor of this orchestra.
The mission of Viotta Youth Orchestras is to stimulate the personal and musical development of young musicians by providing a safe, inspiring learning environment to enjoy music making in a symphony orchestra. The association was founded in 1989 and is named after the founder of the Residentieorkest, Henri Viotta, who was also a strong advocate of music education.
Sponsors This project has been financially supported by the following sponsors: • Landesmusikrat der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg (lmr-hamburg.de) • Goethe-Institut (goethe.de) • Cultuurschakel (cultuurschakel.nl)
On the 28th of April, the day on which the Alliance of the Pacific celebrated the 11th anniversary of its creation, the seminar “Alliance of the Pacific: Integrating Latin America and Connecting to the World” was held at the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs of Leiden University, Campus The Hague, in the Netherlands. The objective of this event was to highlight the achievements of this Latin American mechanism, both in terms of regional integration among its members and in terms of trade promotion and projection to the Asia-Pacific region.
The panel was composed by the Ambassadors to the Kingdom of the Netherlands of Chile, Hernán Salinas; Fernando Grillo; Colombia, Mexico, José Antonio Zabalgoitia; and Peru, Marisol Agüero Colunga; current members of the Alliance of the Pacific; accompanied by the Ambassador of Ecuador, Andrés Terán, as a candidate to Associated State; and the Ambassador of Singapore resident in Brussels, Hong Huai Lim, as the first Associated State.
With the aim of sharing a European perspective and possibilities for collaboration, the Netherlands being one of the 61 Observer States of the mechanism, the panel was also attended by the Director General of the Western Hemisphere Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yvette van Eechoud.
This is the first time that an event of this nature has been held, bringing together not only Latin American ambassadors in The Hague, but also a diplomatic representative resident in Belgium and a high-ranking Dutch government official. This shows the scope and relevance of the Alliance of the Pacific in today’s international system, which was also evident during the panelists’ presentations on the Alliance’s achievements, particularly in terms of trade liberalisation and economic promotion, as well as its attractiveness and potential for linkages with other countries in Latin America, Asia and Europe.
The Alliance of the Pacific is an open, pragmatic, and innovative integration mechanism in Latin America. It was formally created on the 11th of April 2011, with the signing of the Lima Declaration, and its Framework Agreement entered into force on the 20th of July 2015. Comprising Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, it has a population of 231 million people and accounts for 41.7% of the GDP of the Latin American and Caribbean region, which would make it the ninth largest economy in the world.
These four countries attract 52.7% of foreign direct investment flows in Latin America and the Caribbean and account for 58.8% of the region’s total trade. With the entry into force of the Additional Protocol to the Framework Agreement on the 1st of May 2016, 92% of trade between its members was liberalised, with the aim of reaching 100% by 2030.
The free trade within the Alliance of the Pacific is 8th to the word economy, 230 millions of people and 56 millions fo tourists.
Among other important highlights we can mention FTA from 0 to 100 % in two years, the visa elimination for business and tourism, an academic mobility of +3,000 students, consular assistance, a shared diplomatic missions and a continuity strategic vision up to 2030
H.E. Ms. Marisol Agüero, Ambassador of the Republic of Peru..
The Ambassador of Peru, H.E. Ms Marisol Aguero Colunga declared: “The four countries of the Alliance together, add up to nearly twenty-one thousand kilometres of continental coastline and the hydrobiological products figures are::
Peru ranks 5th worldwide in marine capture fisheries,
Mexico: 17th in the same category
Chile: 7th in aquaculture; and
Colombia: 2nd among the megadiverse countries in terms of freshwater fish species
According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and The Caribbean the exports of fishery products from the Alliance represent a total of 7% of world exports. It is important to recall that since the Alliance was established, fishery and aquaculture products have been included within the axis of free circulation of goods.
