“Beauty Ban”: Severe restrictions on women’s appearance and ability to travel

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“Beauty Ban”: Severe restrictions on women’s appearance and ability to travel

By Farangis Najibullah

In Turkmenistan, women are no longer allowed to wear “tight-fitting” clothes, dye their hair, or use beauty accessories such as false nails or eyelashes.

In a new, Taliban-style ban, traffic police in Turkmenistan also now prohibit male drivers of private vehicles from picking up women unless they are related. Females are also banned from sitting in the front seat next to the driver.

Still further bans have been made on women having cosmetic surgery, such as breast enhancement, lip fillers, or even eyebrow microblading, which is popular with many young women in Turkmenistan.

Dozens of women have reportedly lost their jobs in recent weeks for allegedly having had breast implants or lip fillers.

The informal restrictions in the tightly controlled Central Asian country came into force this month — shortly after new President Serdar Berdymukhammedov took office in a sham March 12 election in which he replaced his father.

In unprecedented raids in public places and offices, police have rounded up women wearing false eyelashes and/or nails and taken them to police stations, multiple eyewitnesses in the capital, Ashgabat, and other Turkmen cities tell RFE/RL.

According to one Ashgabat resident, the women were told to remove their beauty accessories and pay a fine of about $140. That is half of a monthly salary for the average Turkmen.

Officers also stop women on the streets and public transport to check if they have cosmetically enhanced their lips, a resident of Balkan Province said. “Police demand that women remove their face masks to check if they had used lip fillers,” the woman said on condition of anonymity.

In a further restriction of women’s rights, the government has banned male drivers of private cars from offering a ride to a woman who is not a family member. Traffic police stop private cars carrying female passengers and demand proof that the women are related to the driver.

In Balkan Province, several people told RFE/RL that women are no longer allowed to take the front seat next to drivers — both in taxis and private vehicles. It’s not clear if the same rule was introduced in other parts of Turkmenistan.

Drivers in Balkan Province can face a $2,000 fine if they have a woman in the front seat, even if she is a family member, one car owner said. After 8 p.m., drivers are not allowed to pick up a female passenger at all, whether a relative or stranger, he said.

In Turkmenistan, women — with few exceptions — are largely prohibited from driving, although the government has never publicly issued any formal ban on women being behind the wheel.

Instead, the authorities often use various methods — such as making it difficult for women to obtain a driver’s license or for them to renew their expired licenses — which effectively bans them from driving.

No Announcement

There was no official announcement or explanation for the latest restrictions, which are being enforced by local authorities and law-enforcement agencies across the country.

Office workers say officials and company managers have held special gatherings to discuss the new rules on women’s clothes, beauty routines, and appearances, but declined to explain the reason or present a copy of the document ordering the ban.

Similar restrictions were introduced in the past, although they have never been strictly enforced.

Authorities in the Muslim-majority country have always encouraged women to wear traditional clothes, shunning both Western-style outfits and the Islamic hijab.

A traditional outfit consists of an ankle-length, long-sleeved, embroidered dress, often made from a colorful fabric. Traditional headwear for girls is a colorful embroidered hat, while women often wear a kerchief tied behind their heads.

Traditional clothing serves as a women’s uniform in the workplace, at official meetings, and at public events.

Some women also still wear Western-style clothes, although it’s not common among Turkmen women to sport clothes that are deemed too revealing, such as miniskirts, shorts, sleeveless dresses, or tops with plunging necklines.

The new ban takes the restrictions a step further, outlawing jeans and any tightly fitting clothes. A woman from the city of Mary told RFE/RL on April 27 that police were deployed in the streets to detain women in jeans.

“Police take their photos, prepare a report, and make the women pay a fine,” the woman said on condition of anonymity. Similar incidents were reported in Ashgabat and the Lebap and Balkan provinces.

‘I Hereby Pledge’

Women working in the public sector have been ordered to obey the rule not only at work, but also everywhere else in public, several workers told RFE/RL.

