Cross-generational and cross-sectoral Recovery for the Union:

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Cross-generational and cross-sectoral Recovery for the Union:

Towards a New Independent authority?

By Nora Wolf

The first address of the European Commission since the pandemic was one highly anticipated by all the citizens of the EU block. On September 16, President Ursula van der Leyden took it upon herself to reveal the EU’s roadmap for a post-Covid world following the approval of the recovery funds last July which constituted a breakthrough and sent a welcome signal in terms of cohesion and solidarity on the part of the 27 members.

Aside from paying tribute to our frontline workforce and praise the courage and human spirit showed by all in the face of virus spread, van der Leyen set out what she called NexGenerationEU; a movement to breathe new life into the EU but also and most importantly to adapt and lead the way into shaping tomorrow’s world. Through her speech, the president highlighted roughly 8 key themes which will be at the centre of this new European era’s agenda for the next 12 months, in accordance with the cardinal principles of trust, tolerance and agility. In other words, the 750 billion recovery funds raised extra-ordinarily will be directed towards the following areas:

1° Economy: the Union members must all breed economies that offer protection, stability and opportunities in the face of the continuous health crisis with a specific wish expressed for a stronger Health union – and thereby an extension of the Union’s competencies on the matter – but also the advent of European minimum wages.

2° Green Revolution: the Union will adopt more radical attitudes towards mitigating climate-change and safeguarding our planet, starting with the ambitious aim of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 through the EU’s Green Deal. So called ‘lighthouse’ high-impact and hydrogen-based projects will become an additional focus.

3° Technology: Europe has to step up its game and become a digital leader through securing industrial data and using it to support innovation. Delineating the use of AI by regulating the field, creating a secure EU e-identity and ensuring connectivity deployment so as to fully cover rural areas are also high on the list.

4° Vaccine management: The Union praises the open approach followed up until now in facing the virus whilst many others have opted for withdrawal and undercutting of cooperation. Having served as an example regarding vaccines research and funding, the EU must uphold its policy all the way to the finish line and ensure its accessibility for every citizen around the world.

5° Multilateralism: the current international order system needs some rethinking and international institutions need reform in order to de-paralyze crucial decision-making in urgent situations. This starts with the EU taking faster univocal positions on global issues (Honk-Kong, Moscow, Minsk, and Ankara) and systematically and unconditionally calling out any HR abuses whilst building on existing partnerships with EU’s like-minded allies.

6° Trade: Europe will be made out as a figure of fair-trade by pushing for broker agreements on protected areas and putting digital and environmental ethics at the forefront of its negotiations. Global trade will develop in a manner that is just, sustainable, and digitized.

7° Migration: A New Pact on Migration will be put forward imminently as to act on and move forward on this critical issue that has dragged for long enough; in that regard every member state is expecting to share responsibility and involvement including making the necessary compromises to implement adequate and dignifying management. Europe is taking a stand: legal and moral duties arising from Migrants’ precarious situations are not optional.

8° Against hate-inspired behaviours and discriminations: A zero-tolerance policy is reaffirmed by the Union by extending its crime list to all forms of hate crime or speech based on any of the sensitive criteria and dedicating budget to address de facto discriminations in sensitive areas of society. It is high time to reach equal, universal and mutual recognition of family relations within the EU zone.

Granted, the European ‘priorities forecast’ feels on point and leaves us nearly sighing in relief for it had been somewhat longed for. The themes are spot on, catch words are present and the phrasing of each section is nothing short of motivational with the most likely intended effect that the troops will be boosted and spirits lifted subsequently. When looking closer to the tools enunciated for every topical objective, there seems however to be nearly only abstract and remote strategies to get there.