As a consequence of the evolution that the Group has had over time, last January the countries of the Alliance decided that the group will have some specific functions related to
aquaculture, conservation and sustainable use of hydrobiological resources
adoption of circular economy practices
research and
human consumption of fishery and aquaculture products” concluded.
The main objectives of the Alliance of the Pacific are to build an area of deep integration to advance the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people; to promote greater economic growth, development and competitiveness within its members; and to become a platform for economic and commercial integration and projection to the world, with emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.
Ce 29 mai 2022 s’est éteint à Brasilia, où il avait longtemps enseigné, Antônio Cançado Trindade, un illustre intellectuel et juriste, un homme de convictions, défenseur infatigable des idéaux les plus nobles, un être d’une profonde bonté d’âme et d’une grande simplicité, un joyeux compagnon et un ami très cher.
Rien ne pouvait laisser pressentir que cet homme si robuste et dynamique, travailleur acharné, toujours engagé avec enthousiasme et bonne humeur dans de nouveaux projets, passionné d’écriture, de livres et de musique (mais aussi, comme maints de ses compatriotes, de football) et doté d’un sens de l’humour de tous les instants, allait soudain connaître, au cours des deux dernières années, tant d’épreuves qui, à chaque fois surmontées avec un courage et une sérénité exemplaires, fort de l’appui de sa famille, avaient fini par laisser renaître tous les espoirs d’un rétablissement durable et d’une reprise prochaine de ses nombreuses activités, jusqu’à ce que la dernière eût raison de sa vie, ce triste jour de mai 2022…
Hélas, la souffrance humaine, si présente dans son oeuvre et qu’il avait tant à cœur de soulager, et, en définitive, la mort elle-même, sont indissociables de la vie…
Antônio Cançado avait vu le jour à Belo Horizonte (Brésil) en 1947. Après des études de droit à l’Université fédérale de Minas Gerais, il s’était spécialisé en droit international à l’Université de Cambridge, dont il sortit docteur en 1977 avec une thèse très remarquée sur la règle de l’épuisement des voies de recours internes, qui lui valut le prix Yorke. De retour dans son pays natal, il fut d’emblée nommé professeur titulaire de droit international public à l’Université de Brasilia (1978) et au prestigieux Institut diplomatique de Rio Branco (1979), charges qu’il conserva jusqu’à son élection à la Cour internationale de Justice en 2009.
Sa bienveillance naturelle et de son sens aigu de l’humanisme expliquent sans doute l’intérêt particulier que le professeur Antônio Cançado Trindade nourrit presque instantanément pour la protection internationale des droits de l’homme, à l’éveil duquel la préparation de sa thèse ne fut assurément pas étrangère. Il se convertit rapidement en l’une des plus éminentes autorités en la matière, et, pendant des décennies, fut appelé à partager son impressionnant savoir, solidement ancré dans l’histoire du droit des gens, et ses très vives aspirations à la « ré-humanisation » progressive de ce droit, dans les établissements d’enseignement et autres institutions académiques (Académie de droit international de la Haye, Institut international des droits de l’homme de Strasbourg, Institut inter-américain des droits de l’homme, etc.) les plus en vue du monde. Les honneurs divers qu’il y reçut ne se comptèrent bientôt plus.
En même temps, Antônio Cançado eut le privilège d’être confronté durant de longues années aux réalités exigeantes et aux servitudes multiples de la « politique juridique extérieure », exerçant des tâches aussi variées que celles de conseiller juridique du ministère des relations extérieures du Brésil, représentant du Brésil à maintes conférences internationales, expert et conseiller de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, de plusieurs de ses agences et Institutions spécialisées, ainsi que de l’Organisation des Etats américains.
C’est donc fort d’un savoir et d’une expérience aussi solides que complémentaires qu’il trouva assez naturellement le chemin de la Cour interaméricaine des droits de l’homme, dont il fut successivement Juge ad hoc (1990-1994), Juge titulaire (élu en 1995 et réélu en 2000), Vice-Président (élu en 1997) et enfin Président (élu en 1999 et réélu en 2002). On sait combien cette institution, d’une importance capitale sur le continent américain, le marqua…aussi profondément qu’il allait à son tour la marquer.
