Diplomat Magazine Podcast – Episode 1
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A Rose is a Rose exhibition against FGM
The Banquet of Ukemochi.
6-27 February 2021: A Rose (is A Rose) is a non-profit art project that draws the attention of a wide audience to the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice many young girls still suffer today. The aim is to generate funds to help fight FGM.
The artist and curator Dodi Reifenberg developed his first thus named project, A Rose (is A Rose), in the summer of 2015, followed by another with HOHENTHAL UND BERGEN Gallery in 2016. This year’s exhibition is available online only due to the aforementioned restrictions imposed by COVID-19. The proceeds from the sale of artwork(s) in the exhibition this year will go to Evelyn Brenda and her organization Kajiado Rescue Centre. They fight female genital mutilation and offer refuge to girls affected by it (more than 200 million women worldwide suffer from the consequences of genital mutilation).
The exhibition opened on February 6, 2021, the International Day Against FGM, and will feature 101 internationally renowned and emerging young artists. From previous exhibitions in 2015 and 2016, some 60.000 euros was raised from the sale of artworks, the Desert Flower Center at the Waldfriede Hospital in Berlin Zehlendorf received half of the proceeds, the remaining half went to the artists.
This year, similarly the Kajiado Rescue Center in Kenya will receive 50 per cent of the proceeds and the remainder will go to the artists, some of whom will also donate their allotted amount. With 1000 euros, a girl in Kajiado Rescue Center can have a home, schooling, food and health care for a year.
We are proud to present the film Dishonour by Terrence Turner on our website gallery. A special event created by the group Hedoné for our exhibition will also only available to view online. This exhibition project is supported by the Stiftung Kunstfonds, Neustart Kultur and Bauwert AG.
For further information:
Artwork ‘The Banquet of Ukemochi’ by Philalethes – Courtesy of the artist
Order of the Union for Zaki Nusseibeh
Order of the Union for Dr Zaki Nusseibeh – Picture by MOFAIC UAE
Wednesday, 10 February 2021, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Deputising for the UAE President, His Highness The Crown of Abu Dhabi, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, presented HE Dr. Zaki bin Anwar Nusseibeh with the Order of the Union. The country’s Vice President, Prime Minister and Emir of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was present for the bestowal.
Dr. Zaki Nusseibeh was awarded the Order of the Union recognising his many years of cultural and diplomatic commitments for the UAE. It was further announced that Dr. Nusseibeh departs his position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to become Advisor for Cultural Affairs at the Presidential Court of the UAE.
Nusseibeh is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, member of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University.
For further information:
https://www.uaecabinet.ae/en/details/cabinet-members/his-excellency-zaki-anwar-nusseibeh
Shakhboot Al Nahyan becomes Minister of State
Wednesday, 10 February 2021, Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: HE Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak bin Mohammad bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has been appointed Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation alongside Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar.
Sheikh Shakhboot began his diplomatic career as Emirati Ambassador to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). He is an avid equestrian, former President of the Emirates Equestrian Federation and son of the incumbent Minister of State for Tolerance and Coexistence, HE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.
Sheikh Shakhboot holds a BA in applied science and applied media studies from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi and a graduate diploma from Dr. Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (erstwhile Emirates Diplomatic Academy). Shakhboot first joined the Foreign Ministry in 2013.
During his ambassadorial tenure, Sheikh Shakhboot bint Nahyan focused on establishing synergies between the socio-economic visions of the leaderships in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. He is likewise credited with stimulating further channels of trade between the two GCC countries.
For further information:
https://www.mofaic.gov.ae/ar/
Picture by MOFAIC – UAE
Anniversary of Diplomatic Service in Russia
By H.E. Mr. Alexander Shulgin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of The Netherlands.
On February 10, Russia celebrates the diplomat’s day. This holiday was introduced back in 2002 by the President Vladimir Putin to celebrate the anniversary of establishment of the first foreign office in our country in 1549, called ‘Ambassadorial Prikaz’, which became the prototype of the modern Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Russian diplomacy can be proud of its rich history. Diplomats served their Motherland for dozens of generations: heroically defended the interests of state during wars and armed conflicts, they made efforts to settle disputes and ensure peace on the planet, and significantly contributed to the liberation of Europe from the Nazi invaders during the Second World War.
Russian diplomats, relying on the glorious traditions laid down by their predecessors, are still working to resolve the most important global and regional problems. The Russian Foreign Ministry actively participates in the development of the international agenda and maintains a dialogue with foreign partners on the basis of international law, provisions of the UN Charter, principles of equality and mutual respect, in order to ensure security and stability on the world arena.