This is because a great number of the decisive steps that the Union wishes to see be taken depend on the participation of various instruments and actors. Not only does it rely for most on the converging interests, capabilities and willingness of nation States (inside and outside the euro zone), but it is also contingent on the many complex layers and bodies of the Union itself. And when a tremendous amount of the proposed initiatives for European reconstruction is reliant on such a far-reaching chain of events, it simply calls into question the likelihood for the said measures and objectives to be attained – or at the very least in which timeframe.

One might then rightfully wonder whether good and strong willpower coupled with comprehensive projections can be enough.

Whilst van der Leyen’s announcement was promising and efficient in that it sent an important message – the EU is wanting to get in the driver’s seat – only the follow-up with radical motions such as the creation of a readily available tool to implement fast and impactful changes can lend support to a claim that Europe is in a position to resolve current internal and external EU challenges, and more generally to bounce back from conceded decline suffered in the most recent decades.

As a matter of fact, Diplomat Ali Goutali and Professor Anis Bajrektarevic were the firsts to make an analysis in that sense as they articulated their proposal for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) earlier this year. Faced with similar challenges and need for sharper thinking and tools in order to be at the forefront of the economic and technologic challenges ahead, the OIC had relied heavily on its Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and agenda reform to reinforce its cooperation and innovation capabilities as a global player.

Nevertheless, Goutali and Bajrektarevic already felt months ago that additional steps ought to be taken for the OIC to be able to respond swiftly and reaffirm further its mandate of facilitating common political actions. To that end, it was suggested that a mechanism for policy coordination in critical times – the Rapid Reaction Capacitation – in charge of, primarily, vaccines management and AI applications should be introduced. Furthermore, the stakes behind the urgent need of strengthening our international order through cohesive endeavours are evidently the same for both the EU and the Arab World. That is to permanently leave behind a pseudo-competitive nation-based attitude that is nothing but a relic from the past and has achieved little in the context of the Covid outbreak.

Hence, if such an independent body was to be established, all three authors agree that it could gather the indispensable political power and resources to carry out the desired reforms on multilateralism, cyber and digital infrastructures, Covid recovery measures or geopolitical partnerships. Necessarily streamlined in order to avoid undue blockades, these new regional bodies could be composed of energetic forward thinkers across the private and public sectors empowered to map out and act on adequate strategies for a post-Covid world. This is because we all share the same goal: achieving solidarity not only on paper or as a conceptual motto but in real life and in real time. And after all, didn’t von der Leyen herself concur with that line of thinking as she enjoined Member states to move towards qualified majority voting to avert slow and cumbersome decision-making processes?

It seems pretty clear to me that such discussions in relation to the aggressiveness in actions and potential bureaucratic barriers might raise an old-as-the-world yet still very important questions: Should we, Europe, be ready to risk losing some of the legitimacy or democratic aspects of our political bodies in order to gain in speed and efficiency in times of crisis? And if not, considering the embracement of some of our supra-national entity’s actions is already on shaky grounds, how can we ensure that such bold measures may still be reconciled with maximal legitimacy given our equally urging need for unity?

About the author :

Nora Wolf

Nora Wolf, of the Kingston and of University of Geneva is an International Politics & Economics specialist. Her expertise includes Human Rights, Humanitarian Law and International Criminal Law in an inter-disciplinary fashion for the EU and the UN-related think-tanks and FORAs. Currently is attached with the IFIMES Permanent Mission to the UN Geneva as the second alternate.

Dutch Uncle launches home & lifestyle services for diplomats in the Netherlands

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Dutch Uncle launches home & lifestyle services for diplomats in the Netherlands

Luxury lifestyle and VIP service Concierge Amsterdam launched a new label this week: Dutch Uncle. This service to unburden, is specialized in Lifestyle Services for diplomats and Home Management Services and focuses on wealthy households and foreigners in the Netherlands.

In global cities such as New York, London, Paris, The Hague busy business people and internationals make eager use of home managers and personal concierges when moving or while traveling. This fact is fairly new in the Netherlands, even though there is a market for it.