Les quelque quinze années passées au service de la Cour interaméricaine, où il se forma au difficile métier de magistrat international, lui offrirent l’occasion d’œuvrer sans relâche, depuis une position unique, à la promotion du respect des droits de l’homme par l’application du droit. Il l’a constamment fait avec une totale liberté d’esprit, fidèle à ses idéaux et en plein accord avec sa conscience d’homme et de juge, privilégiant invariablement la générosité des objectifs assignés à la règle juridique par rapport à ses rigidités formelles, une règle qu’il s’est toujours évertué à humaniser, en l’interprétant de façon ouverte, dynamique et évolutive, pour lui conférer un maximum de ce qu’il estimait être son effet utile.
Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade, Juge à la Cour internationale de Justice et Président de son Comité de la Bibliothèque.
Élu membre de la Cour internationale de Justice en 2009, et réélu en 2018, Antônio Cançado Trindade s’y est inscrit dans la lignée des illustres juristes brésiliens qui l’y avaient précédé (Azevedo, Carneiro, Sette-Camara et Rezek); de tous, il fut celui qui siégea le plus longtemps à la Cour. Il lui insuffla un esprit nouveau. La Cour bénéficia à la fois de son savoir encyclopédique, qui n’avait d’égal que sa jovialité et sa modestie, et de sa vision éminemment progressiste du droit international, qui ne s’en nourrissait pas moins aux sources mêmes de celui-ci, les enseignements de ses pères fondateurs. Elle s’enrichit aussi de son expérience judiciaire antérieure. Antônio Cançado devait toutefois désormais exercer ses fonctions de juge dans un cadre assez différent. La Cour internationale de Justice, ouverte aux seuls Etats au contentieux, ne constituait en effet pas une cour des droits de l’homme, même si, avec l’extension progressive du champ d’application matériel du droit international, elle avait été amenée à en traiter des aspects chaque fois plus variés. La présence exclusive des Etats devant la Cour, et leur rôle encore fréquemment prépondérant dans les relations juridiques internationales, furent pour lui l’objet de préoccupations et de frustrations constantes.
Que les droits des individus fussent directement ou plus médiatement en cause dans les affaires qu’il eut à traiter, le Juge Antonio Cançado, faisant preuve d’une vigilance sans faille, n’a jamais manqué l’occasion de remettre les intérêts de la personne humaine – qu’il regardait comme sujet plénier et permanent du droit international – au centre du débat, les faisant primer sur ceux des Etats, conformément aux exigences de ce qu’il dénommait le « nouveau jus gentium » et au « principe d’humanité ». Ce dernier devait selon lui trouver application bien au-delà des limites formelles du droit humanitaire et fonder les règles les plus essentielles de l’ordre juridique international, telles celles de l’interdiction du génocide et de la torture ou du droit à l’autodétermination des peuples, toutes règles qu’il considérait relever du jus cogens en vertu d’une opinio juris communis, émanation de la conscience universelle.
Dans les très nombreuses opinions qu’il signa, il n’eut de cesse de militer en faveur d’une « justice objective », propre au droit naturel, et de s’insurger contre les « effets pervers » du volontarisme étatique et du formalisme juridique, qu’il regardait comme des phénomènes, non seulement obsolètes et toxiques, mais aussi gravement immoraux, dès lors qu’ils étaient susceptibles de porter atteinte aux droits des personnes (« La Cour ne peut rester indifférente …au sort des êtres humains, ainsi qu’à leurs souffrances…il demeure nécessaire (pour elle) d’atténuer (ces) souffrances…, en faisant en sorte (avant tout) que justice soit faite »). Au « jus voluntarium » sécrété par les Etats devait, pour Antônio Cançado, se substituer le « jus necesarium » dérivé des valeurs objectives de l’humanité toute entière. Maintes fois, le positivisme juridique, participant à son sens d’une « vision myopique du droit », a constitué la cible de ses attaques; il n’y voyait rien de moins qu’un facteur de « fossilisation du droit international », responsable de son maintien dans un état de « sous-développement ».