The women were told to sign a written pledge that they will not wear tight clothes, dye their hair, microblade their eyebrows, or use Botox and false nails and eyelashes, among other numerous restrictions. They said the document includes a line that states, “If I embarrass my organization by not following these requirements — both at work and outside work — I agree that I should be dismissed from my job.”

Those who refused to sign were fired, a local RFE/RL correspondent reported, citing multiple eyewitnesses.

“Every morning, officials in government agencies check female employees’ clothes and appearance. If they find any shortcomings, they don’t allow women to enter the office and they send them home to correct the wrongdoing,” said an Ashgabat woman describing her own experience.

“Also, inspectors can turn up in the office at any time for more checks,” the woman said on May 2.

According to several sources in Ashgabat, at least 20 female flight attendants were dismissed in recent weeks over their alleged use of Botox and lip enhancement. And about 50 female employees of the national railway service were fired for having breast implants and lip fillers, the sources claimed.

RFE/RL contacted the relevant authorities — including the national airlines and rail services and various government agencies — for comment but received no response.

The bans have led dozens of beauty salons to close down across the country after getting warnings from police against offering “banned” procedures and services to customers.

RFE/RL correspondents reported that law enforcement agencies raided beauty salons in Mary Province in early April and threatened the owners with hefty fines and 15 days in jail if they broke the new rules.

Last Straw?

Protests and public criticism of government policies are extremely rare in Turkmenistan, where opponents often end up in prison or are forcibly placed in psychiatric hospitals.

But some activists and other Turkmen say the latest restrictions could be the last straw for people’s patience. Turkmen have been unhappy with decades of government clampdowns on their rights and freedoms, while the country has also been mired for several years in a severe financial crisis that has led to chronic food shortages and skyrocketing unemployment and inflation.

In Balkan Province, several women told RFE/RL that they had had enough and wouldn’t rule out mass anti-government protests. “The new president turned out to be a woman-hater,” one Balkan resident said. “There is no gender equality in Turkmenistan at all anymore.”

“Turkmen women are extremely unhappy with these restrictions,” said Dursoltan Tagaeva, a prominent Turkmen activist who lives in self-exile in Turkey. “Even those who didn’t support [opposition activists] are now becoming increasing vocal and have begun voicing their unhappiness with this situation,” she told RFE/RL on May 2.

In a rare incident in Ashgabat, two outraged women refused to pay a fine and started a loud argument with a police officer who stopped them over their false eyelashes on April 27, an eyewitness told RFE/RL.

“The women demanded the policeman show them a copy of the document that bans false eyelashes,” the witness said.

About the author:

Farangis Najibullah

Farangis Najibullah is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL who has reported on a wide range of topics from Central Asia, including the region’s ongoing struggle with the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact. She has extensively covered efforts by Central Asian states to repatriate their citizens who joined Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Published on Human Rights Without Frontieres- Please click here for further reading about women’s rights on HRWF website 

Of Energy and Dependencies in Europe

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Of Energy and Dependencies in Europe

By Leyla Mammadova

Climate change is all over the place across Europe and far beyond. Heatwaves have become more common in most parts of the world as a result of climate change, as have extreme rainfall occurrences, which in turn lead to flooding. Even if greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically decreased, global warming and associated changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and sea levels are expected to persist throughout the twenty-first century.

Currently, high temperatures, flooding, water shortages, and wildfires are all becoming more common in European cities than ever before. The actual hazards are determined by the city’s or town’s geography and unique features. When compared to other regions, closed areas and densities of humans and assets in urbanized areas enhance hazards from climate and weather events. The situation in Europe particularly tends to become more severe year by year: land and sea temperatures are rocketing high; rainfall trends are dramatically changing; sea levels are increasing; and the heat waves becoming a major challenge (Climate Adapt, 2021).

Put differently, nearly all regions of Europe reached the frontline with the climate change phenomenon. With Europe being heavily urbanized continent and the 75% of the European population residing in cities, the detrimental impact of the climate change seems to be inevitable and indeed will come at a high expense. Urban sprawl leads to excessive energy, land, water, and air consumption, which makes the destiny of European cities the very bone of contention.