Dutch Uncle provides a soft landing in the Netherlands “We are responding to this,” says Stephanie Broeke, co-founder of Dutch Uncle. “Many diplomats who settle here can feel lost. The first step, such as first accommodation or a hotel reservation is often arranged by the embassy. But then it really starts. What are the best places to decorate your home? What insurance is needed, what is the best school for your children and how do you arrange other practical matters such as the dentist? Where can you find a nanny, a personal trainer or a private driver? but often they have no idea where to start and start a search on the internet, whereby trial and errors.

This detour is no longer necessary with Dutch Uncle. Thanks to our powerful network and years of experience in providing services for VIPS, we have the direct entrances and with our Expat Lifestyle Services we ensure a soft landing so that this target group feels at home faster and saves a lot of time.”

Home Management Services takes care of practical matters in and around the house. In addition, Dutch Uncle also provides clients with personal services in a higher segment. “Think of industrialists, dignitaries and people working in the high-end entertainment industry,” Broeke continues. “There is often no shortage of budget, but there is a shortage of time – that has become a luxury good. With our Home Management Services we ensure that practical matters are taken care of. This can range from furnishing a pied-à-terre to arranging the post mail and cleaning when someone is traveling.”

Bojana Duovski, co-owner of Dutch Uncle and founder of Concierge Amsterdam adds: “Although Concierge Amsterdam mainly focuses on diplomats and international VIPS who stay here for a short time, we increasingly received requests for structural support in the field of home management and concierge services.”

When the world stood still

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When the world stood still

By Alexandra Paucescu

It’s been more than a year now since our lives changed, the whole world, as we knew it, turned into something different… a pandemic, like nothing any of us had lived before, changed the way we interact to each other, slowed down the pace of our hectic lives and proved to us that we are so small, powerless and fragile as human beings.

One year ago I was frenetically preparing to launch my first book, ‘Just a diplomatic spouse’, I was making travel plans (like I always did, several months in advance) and I was fully enjoying the benefits of an active social diplomatic life in Berlin.

Little did I know of what was about to come and how our entire universe was going to be challenged, our inner strength tested and our nerves stretched to the max.

Day by day, the disease came closer and closer, we had to give up our travel plans, the list of guests got erased and the first lockdown in our lives came upon us and our families. Luckily, Berlin and Germany imposed quite mild restrictions at first. We were still able to go out freely and take long walks in the many parks and forests around the city, and, although social contacts were severely narrowed, we had the great comfort of our family of four.

I guess we are lucky because we greatly enjoy each other’s company. That was sadly not the case for many others. I heard many stories of breakups and divorces post- COVID lockdown. Spending all day long with the same few people can be tricky sometimes. But, as I often advised others too, I tried to establish some kind of lockdown routines in our daily schedule, in order to find balance and lower the pressure of the whole situation. As we all know by now, when you constantly read and hear news about raising infection numbers, crowded IC units, exhausted medical staff and dear people around you getting sick, it’s only inevitable that your stress level will go high.

I will never forget the staggering images of empty streets, ghost cities, famous landmarks all over the world completely alone, people singing together, each from their own balconies, rounds of evening applause supporting the effort of tireless doctors and nurses fighting to keep sick people alive.

The world stood still and what we had left was hope…that maybe it was just a bad dream, that maybe this whole disaster would pass soon…

One of the most impressive images that come now to my mind is one from Easter 2020, when I watched online Andrea Bocelli, the famous Italian tenor, singing in front of the Milan Dome, in an empty square… just him, the majestic building and his marvelous voice echoing into the air. Beautiful image, but equally terribly emotional!

Online meetings, online concerts, online schooling… as if we tried to move our entire lives into the online… but we are social creatures, human beings will always crave for social contact. We miss terribly meeting our friends for lunch and dinner, going out to the cinema, having a night out clubbing, celebrating big days with our extended families, New Year’s Eve big parties and  fireworks, travelling worry-free…

Oh, yes… travelling… a painful subject… empty airports are another weird image of these days. We managed to travel a bit, but I confess that the feeling was different. From the luggage, half full of disinfectants and face protection masks, to all the additional precautions, tests, delayed or cancelled flights, quarantine conditions and changed holiday destinations…2020 had it all… and sadly, 2021 doesn’t seem much different.