Ainsi n’a-t-il pas hésité à soutenir que le consentement des Etats à la juridiction de la Cour devait être interprété de manière à donner aux clauses compromissoires insérées dans les conventions de protection des droits de l’homme un effet utile maximal conforme à la nature et à l’objet de celles-ci (« La Cour ne peut demeurer l’otage du consentement des Etats »; « la conscience l’emporte sur la volonté ») ou que le droit d’accès des individus à la justice et leur droit à un procès équitable (droits fondamentaux relevant d’un jus cogens qu’il regrettait parfois être en voie de « déconstruction ») devaient primer sur les immunités des Etats (non destinées à leur assurer l’impunité) lorsque des violations graves du droit international étaient en cause (« Il est inadmissible…que des Etats prétendent s’accorder pour suspendre des droits naturels de la personne humaine »). Dans le même esprit, le Juge Cançado s’en est pris à certaines « fictions juridiques », aujourd’hui si communes, telles celle de la protection diplomatique (« fiction vattelienne »), insistant sur ce que toute reparatio dans ce cadre devait être « déterminée du point de vue des victimes », dès lors que « les êtres humains – et non les Etats – (devaient) bénéficier des réparations des violations des droits de l’homme commises à leur détriment ». D’une manière plus générale, l’éminent Juge a par ailleurs fréquemment mis en relief l’importance de la renaissance d’une « justice réparatrice » des souffrances de l’humanité, qu’il appelait de tous ses vœux.
En dépit de son activité judiciaire intense, Antônio Cançado a réussi à poursuivre, à un rythme soutenu, les activités académiques et de recherche qu’il affectionnait tant, apportant une contribution substantielle aux travaux des nombreuses institutions de prestige dont il était membre (telles l’Institut de Droit international ou l’Academia brasileira de Letras juridicas) et ne renonçant jamais à écrire, au point que l’on peut affirmer sans hésitation qu’il est l’un des auteurs les plus prolifiques de sa génération (près de 80 ouvrages et 800 articles ou autres publications).
Tout départ d’un être cher laisse un vide cruel auprès de ses proches et de ses amis. Celui d’Antônio Cançado Trindade laissera assurément aussi un vide énorme au sein de la communauté universelle des juristes. On doit à l’illustre défunt, parmi tant d’autres œuvres, un petit opuscule publié en 2013 à Valence et intitulé « Conversación con Antonio Augusto Cançado Trindade. Reflexiones sobre la Justicia Internacional », qui contient ces très belles paroles:
« La verdad es que hay una relación íntima de los vivos con sus muertos, que los “posmodernos”, en su pobreza de espíritu, han dejado de cultivar, sometidos como están a la tiranía del “aquí ” y del “ahora”. En cambio, las culturas más antiguas de América latina enseñan que nuestros muertos siguen vivos dentro de nosotros, y solo mueren definitivamente el día en que nos olvidamos de ellos ».
S’il est vrai que la véritable mort est l’oubli, l’ami Antônio vivra, car il demeurera longtemps encore présent dans nos mémoires.
Exhibition about an Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’ and a large-scale conservation project
A 17-metre-long, 3000-year-old Egyptian papyrus roll full of magic spells, gods and symbols: this is the ‘Book of the Dead’ of Qenna, a merchant from ancient Egypt. It is the longest papyrus in the collection of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities) in Leiden.
The museum has worked on its conservation for the past three years. Now, for the first time since its purchase in 1835, the colourful manuscript can be seen as a single continuous whole, in the exhibition ‘The papyrus roll of Qenna. Magical spells for the afterlife.’ Animations and projections bring the colourful images and magical spells to life.