As a result of the high concentration of people, economic activity, investments, and vital infrastructure in cities, they are more vulnerable to climate change than rural areas. Furthermore, the substitution of artificial surfaces and buildings for natural vegetation modifies temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation patterns. By trapping heat and causing the so-called “urban heat-island effect,” impermeable surfaces restrict extreme amounts of rainfall from draining through into earth, start increasing in cities different from the surrounding area.

In the past few years, scientists have given growing dire warnings about the prospect of elevated global warming (possibly a 48°C rise in global average surface temperatures beyond pre-industrial norms by the 2060s or 2070s), which would test societies’ adaptive capabilities to the breaking point (Carter, 2011).

Instances of urban climate change adaptation techniques are beginning to appear in related to policy solutions. These are frequently incorporated into larger climate change and green innovation that include, and in some cases, are primarily focused on, climate change mitigation. It is important to note that the cities or the ‘urban-level politicians’, should be regarded on the same level along with other political actors that are to contribute to the climate change mitigation. Precisely, nearly 70% of total energy consumption stem from the cities, and since there is a rapid process of urbanization going on in the world, the number is expected to grow over time.

The way urban areas are planned and developed as well as they respond to the ongoing climate crisis play a crucial role in Co2 emissions and the energy use, which in turn, affect the climate change phenomenon at large. (University of Bergen, 2020) According to the member of IFIMES Advisory Board, Younger (2022), the architects and urban planners are now expected to put extra efforts in adapting to climate change mitigation and renewable energy usage since the coming 30+ years ahead are to witness even higher level of urbanization.

Climate change policies that are ‘integrated’ entail those developed for cities such as Madrid, Copenhagen, and Rotterdam. Moreover, planning and zoning restrictions in Stuttgart, Germany, for instance, aim to protect open space and promote the presence of plants in intensively built-up regions. This is to improve air flow and hence reduce overheating and pollution issues. A Building and Construction Law of 2002 in Basel, Switzerland, mandates that all new and refurbished flat roofs be greened. As a result, Basel has surpassed London as the world’s leading green roof metropolis in terms of green roof area per capita. The Biotope Area Factor law in Berlin, Germany, mandates that a certain percentage of major innovations be kept as green or accessible land (Carter, 2011).

It’s becoming clear that European cities are playing an increasingly important role in climate and energy governance. Cities themselves are well aware of this new governance role. Inter-city networks are being mobilized by city governments to explore remedies to energy and climate concerns (e.g. C40, Energy Cities). The European Union’s multi-level governance has created new administration areas for cities throughout Europe. Inter-city networks appear to be crucial in terms of the ideas that planners and policymakers are pursuing on a domestic level. The actions initiated by the EU and its Member States show the extent to which the situation is pressing, and the need to expand the efforts beyond EU’s capabilities (Carbon Brief, 2020).

All in all, to tackle the issue and to address it in a reasonable way, the collective action must be taken by all means possible. The 21st century and the late COVID-19 crisis have shown that it is no helpful to rely solely on political actors or single stakeholders, but rather to take the situation in own hands and take the necessary measures as soon as possible. In other words, it appears that the European community must not only rely on the government’s ability to implement its coercive power in the climate-related policymaking, but rather start working on the footprint in line with the Paris Agreement and call for the collective ‘green’ action. To help cities maintain an urban life in a ‘greener; and more sustainable way, the united efforts of both the people and the government should be put into force. We no longer have time to waste; it is time to press the alarm button and take the action.

About the Author:

Leyla Mammadova

Leyla Mammadova of the University Leuven, Belgium (Leuven International and European Studies (LINES)) is a researcher specialized in international humanitarian law, demography and the EU Institutions.