A year has gone already and the news of several effective vaccines, available at global scale, offers now a glimpse of hope for a better near future. But I know the way back to normality is going to be long and hard and the scars will be with us for years to come.

Some countries went through this pandemic maybe a bit softer and wiser; others paid a much bigger price. Economic recession showed its teeth to all and the cruel statistics, which worsen daily, are really frightening: worldwide close to a hundred million people infected, more than two million deaths, millions of lost jobs, countless bankrupt businesses, billions of lives affected.

Have we learnt anything out of the present experience? I certainly hope so… This pandemic offered us the chance to maybe reinvent ourselves, to discover new hobbies and forgotten talents, new personal ways of expression. And, above all, I hope we learnt to appreciate more our closest ones, to value our time more and to guard our health.

I would like to believe that we will no longer take for granted our liberties, our freedom, nature, friends and family. Please, take time to call people you love, express your feelings, promise yourself that you will spend more time doing the things you really enjoy, that you will visit the countries you long planned to visit, that you will be grateful for each healthy day you are given and will show gratitude for all the good in your life.

No matter how difficult the situation is, how long the pandemic lasts, kindness and solidarity must prevail.

Be kind, after all… it’s free!

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Author of “Just a Diplomatic Spouse” Romanian, management graduate with a Master in business, cultural diplomacy and international relations studies.

She speaks Romanian, English, French, German and Italian,  gives lectures on intercultural communication and is an active NGO volunteer.

Interprète impromptu

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Interprète impromptu

Par Alexander Khodakov.

On frappe à la porte. Tiens, je connais ce visage. L’attaché culturel me dit que je suis encore une fois mobilisé. L’interprète officiel de l’ambassade s’est délecté d’une bière bien froide, il est aphone. Mais ce soir il faut un interprète, car le fameux scénariste Evgueny Gabrilovitch rencontre le public à la « Cinémathèque », un club où l’on montre les films étrangers.

Gabrilovitch présente son film « Monologue », qui vient de sortir en salle, et avant la projection, il veut s’entretenir avec le public. J’essaie de protester – écoutez, ce n’est pas mon niveau, je n’ai pas d’expérience, ce sera une honte…On me dit de la fermer pour le moment – tu l’ouvriras au moment opportun – d’enfiler quelque chose de plus décent que mes jeans, et de faire plus vite que ça.

On sort – une course folle à travers la ville – on est à la « Cinémathèque ». Je monte sur scène en même temps que le fameux scénariste. La salle est pleine, je crois voir une bonne centaine de visages. J’ai l’impression qu’on ne regarde pas le cinéaste, que tous les yeux sont braqués sur moi. Le conseiller culturel est assis au premier rang. Lui aussi, il paraît me dévisager. D’un moment à l’autre, le scénariste va parler. Quel est le sujet ? Je ne m’intéresse pas trop au cinéma. J’ai une peur bleue.

Gabrilovitch a déjà plus de soixante-dix ans, mais bouge et parle avec aisance. Il commence son discours, des minutes passent – il parle toujours. Je dois le supplier de s’arrêter : « Mais laissez-moi traduire, je ne peux pas retenir autant, je vais en oublier la moitié ! » Il s’arrête, je me concentre autant que je peux pour me souvenir de ce qu’il disait, et je démarre. Au départ, je bégaye un peu, mais assez vite je reçois un coup d’inspiration et mon interprétation coule sans entraves. Le cinéaste parle dans un style luxuriant, un langage fleuri – il crée des images, en s’aidant par les gestes. Il me semble quand même que je réussis à rendre son message.