The exhibition also covers themes such as the tomb of Qenna and how a papyrus was made. Special attention is paid to the conservation project and the results of the materiality research that preceded it. The exhibition, which is suitable for young and old, will run from 22 June to 4 September 2022.
Tickets can be purchased from www.rmo.nl (advance reservation is not obligatory).
Caspar Reuvens, the first director of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, bought the 17-metre-long Book of the Dead at auction in London in 1835.
Soon afterwards, the papyrus was cut into 38 manageable sheets – a common practice in those days. Only some of those sheets have ever been on display. The summer exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see this special Book of the Dead in its entirety.
Like everyone in ancient Egypt, Qenna hoped that after death he would live an immortal life with the gods in the hereafter. For that reason, his body was mummified and a papyrus roll containing 40 magical spells was placed in his tomb. The spells were meant to help him endure trials in the underworld, protect him against monsters, and transform him into a powerful immortal being.
The exhibition follows Qenna in this metamorphosis, and introduces visitors to the stories, spells, gods and symbols. Their meaning is explained from right to left, the direction in which the papyrus should be read: from the veneration of the gods and the Lake of Fire, to the divine tribunal and the weighing of Qenna’s heart. To prove he had lived a good life, his heart could not be heavier than an ostrich feather. A magical spell invokes the god Thot to come to Qenna’s aid.
The text of the papyrus begins with the daily cycle of the sun in the form of the sun god Re, who is re-born every morning on the horizon. Each night, the sun unites with the god Osiris in the realm of the dead –like Qenna himself hopes to do. Thanks to the papyrus, Qenna knows the names of all the monstrous overseers and gatekeepers he will encounter. Qenna will only be allowed to pass safely if he utters the right names. There are also spells to defeat dangerous creatures, such as the four crocodiles who threaten to take away his magical powers, and the snake Apep, the deadliest enemy of the sun god Re. At the end of the papyrus, Qenna is able to begin his eternal life in the hereafter. The Book of the Dead concludes with his tomb in the western mountains, where the arms of the goddess Hathor push the sun over the horizon each morning, symbolising a new beginning.
Still from animation – papyrus Qenna
Conservation and research
Although the papyrus sheets were repaired several times in the past 200 years, the glue and layers of paper from older restorations were themselves causing damage. During a large-scale conservation project (2018-2022),as much as possible of the older repair material was removed. New additions were kept to a minimum, so that as much of the original papyrus as possible could be displayed. All of the small, loose bits of papyrus and pigment were re-attached, and each sheet was finally mounted between two new plates of glass. This will protect the sheets properly and they can be viewed from both sides.
All of the sheets were examined in detail by a team of conservators, curators, scientists and photographers. This was necessary to establish the condition of the papyrus and all of the old restorations, and to find out more about how the Book of the Dead was made. Techniques such as microscopic research and photography with ultraviolet and infrared light were used to analyse the various papyrus layers, ink, pigments and old repairs.
The research and the conservation of the papyrus were made possible by a financial contribution from the Rembrandt Association and the association’s Van der Klaauw Fund. The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden is supported by the Vriendenloterij.
‘The papyrus roll of Qenna. Magical spells for the afterlife’, 22 June–4 September 2022
The Inter-American Institute on Justice and Sustainability, located in Washington, D.C, will present today new perspectives to contribute to sustainable development in cooperation with some of the principal stakeholders, from the public as well as private sectores, who will assume a central role in accelerating the transition to a green economy. The presentation of these innovative proposals with hemispheric collaboration will take place on May 26th, 2022 in the capital of the United States of America, within the framework of the official in-person launch of IIJS.