Bibliography:

  1. Carbon Brief (2020). Retrieved from:https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-are-european-cities-delivering-on-their-climate-commitments)
  2. Carter, J. G. (2011). Climate change adaptation in European cities. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, (May). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.12.015
  3. Climate Adapt (2021). Retrieved from: https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/knowledge/tools/urban-ast/step-0-2
  4. EURACTIV (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/european-cities-must-adapt-to-climate-change-eu-climate-chief-says/
  5. IFIMES (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.ifimes.org/en/researches/ifimes-ii-population-and-pollution-and-urbanisation/4991?page=2
  6. Kumar, P. (2021). Climate Change and Cities: Challenges Ahead. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 3(February), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2021.645613
  7. Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research (2019) Retrieved from: https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/2019/09/03/how-climate-change-going-change-cities-urban-spaces
  8. University of Bergen (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.uib.no/en/cet/126450/european-cities-actors-climate-and-energy-transformation

Rwanda has the highest representation of women in parliament in the world. What factors have led to this feat?

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Rwanda has the highest representation of women in parliament in the world. What factors have led to this feat?

By H.E. Mr. Oliver Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of Rwanda to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, non-resident Ambassador to the Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Gender equality has been one of the central pillars of our country’s reconstruction in the 28 years since the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. Before 1994, Rwanda was rife with social injustice, economic inequalities, and elitism. The ruling elite underinvested in crucial fields such as education, health and women empowerment. Most women were confined to being mothers and working in the field.

It was clear, therefore, for our new government, that to foster reconciliation, unity, and peace, and lay the foundations for a Rwanda for all Rwandans, women and girls needed to participate equally in all the spheres of the country life. It is within such context that, the government set out to build a political system that represented and benefitted every single Rwandan.

Equality, therefore, became a fundamental principle for our national reconstruction. Just after the genocide, many men had been killed and other had fled the country. A large part of our population was female – what form of equality and unity could we achieve without ensuring that women were at the forefront of this reconstruction?

President Kagame once said that “empowering women is not a favour, it’s a responsibility.”

This ethos has been embedded throughout our society since 1994. This is why we have consistently achieved high levels of female representation, because there is a widespread recognition that without getting the best out of all our citizens – including our women – we cannot achieve the high ambitions we have set for ourselves.

How has Rwanda benefitted from this commitment to Women’s representation?

I think there is a natural temptation to connect the high number of women in leadership positions to Rwanda’s lasting peace over the last 28 years, and to talk about how distinctly ‘female’ qualities play a part in this. Though there may be some truth in this, I think what should instead be emphasised is that this commitment has ensured that we have represented the whole of Rwanda in our leadership – that everyone’s voice is spoken for, and that equality is at the heart of our governance.

In an ideal world, we would not have to specifically promote women’s representation. Over half our population is female, and so it is only right that they are represented in kind in parliament. Of course, as with most countries all over the world, deliberate efforts must be made to overcome embedded patriarchal notions and ensure that this proportion is reflected in our leaders.

By making these efforts, we have ensured that at all levels, the leadership of our country is representative of the population. This is a truly democratic system of governing, which values equality above all else – this spirit, I believe, has guided our national reconstruction over the last 28 years.

Has this prioritisation of Women’s representation in politics translated to the rest of society?

Women’s leadership and representation at the highest level is essential to set an example for the rest of our institutions throughout the country – whether in the private or public sector. Real societal change, and equal opportunity and treatment for women at all levels is obviously at the very heart of all our policymaking. Of course, achieving widespread social change given embedded historic social practices – as with most other countries, a traditional patriarchal system was predominant in Rwanda for most of our history – represents a challenge.

Identifying, understanding, and addressing these challenges head-on is the best way of dealing with them. The policies that we have introduced in recent years – including the National Gender Policy recently revised to cover the remaining gap in women’s meaningful participation and representation in leadership and decision-making positions in public and private sector as well as CSOs at all levels. The same policy stresses also on the role of men and boys in promoting gender equality promotion and women’s empowerment. In addition, Girls’ Education Policy of 2008 (under revision) among other policies in place, have contributed to address girls’ issues throughout educational levels.