J’observe la salle, l’audience semble réagir comme il faut – ils rient où il faut rire, ils applaudissent où il faut applaudir. J’ai de plus en plus confiance en moi. Par ailleurs, j’ai découvert un modus operandi avec le cinéaste. Quand il se laisse entraîner par la passion et oublie de me passer la parole, je lui donne un petit coup de coude dans les côtes. Ça marche parfaitement.

Ça doit avoir duré une quarantaine de minutes. Finalement, Gabrilovitch remercie le public et on peut s’en aller. Le problème, c’est que je ne peux pas marcher. Mes pieds me trahissent, ils tremblent, je n’arrive pas à bouger. Deux employés de la « Cinémathèque » me prennent sous les aisselles et me reconduisent dans la salle. On a réservé une place pour moi au premier rang. Le film est projeté sur l’écran, mais je ne le suis pas. Cet exercice m’a épuisé.

Mais ce n’est pas tout ! Le jour suivant on me convoque à l’ambassade pour servir d’interprète devant le corps diplomatique. Le conseiller culturel aime ma manière d’interpréter. Je suis effrayé de nouveau, bien que je sache cette fois de quoi il s’agit. Le corps diplomatique, tous ces gens importants, ambassadeurs, ministres, conseillers – j’ai un nœud à l’estomac.

Voilà, l’exercice se répète, le cinéaste parle, je fais de mon mieux pour restituer le message. Il parle avec inspiration, les sentiments l’emportent, il oublie encore de me passer la parole. Tout à coup, il cite « un des grands cinéastes » (a-t-il oublié son nom ?). Selon Gabrilovitch, celui-ci a dit un jour : « L’art peut être chaud, il peut être froid, mais il n’y a pas d’art tiède. C’est une ordure »[1]. Arrivé au mot « ordure », je perds mon latin. Je ne me souviens pas de la traduction. Le temps passe, je me tais. Ce mot est pourtant écrit sur tous les murs ! Mais il ne me revient pas. C’est mon tour de recevoir un coup de coude. Je me ressaisis et dis : « Ce n’est rien. » Très faible comme traduction.

Quelle honte… Je le pressentais, vous disais-je ! Pourtant, tout se termine bien. Gabrilovitch me remercie, dit au conseiller culturel que « l’interprète est très qualifié, mais parfois un peu trop formel » – où est-il allé chercher ça ? Bien, ensuite on me laisse tranquille jusqu’à la fin de mon séjour à Alger.

[1] « Le grand cinéaste » a-t-il paraphrasé le Livre de la Révélation (ou Apocalypse de Jean), 3 :16 – « Ainsi, parce que tu es tiède, et que tu n’es ni froid ni bouillant, je te vomirai de ma bouche. » Ou bien, le cinéaste soviétique n’osait-t-il pas citer la Bible ?

Information sur l’auteur:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is WhatsApp-Image-2020-11-08-at-15.44.451-768x1024.jpeg
Alexander Khodakov

Né à Moscou en 1952, Alexander Khodakov fait ses études de droit  à  l’Institut de relations internationales de Moscou (MGIMO). Après trois ans à MGIMO, il fait un an d’études à l’université d’Alger. En 1974 il est recruté par le Ministère des affaires étrangères de l’URSS et part en poste au Gabon. Rentré à Moscou, il intègre le département juridique du Ministère. De 1985 à  1991 il travaille  à New York au sein de la mission permanente de l’URSS auprès des Nations unies. De retour à Moscou en 1991 il revient au département juridique, dont il devient directeur en 1994. Quatre ans plus tard il est nommé ambassadeur de Russie aux Pays-Bas et représentant permanent auprès de l’Organisation pour l’interdiction des armes chimiques (OIAC). En 2004 il passe au service de l’OIAC comme directeur des projets spéciaux et ensuite secrétaire des organes directifs. En 2011 il rejoint le greffe de la Cour pénale internationale et exerce pendant trois ans comme conseiller spécial pour les relations extérieures.