We must remember that IIJS, an organization led by women with a unique differentiated gender perspective, arose just before the pandemic as an “Institutional Startup,” a new model of social entrepreneurship, that is, in essence, private but with a public interest socioenvironmental mission. IIJS is a hemispheric platform with a global reach, with specific experience in countries. As its slogan states, the focus of this international Startup is grounded in bridging justice, sustainability, and prosperity.
This proposal highlights the development of cutting-edge solutions for nonconventional challenges that are not only related to sustainability and justice, but offers transversality across all sectors, supported by experience, and focused on the innovation and knowledge of different political socioeconomic contexts in the hemisphere.
In times of fast paced emerging and evolving challenges in environment, climate, health, economic and social wellbeing, its mission to strengthen the rule of law and good governance is all the more important.
The IIJS provides expertise, strategic technical policy assistance, and facilitates capacity building programs.
IIJS
The IIJS brings together key justice system stakeholders, country institutions, multilateral and regional financial development institutions, and the private sector as partners and allies to promote efforts for justice and sustainability in the Americas.
The IIJS is pledging to support multi-stakeholders’ efforts and roles on environmental and climate justice, as well as on the sustainability of business, development, trade, and investment practices which are critical for human rights, as well as environmental and social compliance in the Americas.
On this formal launching — postpandemic, that is– after two years of arduous work, the Executive Director of IIJS, Claudia S. de Windt, highlights that “IIJS is born out of the necessity for concertation and innovative approaches to end the fragmentation through certainty and sustainability to confront the scenarios of today and of the future.”
Alongside the Executive Director de Windt, two founding partners of the Inter-American Institute on Justice and Sustainability will participate, Sheila Abed and María Amparo Albán, experts in environmental law, who will lay out the challenges in an agenda of integration in pursuit of environmental justice.
Additional attendees will include Gustavo Alanís-Ortega, founder and Executive Director of the Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (Mexican Environmental Law Center—CEMDA), member of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) and the Climate Change Advisory Committee in Mexico, Francisco Naranjo, Director of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil- RSPO and the Vice President of Technology and Innovation of Sherritt International, Nathan Stubina, along with other international stakeholders. Highlighted Ex-Officio members include Scott Fulton, President of the Environmental Law Institute and Ricardo Lorenzetti, ex-president and current minister of the Supreme Court of Justice of Argentina.
From 23 to 25 May 2022, the International Criminal Court (ICC or the Court), in close cooperation with the authorities of the Republic of Senegal, held a regional conference in Dakar, Senegal. The conference gathered more than 190 participants who discussed the strengthening of the international criminal justice system and the fight against impunity through cooperation between the Court and States. Discussions emphasised the importance of collective efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the principle of complementarity, with a particular focus on States from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Conference participants included Ministers of Justice and other senior officials of 15 ECOWAS Member States, Republic of Chad and Central African Republic, and high Senegalese officials, Representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Senegalese Bar, Academia, Civil Society and Journalists. In particular, the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals of Senegal, H.E. Malick Sall, the President of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, the ICC President Judge Piotr Hofmański, the ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, the Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims Ibrahim Sorie Yillah, and the President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association Jennifer Naouri took part in the event.
During the opening of the conference, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals of Senegal H.E. Malick Sall declared: “The Court derives its legitimacy, in fact, from the confidence placed in it by the States Parties, from the mandate which they have conferred upon it and from the support which they would like to provide to it, for the processing, by it, of any facts subject to its jurisdiction. … The effectiveness or the success of the Court depends on the respect by the latter, just as by the States parties, of the statutory provisions which govern their relations, but also and above all of the will of each of our countries to play their part in the delivery of criminal justice at the national level. All in all, the ICC cannot act without the cooperation of States, which have the monopoly of the police, and without which the identification and appearance of the accused, as well as of victims and witnesses, would be unlikely.”