At the heart of our vision for development is a drive for relentless improvement. This is what we are seeking here – that every single Rwandan has identical opportunities and treatment in any area they choose, regardless of any pre-existing factor: be it gender, ethnicity, disability, or anything else.

What lessons can the rest of the world learn from Rwanda’s approach?

I think the most important thing is to really recognise the value of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment – it is not just a box-ticking exercise, it is a key to unlock the full potential of any society, organisation, or indeed country. It must, therefore, be an absolute priority, and should be hard-wired in all government policies.

Another thing I would say is that setting concrete legislative requirements and targets does make a real difference. In Rwanda, for instance, our constitution mandates that at least 30% of decisions making positions be occupied by women. In practice, we have far outperformed that baseline in a number of  sectors; for instance the number currently stands at 63% in the parliament. . Yet these baselines, these legal requirements, are important mechanisms to ensure that when it comes to issues of equality, countries walk the walk, rather than just talking the talk.

Above all, however, it comes down to a commitment and to a shared vision for the future. Throughout our country, we have embedded the principles of gender equality – from the education system upwards – and it is a shared value that ensures our policies are successful.

Azerbaijan Celebrates 104 Years Democratic and Secular Statehood

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Azerbaijan Celebrates 104 Years Democratic and Secular Statehood

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Netherlands H.E. Mr Fikrat Akhundov and  Mrs Vusala Akhundova, hosted a reception on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The celebration was at the embassy on Friday,  28 May 2022, was well attended and featured many ambassadors, Algeria, Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Philipinnes, South Africa, and the deputy DG.OPCW, diplomats from Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and others. Further, an Azerbaijani dance group performed National Dances adding to the festive atmosphere.

Ambassador Akhundov welcome OPCW Deputy Director General, Odette Melono, https://www.opcw.org/about/ts/leadership/deputy-director-general
H.E. Mr Fikrat Akhundov and the Director General of the International Commission on Missing Persons, Ms Kathryne Bomberger.

This year Azerbaijan and the Netherlands celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. For 30 years, Azerbaijan and the Netherlands built their relations on mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, Azerbaijan believes that these relations will further grow and contribute to the prosperity of the two nations.

Ambassador Fikrat Akhundov’s welcome speech walked his guests through the history and independence proclamation to the present day. Indeed, the Ambassador spoke on a range of fascinating topics. This is what he stated.

“Today is a significant day in the history of Azerbaijan. 104 years ago, on May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic declared its independence and thus became the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim East.

Proclaimed during complex geo-political times, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic has left a significant mark on the rich history of the statehood of Azerbaijan. In the short period of its existence, the first Parliament and Government were established. Different ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan were elected to the first Parliament, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, and gained the right to express their views openly.

All citizens of the country – regardless their gender – were given the same rights based on the principles of equality. For the first time in the Eastern world, women’s suffrage was granted in 1918 in Azerbaijan. The young Republic of Azerbaijan has defined its state borders, state symbols, established the first diplomatic relations with foreign countries. 16 foreign countries, as Great Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Iran, USA, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have opened representations in Azerbaijan. When Azerbaijan declared its independence, the territory of Azerbaijan was 114 km2 and the population was 3.3 million.

However, two years later, as a result of geo-political processes in the region, Azerbaijan lost its state independence in April 1920 and became part of the USSR until 1991. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan was able to preserve its cultural heritage, traditions and ancient history.

Only 71 years later, on October 18, 1991, Azerbaijan regained its independence, but the country’s territory was no longer 114 km, but only 86.6 km2. In addition, since the early days of its independence, Azerbaijan has faced new territorial claims and aggression. Thus, in 1991-1993, nearly 20% of the historical territory of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and East Zangazur, was occupied by Armenia. About 1 million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homeland, some were taken hostage or went missing, the ancient monuments, mosques and other historical buildings belonging to Azerbaijanis were destroyed, natural resources were illegally exploited. Finally, in November 2020, Azerbaijan restored justice and liberated its historical territories from occupation.