Depuis 2015 il vit  à La Haye, avec sa famille. Il a écrit Cuisine Diplomatique un vibrant récit des histoires inédites sur sa vie diplomatique.

Indonesian Ambassador Marked Indonesia’s Participation on Floriade Expo 2022

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Indonesian Ambassador Marked Indonesia’s Participation on Floriade Expo 2022

In the picture, the Mayor of Almere, Franc Weerwind and the Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, H.E. Mayerfas.

On March 4th, 2021, Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, H.E. Mayerfas alongside Mayor of Almere, Franc Weerwind cast the Indonesian signage at Floriade Expo 2022 lot. These symbolizes Indonesia’s participation on this international holticultural expo that will be held for 6 months from April 14th to October 9th 2022 at Almere, Netherland.

At the same time, in the presence of Ambassador Mayerfas and Mayor Weerwind, a contract signing was held between Annemarie Jorritsma, Commissioner-General Floriade Expo 2022 and Commissioner General of Section Indonesia, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa. Due to the travel restriction, the contract were circularly signed, where the contract already signed by Indonesian representatives on January 19th 2021.

Ambassador Mayerfas.

Taking ‘Green Growing Cities’ as a theme, Floriade 2022 is an international horticultural expo that combines cultural promotion, creative economy and the concept of green sustainable cities. Indonesia with ‘Wonderful Green Archipelago’ as its main concept, will showcase it’s bio-diversity, cultures and maritime wealth as the biggest archipelagic country in the world.

Annemarrie Jorritsma convey her appreciation for Indonesia’s participation and looking forward to see Indonesia’s diversities at the Floriade Expo 2022. She believes that Indonesia would attract many visitors.

Ambassador Mayerfas emphasized that Indonesia’s participation would showcase the importance of local wisdom as part of well-balanced lifestyle with nature. It is the main part of green city concept.

Indonesia’s pavilion will involve many ministries and local governments. Ambassador Mayerfas express his optimism that Floriade Expo 2022 would be a strategic momentum to promote trade, tourism and investments, especially to support national recovery post-pandemic.

Dutch eConsulate in San Francisco embraces digital diplomacy during covid

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Dutch eConsulate in San Francisco embraces digital diplomacy during covid

In the picture Consul General Dirk Janssen. Photographer Joukje Baur for Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco.

No more meetings, trade delegations, or cultural events. The emergence of Covid-19 a year ago halted business as usual for many in the diplomatic world.

The restrictions also had a major impact on the Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco. But a year later, the consulate has embraced digital diplomacy by organizing digital trade missions from its own webinar studio. Consul General Dirk Janssen explains how his team launched the so-called e-Consulate.

Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, the consulate used to welcome monthly trade delegations and several government officials per year. All that action came to a sudden stop in March 2020: “With the economic uncertainty that was ahead, we were determined to continue providing our economic services to Dutch and American companies,” said Consul General Janssen. “Meeting and connecting people is our core job, so our challenge was to adapt to a new world without travel and handshakes for the time being.”

The consulate’s team followed the example of innovative tech companies in Silicon Valley and pivoted, or made a quick turn of its business. “We launched the eConsulate, in which we offer the same services for businesses, but online. Companies could book online meetings, we opened a WhatsApp number for questions, and started hosting online events on a variety of topics,” said Consul General Janssen. “We also launched an online platform through which Dutch startups were mentored by Dutch tech entrepreneurs. Surprisingly, we started to expand our audience, from the US East Coast, to Iran and even Australia. Online we could connect even more people to Dutch innovation.”

