How would a world without the UN be

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How would a world without the UN be

By Mariarosaria Iorio, Political Analyst.

In these controversial contemporary times, the United Nations (UN) and its agencies are at best sidelined, at worst ignored.  The most recent case of sidelining relates to the Corona virus epidemic, which had been announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and had been ignored by political leaders already end of 2019.

Since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the UN is considered as being under perfusion as it has lost its political pertinence.  Such a trend can be summarized as follows: disbelief in multilateralism in general, and the growth of nation-based interests, in particular.  Indeed, the United Nations are commonly critized for their lack of pertinence, lack of impact, lack of cost-efficiency and lack of justice. 

How would the world be if one day we woke up without any UN Headquarters in Geneva and in New York,  and without any UN agency in the world ?

The first immediate result would be that all international staff would have to either go back to their own countries.   As of local staff in host countries, they would have to also look for relatively less well paid jobs in their own countries.   

The buildings of the UN in Geneva and New York would probably become either museums, as for exemple the building at the Place des Nations in Geneva. Other less historical buldings would be rent to multinationals business.    People would remind themselves of how it « used to be » when the UN still existed, and of the time when tourists used to come from all over the world to visit the Place des Nations, and its « broken chair ».     

The Geneva and New York international bubble would puff and suddenly disappear, with an immediate effect of lowering rents and appartments becoming suddenly affordable.   

No more UN meetings with politicians and experts coming from all over the world to echange views and  perspectives.    

In sum, the world would be MULTIPLE world.    

It is the contemporary trend: fragmentation and inward-looking.

Political leaders would jubilate of their refound freedom to make national choices without having to negotiate with any other country.  What a relief!

The United States would finally be on its own, not having to pay its contributions to any UN Organisations. 

China would go back to produce for its own population. 

The European Union would be on its own.   

International aid programmes would also be stopped. 

A dream for the anti-development cooperation voices.

The day after the shut-down we would have to think about the next steps.

Every country would finally be in charge of its own policies.

Its own labour, economic, environment and industrial policies. 

What would happen to International Treaties ?

In our fiction, Treaties would be put on hold and only existing legilsation would be taken into account for nations, which would also be based on before-the-en signed international Treaties. 

What would that mean with regard to world peace-keeping?

Each country would keep peaceful relations with other nations.

Conflicts would have to be solved between concerned parties. 

This would apply also to invasion of small by stronger countries. 

No more blue helmets, no more Security Council meetings.       

No more Human Rights Commitee meetings.

The surveillance violation of human rights would also stay at nations level.

This would be the 1919 scenario, when the Ligue of Nations was set-up.

The world of the first world war was a world without the UN.  

We could go back to a world without the UN, and take the risk of moving towards a world that would be more unstable, unsure and conflictual, if not in war.

The COVID 19 has been a clear exemple of what a chaotic management of worldwide public health issues can be like.  A great number of deaths caused by a disorganised management of frontiers, weakened national hospitals, and no international sanitary policy.

World health is indeed a piece of the peace puzzle.  

Breaking down the dialogue among nations based on a purely economic calculation remains an extremely risky choice. 

The UN is not perfect.  

There is a large margin for restructing and change, namely by refocusing mandates of its agencies and by probably shutting down a number of programmes that are no longer relevant.  

One century ago nations had been unable to stay engaged in peace. Further weakening of the United Nations is a major danger for world peace !

Regard sur le monde: Le rôle de l’Europe et des Nations Unies pour la paix mondiale

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Regard sur le monde: Le rôle de l’Europe et des Nations Unies pour la paix mondiale

Par Mariarosaria Iorio, Analyste politique.

Le malaise est désormais mondial. 

La fin de la guerre froide nous avait promis un monde capitaliste, libre et heureux.  Trente-et-un ans (2020) après la chute du mur de Berlin en 1989, nous sommes dans un monde plus que jamais divisé et en proie à la désintégration.   

La paix mondiale est menacée, alors qu’elle est non seulement souhaitée, mais nécessaire pour le bien-être des peuples de la planète.    

La mondialisation économique a créé des richesses qui ont été concentrées dans les mains d’une minorité mondiale au dépends de la majorité.  

Cette situation est source d’instabilité et mondiale.