The priorities of the Russian MFA, embassies and permanent representations are to create favorable foreign policy conditions for the sustainable socio-economic development of Russia, and to protect the rights of Russian citizens and compatriots abroad. Our diplomacy is working to build a truly equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with all counterparties. We strive to defend the key role of the UN, to consolidate the international community in the fight against the threat of terrorism, and to strengthen the foundations of strategic stability and non-proliferation regimes for weapons of mass destruction.
Speaking about the Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Hague, here we do our best to strengthen our amicable relations with the Netherlands. Our mission abroad is to establish political contacts and ensure mutually beneficial conditions for economic and cultural exchange with the host country. The Consular section of the Embassy provides all necessary assistance to Russian citizens residing in the Netherlands and the subjects of the Kingdom in matters of entry into the territory of Russia.
At this difficult times, when the world is facing a new challenge – the COVID-19 pandemic – it is of special importance to unite diplomatic efforts in the face of a common calamity. Russia is therefore open to constructive cooperation in order to jointly defeat the new coronavirus infection.
The Ambassador of Romania H.E. Mr. Lucian Fătu
H.E. Lucian Fătu has presented his letters of credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Kingdom of The Netherlands to H.M. King Willem-Alexander on the 10th of February, 2021.
After being admitted to the Diplomatic Service in 1992, Lucian Fătu ranks currently as Minister Plenipotentiary.
Between 2013 and 2019, he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Hellenic Republic. Previously, he held the same office in the Republic of Finland, with additional accreditation to the Republic of Estonia (2006-2011), and in the Republic of Lithuania, with additional accreditation to the Republic of Latvia (2001-2004). His initial foreign postings included London, as Deputy Head (2000-2001), and Washington, D.C., as political officer (1995-1999).
In the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, Lucian Fătu was National Coordinator for the EU Danube Strategy, with the rank of Director General (2012), Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (2011-2012), Deputy Director General of the EU Department (2004-2005), Director for Western Europe (2000), and Deputy Director for North America (1999).
After completing his tour of duty in Helsinki, where he served as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps between 2010 and 2011, Lucian Fătu received the highest Finnish recognition, when he was awarded Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Finnish Lion.
Lucian Fătu was born in Bucharest on June 2, 1959, is married and has three children. He holds a BA in Civil Engineering from the Bucharest Polytechnic Institute (1979-1984), and M.A. degrees in Political Science from the National School for Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest (1990-1992), and in European Integration from the Limerick University in the Republic of Ireland (1991-1992). Lucian Fǎtu speaks English and French.
H.E. Mr. Jian Tan is China’s new Ambassador in The Hague
On February 10th H.E. Mr. Jian Tan has taken up his new role as top diplomat of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in The Hague, where he will serve his country both as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and as Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Ambassador Tan brings with him over thirty 30 years of experience in his country’s foreign service as well as with the United Nations.
Born in March 1965 in Jiangsu, Mr. Jian Tan earned a Master’s in Diplomacy and Trade and joined the PRC’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1987 as a Staff Member. There, he worked for two stints in the Department of International Organizations and Conferences (1988-1991, 1994-2001), raising through the Department’s ranks up to the role of Director.
In the meanwhile, Mr. Jian Tan also made successful experiences as a diplomat abroad, first as Attaché at the PRC’s Embassy in Indonesia (1991-1994), and then as Counsellor at China’s Permanent Mission to the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland (2001-2007). Mr. Tan’s experience at the UN continued further after his long post in Geneva, as he took up the role of Special Assistant to the UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs (2007-2011).
In 2012, Mr. Jian Tan returned to Beijing, first as Deputy Director-General of the MFA’s Department of International Economic Affairs (2012-2017), and then as Senior Official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (2011-2017). Then, in 2017, Mr. Jian Tan received his first nomination as Ambassador, being tasked to represent his country in Ethiopia, where he remained until 2020.
Ambassador Tan is married, with a son.
Now, it is time for Ambassador Jian Tan to represent his country in the Netherlands. Diplomat Magazine and the whole diplomatic community welcomes him and wishes him the best for his new experience!
Glamorous
Glamorous12 March – 18 April 2021
Hotel Mond Fine Arts Gallery, Bleibtreustrasse 17, 10623 Berlin, Telefon: 030/809 614 03,
E-Mail: office@hotel-mond.de Homepage: www.hotel-mond.de
Time for glamor and fantasy. Precisely now, when our sense for art, design, and a positive attitude toward life are awakening again, the artists Frieda Vogel and Karin von Roques are bringing together innovative design and imaginative picture collages in the exhibition Glamorous.