The Netherlands e-consulate in San Francisco, California, USA

Forced into a strict lockdown in San Francisco, team members organized all this from their own homes. “It was quite an adaptation for all of us: from hosting events at the consulate to being a webinar moderator from your kitchen table. Suddenly, our economic staff had to be communications experts and our events manager had to do technical assistance,” said Consul General Janssen. “All our jobs changed, just to keep the consulate open and be of service of the Dutch and American business community. Our motto was: just do it and learn on the way. I think this pivot really represents the Netherlands, showcasing the smart Dutch flexible approach to problem solving.”

In June, the consulate hosted the first Dutch virtual trade mission, on smart and e-mobility. The consulate was transformed into a TV studio, and offered the 100 participating companies five days of webinars, and online match making and networking. Minister Kaag (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) and California Lieutantant Governor Eleni Kounalakis opened the mission.

“From a content perspective, I think the virtual format is a great substitute, as it was easier to find a wide variety of speakers,” said Consul General Janssen. “Discussions went well, and there was a lot of knowledge exchange and contact sharing. It turned out that for many Dutch entrepreneurs, it was less of a hurdle to participate, as they didn’t have to travel across the globe.”

They did, however, miss the social part. “Networking online is different than in a room where you can shake each other’s hands,” he said. “We also noticed some cultural differences in meeting people online for the first time. Even now, we continue working on the perfect format for online interaction.”

Almost a year after the start of the corona crisis, the eConsulate has developed from a temporary solution to a more structural approach. It has hosted multiple trade missions, a network reception with live music, a naturalization ceremony, a film screening, a Nobel Prize lecture, a startup incubator program with Prince Constantijn, and alumni events all online from its own webinar studio built in one of the consulate’s meeting rooms. “The skyline of the city is our background, giving people in the Netherlands the feeling that they’re really visiting San Francisco,” said Consul General Janssen.   

Consul General Janssen foresees continuing online meetings and events even once the pandemic recedes: “I really miss offline human contact; it’s an essential part of diplomacy. However, the world has changed. People don’t want to fly that often anymore and many companies here allowed work from home indefinitely. As a consulate we have to facilitate these wishes from the business community. So I expect trade missions to become more hybrid: first an online preparation program, then getting on a plane to actually meet possible partners. Offline and online will go hand in hand.”

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Photography by the Consulate General of the Netherlands.

Andreas Mindt succeeds as Bentley’s Design Director

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Andreas Mindt succeeds as Bentley’s Design Director

In the picture Bentley’s Director of Design, Andreas Mindt.

Monday, 1 March 2021, Crewe, United Kingdom:Bentley Motors announced beginning of work duties for Andreas Mindt as Director of Design. He succeeded Stefan Sielaff.  With more than 25 years of automotive design experience, all within the Volkswagen Group, Mindt was most recently Head of Exterior Design for Audi. In this six-year period, he oversaw the exterior design evolution of the breadth of the Audi model range, and the launch of the premium SUV coupé, the Audi Q8, and the e-tron, Audi’s very first full-electric production model.  

Working at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, UK, Mindt will lead a team of approximately 50 design experts with responsibility for the exterior, interior and colour and trim design for the full current and future Bentley product portfolio, concept and showcars. Commenting on his new role, Andreas Mindt, said as per full statement below: “Bentley is a jewel within the Volkswagen Group. Designing a car, and a future, is always a process based on the performance of many, not one, and so I look forward to working with my colleagues to help define the next phase for Bentley, into an electrified future.”

Bentley Motors is the most sought after luxury car brand in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production of the company’s three model lines. 

For further information 
https://www.bentleymedia.com/en/newsitem/1177-bentley-appoints-new-director-of-desig#images

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Image of Andreas Mindt by Bentley Second / image by Varenia Griebel 

Australian courtesy call with NRW’s Dr. Speich

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Australian courtesy call with NRW’s Dr. Speich

Picture by Landesvertretung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Michael Setzpfandt.

Tuesday, 2 March 2021, Berlin, Representation of North Rhine-Westphalia to the German Federation:NRW State Secretary for European and International Affairs, Dr. Mark Speich received the Australian Ambassador, HE Philip Green, for an inaugural visit at the ’embassy’ of Germany’s most populous federal state located in Berlin-Tiergarten.