La pauvreté reste le facteur dominant dans beaucoup de pays du monde.    

Pour ces raisons il est nécessaire de remettre le multilatéralisme onusien et commercial (Organisation Mondiale du Commerce) au centre des débats politiques mondiaux.  Il faut en modifier les règles de fonctionnement, entre autres, en élargissant le nombre de membres permanents du Conseil de Sécurité et en réévaluant l’idée de veto pour rendre sa prise de décision adaptée aux changements du monde.

Certes, l’Europe a un rôle à jouer dans la reconstruction de la paix mondiale.

Certes, la cause des Nations Unies est noble. 

Mais, tant que les politiciens européens joueront pour des intérêts économiques nationaux, à court terme, contre la stabilité mondiale à long terme leur contribution ne marquera pas le progrès mondial. 

Le monde a besoin de courage et de justice sociale ! 

Sans justice sociale pas de  développement économique durable. 

Sans justice sociale pas de paix durable.

Les événements récents montrent que l’Europe n’échappe pas à cette réalité. 

Les Nations Unies ne peuvent plus rester silencieuses face aux inégalités criantes du monde, y compris dans les pays riches.

Quel rôle pour l’Europe ?   

L’Europe doit jouer son rôle dans la construction de la paix mondiale, y compris au sein des Nations Unies.   

Mais, le manque d’une réelle politique étrangère commune et d’une fédération qui aille au-delà des intérêts nationaux affaiblit sa capacité décisionnelle en matière de politique étrangère. 

Cet état de fait contraint l’Europe à agir dans l’urgence sans pouvoir engager une réflexion à long terme.  

L’Europe semble être dans l’impasse.

Pour sortir de l’impasse, l’Europe doit ouvrir un débat sur son avenir politique, y compris au sein des Nations Unies. La crise des institutions européennes, comme de celles du système des Nations Unies,  est le miroir de la crise du monde contemporain.   Un monde déstructuré et en proie au chaos dans lequel les intérêts individuels et ceux des plus forts prévalent sur la paix et la justice sociales. 

L’Europe et les Nations Unies sont aussi en quelque sorte les victimes de la course des Etats aux intérêts politiques nationaux à court terme. 

Et les Nations Unies?

L’hostilité à l’égard des Nations Unies grandit dans le monde.

Alors que les Nations Unies n’arrivent plus à constituer une masse critique en faveur de la paix mondiale.  Ce système est perçu comme étant un monde à part qui parle à lui-même, qui est décroché des réalités des peuples du monde, et qui parfois travaillerait même contre les peuples.   

Malgré les efforts faits par les bonnes volontés, le système mondial reste dans l’impasse.

Le fonctionnement des Nations Unies est celui de l’après-guerre de 1948. Il s’agit d’un puzzle composé par les Etats-Nations dont le poids décisionnel à l’intérieur du système est fondé sur leur capacité militaire, leur puissance technologique et leur développement économique.  Cette vision est décrochée du monde actuel. Un monde dans lequel la puissance est diffuse.

Le monde contemporain est multipolaire.

La puissance militaire ne détermine plus la victoire face aux nouvelles formes de « guerre » comme le terrorisme.  L’influence et la puissance  des Etats se désintègrent face à la mondialisation du terrorisme.  

Ainsi les tiraillements entre les puissances du Conseil de sécurité rendent la prise de décision longue et inadéquate aux changements rapides du monde contemporain.  

Le positionnement politique des Nations Unies est faible.

Le temps est venu de sortir de la lassitude et de reprendre le chemin de l’action pour la paix mondiale.

Panama, the country that Panamanians return to and foreigners fall in love with!

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Panama, the country that Panamanians return to and foreigners fall in love with!

By H.E. Ms. Elizabeth Ward Neiman, Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the Kingdom of The Netherlands. 

My name is Elizabeth Ward Neiman.  After September 9th upon handing credentials, I became Panama´s third Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Initially I intended to write about the excellent bilateral relations Panama has with the Netherlands.  This of course would include the similarities such as each country´s strategic geographic location, the extensive service center, the globally known logistics network we have both enviably developed, the international airports that serve as hubs to our respective regions, amongst others.

However, after the initial intention dissolved into the decision to write about what is most meaningful when thinking of my country, I decided to write about Panama. 