At present, the main goal of Azerbaijan Government is demining and restoration the liberated territories and the return of IDPs to their homelands after 30 years. Azerbaijan has declared Karabakh and East Zangazur a “green energy” zone. Many Western and Asian companies have already begun to take part in these projects.

New transport, logistics, eco-tourism, smart cities and smart villages projects have been launched in the region. The goal is to transform the region fully into a green energy zone by 2050, as well as reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent.

From ancient times Azerbaijan has been the bridge between East and West, North and South. This tendency has not changed for modern Azerbaijan. Due to this geographical position Azerbaijan became a principal transportation hub. Azerbaijan has built one of the biggest ports at the Caspian Sea and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway route has been realized.

After the restoration of its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has participated in many regional projects, cooperating on the international stage with the EU, OSCE, NATO, OIC and became the reliable partner for both West and global South. Azerbaijan has been elected to the positions at different international organizations. Namely, Azerbaijan has been the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2012-2013 and has been chairing Non-alignment movement since 2018.

In the framework of the partnership with NATO, for instance, Azerbaijan peacekeepers helped with the evacuation at Kabul airport in Afghanistan.

H.E. Ms. Ksenija Milenkovic, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia at her arrival at the Azerbaijan commemoration of the 104 Anniversary.
Ambassador Akhundov welcome the Ambassador of Lebanon, H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa.
Welcoming the Ambassador of Peru, H.E. Ms. Marisol Aguero Colunga.

In its global efforts to fight COVID-19 and expressing its solidarity with states affected by the virus, the Government of Azerbaijan has donated 10 million US dollars to World Health Organization, 5 million of which was to support the most affected NAM countries.

Azerbaijan is strategic partner of EU in ensuring energy security of the region. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the natural gas projects TANAP and TAP were launched for this purpose. TAP (transadriatic pipeline) in particular plays a key role in the EU’s strategic goal of energy security. Currently, in connection with the crisis in Ukraine, Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian aid worth 15 million euros and continues its efforts.

Azerbaijan or the Land of Fire is recognized in the world for its ancient history, culture, national folklore, carpet weaving, cuisine and for its famous Karabakh horses. The newly liberated city of Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, that celebrates its 270th anniversary this year, has been declared the cultural capital of Turkic world for 2023 by The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY).

H.E. Ms Marisol Aguero Colunga, Ambassador of the Republic of Peru, Mrs. Beatriz Piza, spouse of the Costa Rican Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Arnoldo Brenes Castro, Ambassador of Costa Rica and H.E. Mr. Fikrat Akhundov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The capital of Azerbaijan – Baku city has hosted many international sporting competitions and cultural events. This year, in 2 weeks Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand prix will again take place in Baku. Baku circuit has become one of the most excited and challenging races for Formula 1 pilots and fans since 2017.

It should be also noted this year marks the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijani-Dutch diplomatic relations. For the last 30 years the relations between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands had a trajectory of development in different spheres, from agriculture to logistics, from education to tourism, culture and so on. About 50 Dutch companies work in Azerbaijan in different fields. Also Azerbaijan companies cooperate closely with Dutch companies in the Netherlands.

Today we present to you the products of Anna Dutch Company, which produces caviar of the sturgeon from Caspian Sea in the Netherlands. I would like to thank the company for its contribution to this event. Azerbaijan and the Netherlands has a huge potential in the bilateral relations and we hope it will further deepen in the future.

Dear friends, distinguished guests, I am grateful to you for being here today with us and celebrating the 104th anniversary of the Independence of Azerbaijan” end quote.

The festive event concluded with a reception and a galore of caviar, courtesy of Anna Dutch B.V.

Happy Independence Day Azerbaijan!