Under the label FRAU FRIEDA Ms. Vogel has in the last three years created handbags made of the finest materials, in part set with sumptuous, genuine stones. Each is unique, a work of art of the highest craftsmanship. The exhibition will feature the complete collection for the first time.
The collages by Karin von Roques reveal a boundless play of how fashion is artfully transformed with female energy. The result are timeless artworks that by conveying a positive attitude toward life radiate desirability and inspire the senses.
About the artists – Frieda Vogel
Frieda Vogel studied visual communication and design at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin (now Universität der Künste Berlin). Her path led her to Arno Fischer, with whom she completed studies in photography.
In 2015 Ms. Vogel founded the successful luxury handbag and accessories label FRAU FRIEDA in Berlin. Attention to detail, knowledge of materials, precision, and perfection are her guiding principles. To do them justice, she allowed herself three years (2015–18) to find correspondingly high-quality materials and the best specialists for her collection, such as fine bag makers in Berlin, Beirut, and Ofenbach, as well as tanners, dyers, and goldsmiths, before she presented her first luxury model. Her main collection includes the classics Frieda No 1, Frieda No 2, Fräulein Frieda, Jackie, and Mondiva Unlimited. Her models are fancy Gesamtkunstwerks that meet the highest standards of quality.
Ms. Vogel is not only a designer with a great love of detail. As a successful photographer who has published impressive photos taken during her numerous travels in various books, she has also exhibited her work in several countries around the world. One of her recent favorite motifs are still lifes of handbags that she has designed. Her first camera, a Leica, inspired her to design Mondiva Unlimited.
Karin von Roques
After completing studies in theater and costume design at the Kunstakademie in Berlin, Karin von Roques studied Islamic art history at the Universität Bonn and specialized in contemporary Arab and Iranian art. She subsequently worked internationally as a costume designer for television, film, and theater. She also made a name for herself in fashion design and received various awards for her designs.
A decade later Ms. Roques began curating her first exhibitions featuring work by Arabic artists for museums and galleries such as the Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt am Main; the Kunstmuseum Bonn; the Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris; the Cultural Foundation, Abu Dhabi; the Sundaram Tagore Galerie, New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong; the Internationale FotoFest Biennale in Houston, Texas; and the me Collectors Room in Berlin. She was a consultant at Sotheby’s in London and advisor to such clients as the Deutsche Bank regarding the purchase of Arabic art. Moreover, she has served as a jury member at international art competitions including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and in 2007 at the 11th International Cairo Biennale.
Ms. Roques’s numerous travels and stays in the Arab countries sparked her imagination, which she in turn has aimed at expressing via the exhibited figurines. Together with Frieda Vogel emerged a perfect symbiosis of beauty and fashion.
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Images courtesy of Karin von Roques – All rights reserved
Lithuania Contributes to OPCW
Contributes €10,000 to Future OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology
THE HAGUE, Netherlands–13 October 2020–The Government of Lithuania has contributed €10,000 to a special Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund to support the project to upgrade the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store. This project will result in the construction of a new facility, the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”).
The contribution was formalised during a ceremony between the Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Vidmantas Purlys, and OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, which was held yesterday at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
Ambassador Purlys remarked: “Lithuania regards OPCW as a very important multilateral organisation for advancing international disarmament and upholding security. The work of the OPCW brought about the elimination of almost an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. However, there are many challenges and new threats that the international community is facing in relation to chemical weapons.
Unfortunately, over the last several years we have seen chemical weapons being used in Syria, the United Kingdom, Russia and other countries. There are threats of chemical terrorism and the use of sophisticated toxic chemicals as weapons. We need to make sure that the OPCW is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future. We consider the Centre for Chemistry and Technology a flagship project in this regard. Therefore, the Lithuanian Government has decided to make a voluntary contribution to the establishment of the ChemTech Centre.”
The Director-General stated: “I commend Lithuania’s support for the ChemTech project. Such voluntary contributions are essential to the completion of this major endeavour that will advance our shared goal of maintaining and reinforcing the global ban on chemical weapons.”
Director-General Arias appealed to all OPCW Member States in a position to make voluntary contributions to do so. He further emphasised the important role the new ChemTech Centre will play in strengthening the OPCW’s ability to address chemical weapon threats and enhance capacity building activities. He highlighted that “all contributions, regardless of size, are greatly appreciated”.
So far, 45 countries, the European Union, and three other donors have contributed or pledged to contribute financially to the ChemTech Centre project, and a considerable amount has been raised to date.