Panama, the country that Panamanians return to and foreigners fall in love with!

Very probably, the first thing that comes to the mind of most people when hearing of Panama is its century old engineering feat – the Panama Canal, followed by the expansion of the Canal that opened June of 2016 and both exceeded traffic expectations and reaffirmed its environmental leadership in the maritime industry.

In many ways it is the Canal that forged our country.  

Started by the French and finished by the North Americans with workers primarily from Asia and the Caribbean islands, the origin of our multiculturality was marked.  Historically prevalent are the indigenous as well as the Spanish descendants that chose Panama to become the first settlement on the Pacific Coast of the Americas in 1519.  Each nationality brought and maintained its language, religion, gastronomy and traditions.  We learned to live with respect and in harmony embracing each other´s individuality combining the uniqueness into parts of a whole.

With the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south, Panama has 10 provinces and 5 indigenous territories in a total area of 75,400 km2 and approximately 4 million population. It is what you see and experience traveling from one border to the other when the journey begins!  

A commitment to the global environment has confirmed Panama`s determination to maintain the Darien jungle a natural lung for the planet.  Therefore, our eastern border is a lush tropical dense jungle housing uncountable species of flora and fauna with more discovered every year.  Close by is the Guna Yala indigenous territory, a must-see for anyone who visits Panama!  The Gunas are known for their colorful handwork called molas.  These are layered pieces of brilliant colored fabric intersewn to create spectacular designs representing the nature that surrounds them and the life they lead.  The pristine turquoise water surrounding the 365 islands, the fresh seafood and their hospitality are commented by any visitor.

Continuing towards the western border is the unexpected contrast of Panama City, and what a contrast it is!  More architecturally interesting skyrise buildings as well as variety of restaurants are found in Panama than anywhere in the region.  From here you can visit the Canal, the Biomuseo, go shopping, climb the Cerro Ancon or venture to Colón and go scuba diving in the Caribbean Sea in the morning, drive back and dive in the Pacific Ocean in the afternoon.  Fly or boat to Las Perlas islands, ferry to Taboga…or drive on towards the western border and continue discovering.

In the central provinces the continental divide mountain range creates a unique climate contrast in such a small territory.  Although it may be ¨summer¨ (dry season from December to April) on the Pacific side, it will be ¨winter¨ (rainy) on the Caribbean side.   The sounds of the beating tropical rain with the brilliant lightning display and the background rumble of thunder humbles anyone under the wonders of nature…and not enough time has gone by to get over the awe when you are sunbathing again!

Whether you venture inland to El Valle de Anton, the second largest inhabited volcanic crater in the world, or stay on the coastal path to enjoy the endless kilometers of sand beaches ranging in colors from bleached white to iron black, visit the El Cano desert and its archeological discoveries, or camp in the La Yeguada Forest Reserve you will experience the geographical and folkloric contrasts Panama is known for.  

Whether you go northeast to Bocas del Toro or northwest to Chiriquí you are marveled by scenery along the way.  ¨Bocas¨ is laid back.  Time is of no essence as you surf, swim, walk, bike, or simply hang out.  In contrast, Chiriquí is known as ¨Little Switzerland¨ being the agricultural center, the highest mountain range, the coolest temperature, the most hospitable area in Panama.  Whether visiting Boquete, Volcan or Cerro Punta a required stop is a coffee plantation.  Many offer tours and sampling of the most expensive coffee in the world…the Geisha variety, truly sublime.

However, sublime not only describes our coffee, it describes the unparalleled exotic beauty in a territory of contrasts that is PANAMA.

Diplomacy at a horse trot

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Diplomacy at a horse trot

By Alexandra Paucescu.

I’ve always loved horses. I admire their beauty and pure elegance. I remember, as a young girl, I was watching horse-jumping championships on TV, together with my grandma, and imagined myself making that perfect team with the animal, competing for world’s glory and admiration. Well… it never happened to me, except for a few months of horse riding lessons,  it remained a dream… but recently I had the pleasure to meet someone who lived my childhood fantasy, at high levels.

She is Jaizel Selleslaghs, born in the Netherlands, married to a Belgian diplomat and now living in Peru, on diplomatic mission.