Addressing the opening session of the conference, ASP President Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi expressed the gratitude of the Court to the Republic of Senegal for its hospitality and for accepting to host the conference. She stated: “We observe a growing interest in justice and the proliferation of a number of mechanisms and initiatives to achieve it. We are thus witnessing the emergence of a global system of justice, in which courts acting at different levels have a role to play, sometimes a central role, sometimes a complementary or supporting role. The ICC has proven that it can play all of these roles effectively.”
ICC President Judge Piotr Hofmański said: “Regardless of the continent and regardless of the nationality of the victims or the perpetrators, the ICC’s mandate and purpose remains the same: to fight against impunity for the most serious atrocity crimes. We strive for accountability. We strive to provide justice to victims. And we strive to prevent future crimes. But the ICC cannot do any of this alone. That is why this conference is so important. It is an opportunity to draw best practices and lessons-learned, and to discuss what we can do to enhance the cooperation in our joint quest for justice.”
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang thanked Senegal for hosting the Conference and stated: “Engaging in a frank dialogue with Africa is at the heart of Prosecutor Khan’s vision, in order to strengthen cooperation with African States within the framework of dynamic complementarity and effective cooperation. The Rome Statute is a court of last resort and national courts must have primacy. If sub-regional or regional judicial bodies can play a part, this option should be encouraged. In short, yes to complementarity but yes, above all, to positive complementarity; one where the ICC contributes to building the capacities of national authorities and is in constant communication with them to reduce as much as possible the impunity gap.”
Representing ICC Registrar Peter Lewis, Nouhoum Sangaré, Chief of ICC Offices in Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, highlighted the importance for the Court to secure cooperation agreements, including on relocation of witnesses, enforcement of sentences, and on asset recovery which are areas where cooperation and complementarity should be further enhanced.
Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims Ibrahim Sorie Yillah said: “The creation of the Trust Fund for Victims in the Rome Statute is an unprecedented message of the international community’s ambition to redress the harm suffered by victims of armed conflict. Cooperation and complementarity are needed to provide justice for victims. The implementation of reparations for crimes within the ICC’s jurisdiction is still new. Africa also needs to take financial engagement for reparation programmes to victims on the continent. Let us together make them a meaningful reality for victims”.
The Court renews its gratitude to the Republic of Senegal, the European Commission, and the Republic of France for their generous financial contribution and support to this conference. Senegal was the first country in the world to ratify the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty, and has also later played a significant role in advancing international criminal justice, inter alia by hosting the Extraordinary African Chambers in 2017. Currently, Senegal is co-facilitator on cooperation in the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, together with France.
This event forms part of efforts to further advance cooperation and complementarity between States, the Court and its partners. Experience from similar events that took place in other regions of Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Asia-Pacific has demonstrated that ICC regional seminars are key forum to enhance global support for the Court and international criminal justice more broadly. They also create a space of dialogue aiming at promoting and strengthening cooperation, and to advance the fight against impunity for Rome Statute crimes, and other serious and related crimes.
The special international tribunal should investigate Russian leaders and military commanders and their allies for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Plenary session AFET.
By European Parliament
EU Reporter (23.05.2022) – https://bit.ly/3lE9Yr5 – In the resolution adopted on 19 May, Parliament calls on the EU to take all necessary action in international proceedings and courts to support the prosecution of the Russian and Belarussian regimes for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression. These investigations and consequent prosecutions should also apply to all Russian armed forces personnel and government officials involved in war crimes, MEPs ask.
The resolution on the fight against impunity for war crimes in Ukraine was adopted by show of hands.
A special international tribunal
The adopted text asks the EU to support setting up a special international tribunal to punish the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine, for which the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction, and hold Russian political leaders and military commanders and those of its allies to account.
MEPs also want the EU to provide, as soon as possible, all the necessary human and budgetary resources and administrative, investigative and logistical support needed to establish this tribunal.
According to the EP, reported atrocities such as indiscriminate shelling of cities and towns, forced deportations, use of banned ammunition, attacks against civilians fleeing via pre-agreed humanitarian corridors, executions and sexual violence amount to violations of international humanitarian law. They may qualify as war crimes, say MEPs, stressing that all of them have so far gone unprosecuted.