Dr Nicholas O’Brien reinforces dialogue with Bundesrat President Ramelow

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Dr Nicholas O’Brien reinforces dialogue with Bundesrat President Ramelow

Wednesday, 1 June 2022, Erfurt, Free State of Thuringia, Germany: The Premier of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, President pro tempore of the German Federal Council (Bundesrat) received the Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland, Dr. Nicholas O’Brien, in the Thuringian State Chancellery for his inaugural visit.

The purpose of the bilateral meeting was to become acquainted to each other as well as to exchange views on economic, political and cultural cooperation between Ireland and the Federal State of Thuringia. Dr Nicholas O’Brien has been accredited to the German Federation since 11 September 2019.

“Thuringia is the green heart of Germany. The heart is also reflected in the symbol of Thuringia’s 2022 Federal Council Presidency – mirrored from two twos” said Premier Bodo Ramelow as he presented the symbol of the Federal Council Presidency to the Ambassador of Ireland, Dr. Nicholas O’Brien, during his visit to the Thuringian State Chancellery.

This year Erfurt will be the official centre of celebrations for the German Unification Day. 

For further information
Government of the Free State of Thuringia: https://www.staatskanzlei-thueringen.de/medienservice/veranstaltungsberichte/detailseite/default-4565895049
https://www.staatskanzlei-thueringen.de/medienservice/veranstaltungsberichte/detailseite/gruesse-aus-irland

L’Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux remporte la première édition du concours de procès fictif de la Cour pénale internationale

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L’Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux remporte la première édition du concours de procès fictif de la Cour pénale internationale

Aujourd’hui, le 3 juin 2022, l’Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux du ressort de la Cour d’appel de Paris – EFB (France) a remporté la finale de la première édition de la version française du concours de procès fictif de la Cour pénale internationale (CPI), qui a eu lieu dans la salle d’audience II de la CPI à La Haye (Pays-Bas). Le jury était composé de M. le juge de la CPI Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, juge président, Mme la juge de la CPI Reine Alapini-Gansou, et de la juriste de la CPI Adelaide Figueiras.

L’Ecole de formation professionnelle des avocats du Nord-Ouest – IXAD (France) a remporté la deuxième place. Le prix du « Meilleur orateur » a été décerné à Manon Lanselle de l’Ecole de formation professionnelle des avocats du Nord-Ouest – IXAD.

L’équipe lauréate était composée de Gabriel Sebbah, Raphaël Biais, Sophie Lejeune et Léa Darves-Bornoz. Les équipes se sont affrontées dans une affaire fictive et ont présenté leurs arguments dans les rôles du Bureau du Procureur et de la Défense, qui ont été diffusés en direct sur le site Internet de la Cour ainsi que sur son compte Facebook.

Cette première édition du concours de procès fictif en langue française est organisée par l’Académie de droit international de La Haye, avec le soutien de l’Ambassade de France aux Pays-Bas. 40 étudiants de 10 universités de 5 pays ont participé à l’étape préliminaire de cette édition en français du concours procès fictif de la CPI.

Dans le cadre du programme qu’elle consacre aux milieux universitaires, la CPI soutient l’organisation de concours de procès fictifs en anglais, en chinois, en espagnol, en russe et en français, et envisage d’en soutenir également l’organisation d’une version en arabe à l’avenir. Ces initiatives jouent un rôle fondamental pour susciter dans les milieux universitaires de l’intérêt pour le travail de la Cour et pour mieux faire connaître et respecter le droit international pénal.

Karin Lodder – The Peace Palace Library’s new manager

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Karin Lodder – The Peace Palace Library’s new manager

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 Importance of Interfaith Dialogue Discussed in The Hague

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The Importance of Interfaith Dialogue Discussed in The Hague

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.

Tchaikovsky XL with 100 young musicians in AMARE

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Tchaikovsky XL with 100 young musicians in AMARE

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)

Ambassadors’ panel on the Alliance of the Pacific held at Leiden University

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Ambassadors’ panel on the Alliance of the Pacific held at Leiden University

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

  1. aquaculture, conservation and sustainable use of hydrobiological resources
  2. adoption of circular economy practices
  3. research and
  4. 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.

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