She says she has loved horses all her life and first rode one when she was only 4! Although she admits that it is quite an exclusive and expensive sport, she was lucky enough to have her own horse at 7. And that’s how her life passion for horses took off.

‘Netherlands had always a great tradition in horse riding’, she says. So, she had the opportunity, the passion and also the perfect environment to achieve high standards in this elegant sport.

‘Horses were everything to me. I would spend every day with them, taking care of them, riding, and I was competing in jumping and dressage competitions almost every weekend. Meanwhile I was also studying ‘Horses management’ and with my certificate as horse instructor I was also giving lessons to adults and children.’

Jaizel Selleslaghs. Photography by Joren Selleslaghs.

She confesses to me that one of her proudest moments was when she became champion of Utrecht, in the ‘1 meter class’ and also when she reached ‘Level Z’ in horse dressage. But, although she had all these great results, she looked for a slightly different career later. Leaving horse riding just as a hobby, she studied ‘Logistics and Economics’ and started her career in the retail industry.

But life, especially when it comes to diplomats, is rarely predictable and soon showed its surprising twists. She knew that, by embracing a diplomatic career, her husband will take her to a life long journey around the Globe…first stop: Peru.

Although on the other side of the world, she quickly became comfortable with her new ‘home’, learned the local language (Spanish) in record time and started riding and teaching classes again.

Of course, such a talent and love for horses never fades… I see her pictures full of love, I watch her riding in videos and almost feel the extraordinary connection she has with her beloved horse, Ginger, which in fact she brought to Peru. ‘Although terribly expensive, I could never leave her behind! And it was definitely all worth it’, she tells me, with her eyes shining with joy. ‘I get to ride daily, make friends and meet new people every day. I was also recently interviewed by the prestigious Dutch horse magazine “Hoefslag”on this topic.’

Jaizel Selleslaghs. Photography by Joren Selleslaghs.

Peru is a country with an incredibly rich history, which she is eager to discover. In fact, that’s one of the things she likes most about diplomatic life.

‘While living this experience, you get to know the world, see how other people live and also appreciate more what you have at home. As a diplomat, you learn to adapt easily to new situations, adapt to each person you talk to, you become more open and willing to meet new people, find out their stories, you learn how to make connections and “break the ice” in a conversation.’

It’s also sometimes hard… leaving your family and friends behind, passions and habits, embracing the novelty of each new diplomatic destination. She had to make changes too, and, with this new life, she started her own portable business. She helps now riders from all over the world to train their horses. By designing personalized training plans, she helps dressage competition riders to train in an effective and structured way and grow towards the next level. ‘Although I have only recently started my portable business, I already have clients from Peru, The Netherlands and Dubai and the results are very promising.’

There are always differences between horse management in different countries, sometimes you have to learn new ways of doing things. ‘While back home in the Netherlands you have to do everything for and with the horses, in Peru you have certain people taking care of your horse. I had to adapt to new rules but kept my horse close and tried to keep my old routines, as much as possible.’

As I write down these lines, I hear again her passionate words in my ears and then I look again at her photos. Such joy, such grace and elegance, such an admirable and united team: a young, beautiful and ambitious lady and her black horse, riding around the world on their diplomatic journey!

(www.instagram.com/jaizelselleslaghs)

Jaizel Selleslaghs. Photography by Joren Selleslaghs.

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Romanian, Management graduate with a Master in Business,  studied Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations.

She speaks Romanian,  English,  French,  German and Italian. Turned diplomatic spouse by the age of 30, she published a book about diplomatic life, writes articles and also gives lectures on intercultural communication.

A diplomat for the future

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A diplomat for the future

Nayel Khan. Photography by Milica Novicic.

By Alexandra Paucescu.

Algeria, Pakistan, Hungary, UK, Saudi Arabia and Serbia… no, they are not travel destinations for a passionate globetrotter, but countries where Nayel Khan lived so far… and mind that he is only 18!

That’s the story of many diplomatic children, traveling the world together with their parents, being born far away from their mother land and learning from their first steps, also to adapt and be resilient, always ready to embrace the novelty of a new place they will call ‘home’ for a while.

‘Life as a diplomatic kid isn’t always great’ he confesses, but then he adds: ‘in no ways do I mean to say I’m not grateful for everything I have experienced, due to my father’s job, but moving every 3-4 years, changing schools, finding new friends, adjusting to life in not just another city, but another country, isn’t the easiest and it takes a toll on almost all of us, who have mothers or fathers working in the Foreign Service.’