Act swiftly
MEPs stress that the EU must take action swiftly, since there is a grave risk that, due to the ongoing hostilities, evidence related to war crimes is being destroyed.
MEPs welcome the joint investigative team being set up by Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, which is coordinated by the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation Eurojust, and in which the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC will participate, and encourage other member states to join this team.
11 May, Amsterdam – “The people and the Government of the Republic of Cameroon are committed to provide the best possible support and services to the hard-working farmers and smallholders for greater diversification of their agri and other commodities. Cameroon expects that CFC will have a much bigger footprint in Cameroon in the future for smallholders and SMEs to enhance their productions and to transform their production through value addition and to conserve their nature in a bio-friendly way.”
H.E. Mr. Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of Cameroon, stated the above when he was addressing the staff members of and its Managing Director Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal at the CFC secretariat.
H.E. Liguemoh Ondoua Madeleine, Ambassador of Cameroon and Ambassador Belal.
Cameroon Minister of External Relations expressed his utmost satisfaction at the current state of affairs of CFC. He also expressed his desire for a much expanded CFC as the world needs organizations like CFC to help smallholders/SMEs to enhance their income so that they can lift themselves from the poverty.
Elaborating on widespread socio-economic development programme in his country, Minister Mbella Mbella highlighted the importance of education and capacity building so that youthful nations like Cameroon could duly take advantage of their demographic dividend.
In response to a powerpoint presentation on the activities and future plans of CFC, Minister Mbella Mbella expressed his and his country’s unequivocal support for a much expanded and more active CFC.
Terming poverty as a curse, Minister Mbella Mbella stated that no human being deserved to be in poverty. He added that if we consider ourselves as good human being, we should not tolerate for a minute the incidence of poverty and thereby upheld the dignity of human being. Human dignity should not be a matter of negotiation, it should be non-negotiable, the Minister added.
Welcoming the Minister, Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Managing Director of the CFC, briefed the Minister about the enormity of challenges for organizations like CFC as supply of resources is so little compared to the high demand for CFC’s services. Ambassador Belal stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that we can no longer treat seemingly far away crisis as distance problem.
What happens anywhere can affect people everywhere. This is why poverty alleviation has remained. the number one goal in the development of sustainable journey. Ambassador Belal urged Minister Mbella Mbella to consider working for a global fund for smallholders and SMEs in Africa. Such fund should be aimed at, what the Minister proposed to bring better productivity, better transformation through value addition and conservation of commodities in a bio-friendly way.
Expressing his satisfaction for the global decision of US$ 650 million allocation for SDRs to which his country Cameroon is also a signatory, Ambassador Belal urged Minister Mbella Mbella to make use of SDRs for the proposed fund for African smallholders and SMEs. In response, the Minister expressed his agreement to the proposal and stated that without proper support and finance the smallholders and SMEs cannot expect to grow.
Before taking leave, Minister Mbella Mbella also assured the Managing Director that he will report to his Hierarchy to see how Cameroon could make voluntary contribution to the CFC Fund.
H.E. Mr. Lejeune Mbella Mbella, Minister of External Relations of Cameroon and CFC
Managing Director Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal.
The Minister was accompanied by H.E. Ms. Madeleine Liguemoh Ondoua, Ambassador of Cameroon to the Netherlands, Mr. Aurelien Eteki Nkongo, Director of European Affairs, Mr. Ahoudou Garba, Director of Communications, and Ms. Paula Nadege Ngo Song, Attaché at the Private Office, Office of the Minister of External Relations, while Ambassador Belal was accompanied by Mr. Nicolaus Cromme, Chief Operations Officer a.i., Mr. Hector Besong, Portfolio and Risk Manager, and Mr. Peter Nielsen, Project Manager.