In addition to becoming acquainted to each other personally, the talks served to deepen political and economic relations, in particularly with the focus on Australian technological know-how, hydrogen derivates, the relations of NRW to the Indo-Pacific regions, and the situation of free trade during the ongoing pandemic.  

Ambassador Green is the Australian head of diplomatic mission in the Federal Republic of Germany since Wednesday, 11 November 2020. He is likewise accredited to the Swiss Confederation since 24 November 2020, and presented credentials in the Principality of Liechtenstein virtually on 29 October 2020.  

Philip Victor Green has previously served as Australian Head of Mission (i.e. High Commissioner) in Singapore, South Africa and Kenya. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney.  

For further information 

 
Government of NRW: https://mbei.nrw/de/australischer-botschafter-zu-gast-der-landesvertretung 

Embassy of Australia in Germany: https://germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/aboutus.html  

NRW and Serbia held talk about future in the EU

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NRW and Serbia held talk about future in the EU

Image by Landesvertretung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Michael Setzpfandt

By Henri Estramant.


Tuesday, 2 March 2021, Berlin, Representation of North Rhine-Westphalia to the German Federation:NRW State Secretary for European and International Affairs, Dr. Mark Speich received for a bilateral meeting, the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, HE Dr Snežana Janković. 

The topics of the working meeting were the relations between Serbia and North Rhine-Westphalia, in particularly the bilateral trade, the status of Serbian citizens living in NRW, and chiefly the accession process of Serbia into the European Union, which NRW normally supports. 

Ambassador Dr Snežana Janković (b. 21.12.1970) has been Serbia’s top diplomat in Germany since 24 October 2019. In addition to her native Serbian, she is fluent in English, German and Japanese languages. She holds a doctorate degree in Philological Sciences from Senshū University, Japan. 

Dr Snežana Janković began her diplomatic career in 1997. Her previous ambassadorship was based in Bern before the Swiss Confederation (2014-2019), and non-resident head of mission to the Principality of Liechtenstein. 

For further information: 
Government of NRW: https://mbei.nrw/de/serbische-botschafterin-zu-gast-der-landesvertretung
Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the Federal Republic of Germany: http://berlin.mfa.gov.rs/ambassador.php

Swarovski’s swan takes flight

Diplomat Magazine
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Swarovski’s swan takes flight

A long-standing beacon of the brand’s own self-expression, the Swarovski Swan is reimagined through the filter of the Wonderlab, Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert’s imaginary crystal world. In her own words, “The Wonderlab is where science and magic meet, where extra and elegance collide, it is a feeling of wonder that everyone should experience as we invite them into our new world at Swarovski.” 

As part of this world, the Swarovski Swan turns to face the brand’s new direction head on, poised to take flight. Evolving from its most recent iteration, it takes on a streamlined form – with an elongated neck and positioning crafted to reinforce the brand’s ever-forward momentum.

Symbolically, the Swan represents the beauty of nature and eternal love, a sentiment mirrored by Swarovski’s love of crystal. In adapting while staying true to its iconic emblem, Swarovski reinforces its pride for heritage as well as its vision for the future. 

The finishing touch of Swarovski’s new brand icon comes in the form of a candylike octagon wrapping. Representing rebirth, the octagon is an immediate nod to a faceted crystal, evoking the unrivalled craftsmanship of Swarovski’s master cutters.  

INSTANT WONDER – A FEAST FOR THE SENSES 

The Swarovski Wonderlab comes alive with the unveiling of 28 Instant Wonder stores in key global markets. Beginning with Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II held on 23 February 2021, a further 27 store openings will follow across North America, Europe and APAC— including new locations in Paris and New York. 

For further information  

https://www.swarovski.com/en-DE/

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Images Credit: Alessandro Saletta – DSL Studio 

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