He considers himself a TCK (Third Culture Kid), a notion that is becoming more and more popular over the years. ‘With all the moving and experience of new cultures and traditions which I’ve been exposed to so far in my life, I am a mix of all the places I’ve lived in. While the constant changing of atmosphere is difficult, the chance to move and meet new cultures and people is one of the greatest upsides. I can easily travel to any of the world’s finest destinations and know that I will have a friend there to meet. And I really like to travel… I have visited 38 countries already and hope the numbers will grow over the next years’.

He tells me that moving has also given him a much more global understanding and a different and more mature point of view on many important issues. And maybe this is also how his biggest interest in MUN started. Model United Nations is a simulated conference, where students are given countries to represent and debate in different UN committees to slice the world’s problems and draft up resolutions, just as the UN does in real life. I smiled when I heard about it, as my husband, career diplomat, was one of the first students to take part in such a program, in New York, many years ago.

Nayel tells me passionately: ‘I attended 11 MUNs in total, out of which I led two myself. BISMUN was something that I wanted to start when I moved to Belgrade, so, with the help of my school, I set up the first High school MUN in all of the Balkans and just recently, last month, we held our second annual session.’

You can easily sense the pride and joy in his words. I am amazed and wonderfully pleased to discover a young man, at the beginning of his adult life, being so focused and mature, already involved in many projects and having a clear picture of what he wants to do with his life.

‘Contrary to what other diplomatic children wish for, a more ‘settled adult life’, I would actually like to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a diplomat as well. Although it’s taken a toll, I wouldn’t trade this life for anything and I wish to continue it for my own career.’

Of course, he has big shoes to fill in and his parents, as his declared role models, showed him the way. But from what I’ve seen so far, I would say diplomacy might have a bright future!

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Romanian, Management graduate with a Master in Business,  studied Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations.

She speaks Romanian,  English,  French,  German and Italian. Turned diplomatic spouse by the age of 30, she published a book about diplomatic life, writes articles and also gives lectures on intercultural communication.

Iran condemns killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, points finger at Israel

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Iran condemns killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, points finger at Israel

By Guido Lanfranchi.

In a strongly worded statement, the Iranian Embassy in the Netherlands firmly condemned the assassination of Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of the Organization of Innovation and Research at the country’s Ministry of Defense. On November 27th, 2020, the Iranian scientist was victim of an attack in Absard, a suburb east of Tehran; he later died in hospital from the wounds.

Echoing previous statements by Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Embassy’s communiqué pointed the finger at Israel, claiming that there is “ample evidence” that the Israeli government was behind the attack. Back in 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had singled out Dr. Fakhrizadeh as the mastermind of Iran’s nuclear program. This last attack adds itself to a longer list of assassinations targeting Iranian nuclear scientists over the last years – attacks for which the Iranian government has often put the blame on Israel. In line with their long-standing communication policy, Israeli authorities declined to comment on the attack, although the country is widely believed to have been behind the assassination campaign.

The killing of Iranian nuclear scientists is part of a much broader contestation around Iran’s nuclear program. Israel says that the program is geared towards developing a nuclear bomb – a prospect that the Israeli government vowed to prevent. Iranian authorities deny the claim, maintaining that their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assessed that Iran did undertake steps towards the construction of nuclear weapons before 2003 and possibly – albeit in a less organized fashion – up to 2009. However, the Agency found no evidence of any such activity since 2009.

In 2015, the “Iranian nuclear issue” seemed to have come to an end when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – a deal between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group – was signed. The United States’ withdrawal in May 2018 under the Trump administration called this solution into question, prompting Iran to gradually break its side of the deal in response to the US violations. The incoming Biden administration, however, is expected to adopt a less hawkish stance towards Tehran, and it might rejoin the deal that Mr. Biden – President Obama’s deputy at the time – helped to negotiate in 2015.

In the meantime, however, the tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States remain worryingly high.

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Picture credits Wikipedia Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.

About the author:

Guido Lanfranchi

Guido Lanfranchi is an international affairs professional based in Den Haag, Netherlands. He studied at the Leiden University and Sciences Po Paris, and got with the Council of the European Union in Brussels. His research focuses on the EU, the Middle East and Africa.

Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé

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Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé

Par Dr Christophe Bernasconi, Secrétaire général.

Nous vivons dans un monde où les interactions transfrontières sont monnaies courantes – un monde de droit international privé. Depuis plus de 125 ans, la Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé (HCCH) œuvre en faveur de l’harmonisation des règles qui régissent les situations transfrontières, en jetant des ponts entre les continents, les traditions juridiques et les contextes culturels. La HCCH est ainsi la plus ancienne organisation internationale basée à La Haye et la seule à disposer d’un mandat législatif.

Depuis la toute première « Conférence de La Haye » en 1893, la HCCH est un forum respecté pour un multilatéralisme efficace, rassemblant les nations afin d’élaborer des cadres juridiques conçus pour faciliter la mobilité transfrontière, les transactions et le règlement des litiges pour les individus, les familles et les entreprises à travers le monde.

La HCCH exerce son mandat principalement à travers la négociation et l’adoption de traités internationaux : les Conventions de la HCCH. Ces Conventions apportent clarté et orientation dans les relations transfrontières et ont un impact pratique et positif sur la vie des gens. Elles sont appliquées des milliers de fois chaque année et même des millions de fois dans le cas d’une Convention.

Aujourd’hui, plus de 150 États sont associés aux travaux de la HCCH, comptant 85 Membres (84 États et l’Union européenne) et 70 autres non-Membres ayant signé une ou plusieurs Conventions de la HCCH, ou y étant devenus Parties contractantes.

Les événements sans précédent de cette année ont renforcé l’importance des travaux de la HCCH. Celle-ci fournit en effet une aide précieuse pour faire face à la nouvelle réalité dans laquelle nous nous trouvons en raison de la COVID-19.

Alors que le nombre de Membres de la HCCH ne cesse de croître, la participation du plus grand nombre possible d’États et de régions aux travaux de l’Organisation est essentielle à son fonctionnement. C’est dans cette optique que l’universalité et l’intégration ont été inscrites comme piliers du Plan stratégique de la HCCH pour 2019-2022. Bien que beaucoup reste encore à faire, nous nous réjouissons d’accueillir de nombreux autres États qui participeront à nos travaux, à la fois en tant que Parties contractantes aux Conventions de la HCCH et en tant que Membres de l’Organisation.

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Photography by Hester Dijkstra.

A Ceremony of Merit to the Ambassador of Austria, H.E. Dr. Heidemaria Gürer

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A Ceremony of Merit to the Ambassador of Austria, H.E. Dr. Heidemaria Gürer

In July 2020, in the midst of COVID-related restrictions and a flurry of new regulations, ambassadors from all over the world, European and Dutch civil servants, and some distinguished members of the Austrian diaspora all gathered at Leonardo Royal Hotel in The Hague to pay tribute and bid farewell to Her Excellency Dr. Heidemaria Gürer. For the diplomatic life of the city, this was definitely an important moment.

An inimitable ambassador, Dr. Gürer brought a new life to the Austrian official presence in The Hague. Besides being an excellent diplomat, Dr. Gürer has been appreciated by all those around her for her culture, her intelligence, and her open-mindedness. She has been a close friend of ambassadors from all quarters of the world – Latin America, Asia, and Africa, as well as the European region at large. In her tenure, she has been a passionate supporter of the European cause, and she has shown a great deal of mastery in public diplomacy, reaching out to every and each segment of the Dutch population, as well as to the civil servants of almost every institution in the Netherlands. In addition to all of this, throughout her time in the city she has also been a keen promoter of gender equality.

Ms. Fatou Bensouda, ICC Prosecutor and the Ambassador of Austria.

The event started with Austria’s National Anthem, followed by the Netherlands’ National Anthem – both of which solemnly resonated in the room to mark the importance of the occasion.

During the ceremony, Diplomat Magazine handed a Certificate of Merit to Dr. Gürer, in recognition of her outstanding contribution. During her tenor, the ambassador tirelessly and successfully worked to strengthen Austria’s bilateral ties with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and to promote her country’s strategic diplomatic engagement. Her involvement in the work of international organizations was extremely significant, and her performance during the Austrian presidency of the EU was exceptional. In addition, she provided an extremely valuable support to the Dutch and Austrian community, as well as to the media and the diplomatic community more at large.

H.E. Mr. Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland.

His Excellency Mr. Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland, made an outstanding speech in honour of Dr. Gürer.

“I am delighted and honoured to be invited to come here this afternoon to say a few words in honour of our dear colleague Heidemaria. I say it is an honour because throughout our professional careers as diplomats we meet many people from many diverse backgrounds and countries. The older one gets, the more diplomats one gets to interact with. And the more one observes the craft of diplomacy from its different angles and dimensions, the more one gains an appreciation of what a good diplomat is” – ambassador Kelly said.

He continued by praising his colleagues: “Let me share some of the words and phrases used by her colleagues in the diplomatic community to describe Heidemaria: a very professional and active diplomat, with clear positions on many topics; a visible gender champion and a role model for younger colleagues. Heide’s energy, expertise and sense of humour are hard to beat. She has been impossible to keep up with – she followed everything, she knew everything, she organized a gazillion events. The super active EU presidency organized by Heidemaria set higher standards for presidencies that followed.”

The Ambassador of Greece, Armenia and Germany.

“Her dedication to the cause of integrating the Western Balkans into the EU was a genuine and consistent theme of her engagement with the Dutch Government and opinion-leaders in this country” – ambassador Kelly continued. “When I think of Heidemaria, I will always remember the great events she organized, such as the unforgettable Viennesse Ball with the Habsburgs – old Vienna brought to life with charm and elegance and beautiful ballroom dancing – and of course the Legal Soirees in her historic Residence with the ancient portraits overlooking our serious deliberations.”

“On my own behalf, I have personally appreciated your generosity and openness” – the Irish ambassador said, directly addressing Dr. Gürer. “Ireland and Austria are likeminded countries on a great deal of topics – our commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, our enthusiasm for the EU, our shared understanding of the importance of a values-based foreign policy. Of course, we also have a few topics we do not entirely agree upon (I won’t mention their alliance with the Frugal Four!), but I can safely say that when it comes to Heidemaria and myself as individuals, we are completely likeminded. Over the past years we have tended to see eye-to-eye on almost every topic of discussion.”

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Her Excellency Fatou Bensouda, also praised the ambassador Gürer’s professionalism and her interest in the court functioning. “She was present and always supportive of our initiatives; she will be missed by a great number of people” – the Prosecutor said. 

The Ceremony of Merit for Ambassador Gürer.
Ambassadors of Uruguay, Chile, Romania and Germany.

At the end of the ceremony, Her Excellency Dr. Heidemaria Gürer thanked everyone, and looked back at her time in The Hague as a very precious and important part of the never-ending process of learning. As she prepared to leave the country, Diplomat Magazine raised a toast to Heidemaria! 

Thanks to Diplomatic Card for their valuable and constant support in making this event possible. We also thanks to Leonardo Royal Hotel for their constant collaboration in every event organized by Diplomat Magazine.

A festive cake to honour Ambassador Gürer, by Marta Orban.
The Certificate of Merit.

The unveiling of the commemorative plaque of Constantin Karadja

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The unveiling of the commemorative plaque of Constantin Karadja

The unveiling of the commemorative plaque of Constantin Karadja- Anniversary of 140 years of diplomatic relations between Romania and The Netherlands

On the occasion of the anniversary of 140 years of diplomatic relations between The Netherlands and Romania and in the context of the official visit to The Netherlands of H.E. Mr. Bogdan Aurescu, Romanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Romania organized the unveiling of the commemorative plaque dedicated to the memory of the Romanian diplomat Prince Constantin Karadja, born in The Hague in 1889.  

Karadja was awarded the distinction ‘Righteous among the Nations’ for his courageous actions of saving thousands of Jewish lives during World War II.  The symbolic ceremony took place at Nassauland 1 in the presence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania and H.E. Ms. Brândușa Ioana Predescu, Ambassador of Romania in The Hague.  The Romanian Minister for Foreign affairs, visited The Hague upon invitation from his Dutch counterpart, Stef Blok to mark 140 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

The ministers discussed a broad range of bilateral topics, the way ahead in the EU and symbolically exchanged historic documents from the diplomatic archives of the two foreign ministries.   The official visit also included excellent meetings with interlocutors from international organisations in The Hague which Romania strongly supports and brings an important contribution to their work. Minister Aurescu held talks with H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, Director General of OPCW; Mr. Chile Eboe Osuji, President of the International Criminal Court; and Mr. Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the International Court of Justice.  

Minister Aurescu donated on behalf of the Romanian Government a painting of the Romanian diplomat Vespasian Pella, the great interwar lawyer, diplomat and founding father of the ICC concept and of international criminal law.   
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In the picture H.E. Mr. Bogdan Aurescu, Romanian Minister for Foreign Affairs. Photography by Roy Strik.

Lace and diplomacy

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Lace and diplomacy

By Alexandra Paucescu.

I see diplomacy like the finest art of communication and negotiation across cultures. It is like the fine warp of a precious and fragile lace. It takes time and energy to create it, each part has its own unique beauty and delicacy and you must always be careful how you use it, because it can be destroyed at any time.

I have always admired lace, this precious fabric, with its finesse and delicacy, its soft touch and the way it ennobles any outfit. Fine craftsmanship dating from the 16th century, it was initially developed in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, but it quickly spread around Europe, as a prerogative of wealthy people from high society. In those times, few meters of lace cost as much as a plot of land.

Rodica Grigorita

Working with lace is a long and time-consuming process which requires skills and talent. It is highly refined manual labor, with couture sewing techniques. But the end results are so worth it.

Rodica Grigorita is one of those people who master this fine art and best understand its subtlety.

Born in Moldova, this small country, sister to Romania, at the border of the European Union, she confesses that she was always passionate about art, since she was a child. She sewed her first dress when she was only 9 years old. But destiny took her to Bucharest, Romania, where she studied Physics and where she met her great love and future husband. Then, following him on diplomatic missions, she lived for years in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. It wasn’t easy, she gave up her work and dedicated her life to her family and her two children, as most of us do…

‘The first encounter with lace happened while I was in Germany. It all started with a visit to the Goethe Museum in Frankfurt in 2006, when the guide told us about the writer’s mother, who played a decisive role in his life and showed us her small pillow with spindles and needles, on which she made lace. Knowing how to sew, knit and embroider as a child, I was very moved by this small detail and I started to ask myself a thousand questions about this old technique. So I decided to enroll in lace classes organized with the support of the Frankfurt church. That’s how it all started.’

It was the beginning of an artistic career started out of curiosity and passion. She then attended the Fashion and Graphic Design School in Offenbach-am-Main, where she learned about lace and also hat design, how to create a collection and much more. Moving to Brussels, she continued her studies at the Art Academy, studying lace with Genevieve Kesteloot.

‘I confess that it was a very difficult time, out of the 80 people that started the academic year, only a few graduated. But I was one of them. Afterwards I specialized in fashion design at the house of Joan de Rijck and then the exhibitions and fashion shows began. Over time I had exhibitions at Galerie Mediatine and Salle Fabry in Brussels, I presented my collections at the Fashion Festival in Bucharest and organized exhibitions in my hometown, Chisinau. In Geneva I participated at art exhibitions at the invitation of UN and WIPO. I am also a member of the International Lace Organization.’

She says that, although her life was difficult and exhausting at times, ‘a life of boxes’ as she put it, she would do it all over again, in a heartbeat!

She sees her role as a diplomatic spouse important, as it is the pillar of her family and also a representative of her country abroad. ‘When you come from a small country like Moldova, you are confronted sometimes by the fact that many people have not heard of it at all and it only depends on you how you will present your country, make it known and respected abroad. Always be diplomat, respect the person you speak to, don’t get into controversy, especially if you don’t know the subject well and never discuss religion!’

Living a life in the diplomatic world surely consumes you immensely.

Her advice to others, at the beginning of this road: ‘Learn as much as possible, accumulate impressions, knowledge and make people around you admire you and your country. Never despair, even if you have to take it every time from the beginning, the clouds pass, the sun rises and beautiful memories remain.’

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu- Romanian, Management graduate with a Master in Business,  studied Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations.

She speaks Romanian,  English,  French,  German and Italian. Turned diplomatic spouse by the age of 30, she published a book about diplomatic life, writes articles and also gives lectures on intercultural communication.

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