Men’s Area – Cartier Boutique Munich – Picture by Cartier.
Friday, 11 October 2019, Munich, Free State of Bavaria, Germany: Cartier Northern Europe re-opened of its Munich Boutique on Maximilianstrasse 20 with much pomp and circumstance.
As part of the maison’s international retail transformation the boutique was closed for a period of nine month for redesign and extend the sales floor.
The new boutique covers a sales area of around 300 sqm on two floors and draws its influences both, from the Bavarian landscapes as well as from urban architecture, reinterpreting the area’s very own cultural and distinctive artistic features.
In the entrance hall, dedicated to women’s jewellery and leather goods, cream-coloured elements and gold patina materials give brightness and elegance to the space. A tailor-made metal wall reminds of the Cartier panther’s fur pattern and an artsy modern, especially for the boutique designed, chandelier catch the eye. A corner with dark green wallpaper printed with blossoming trees and magnificent birds honours the beauty of the Bavarian forest.
Diamond Salon – Cartier Boutique Munich – Image by Cartier.
As an homage to Munich’s Frauenkirche a touch of red is added through the bright seat covers and another Bavarian reference is found in the brocade wall coverings of the detached alcove in the adjacent men’s area.
Here the elegant cream shades carry on but splashes of blue and brown convey a more masculine feel. Hidden in the wall is a VIP room held in green that also reflects the local heritage in the coffered ceiling and lace elements from traditional attire worked into the wall coverings and seat covers. A monumental – so far biggest bas-relief in a Cartier boutique ever – alongside a curved staircase, connects the first and the second floor. It is decorated with the Cartier panther roaming about the landscape of castle Neuschwanstein.
A precious glass elevator next to another copper-gold shimmering drop-chandelier also brings the customer to the upper floor where the atmosphere of coziness and refinement endures.
On this floor two more sales areas and another discretely integrated VIP room await the guests.
In the prestige salon where the Maison’s High Jewellery is presented, an inviting lounge suite makes you feel at home. In the diamond salon that is only separated through an embellished golden see-through paravent and some shelves, the offer focuses on the bridal collection.
Occasionally integrated sunglasses, scarves and perfume round off the assortment of the new boutique.
Sir Sebastian Wood, Bodo Ramelow, Hubertus and Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Tsar Simeon II of the Bulgars – Image by TSK, Paul-Philipp Braun.
13 October 2019, Gotha, Free State of Thuringia: On the occasion of this double 200th birthday of British Queen Victoria and her German-born consort, Prince Albert, a reception with representatives from politics, royalty and society took place at Friedenstein Castle in Gotha.
Thuringia’s Premier Bodo Ramelow and State Secretary for Culture Dr. Babette Winter partook on behalf of the state government. In his welcoming address, the Premier Ramelow emphasised the importance of the Thuringian aristocratic lines for European history. “It is good when we exchange ideas with each other today and there is no strife between royalty and politics. For it is part of our country, of our society,” said Ramelow.
The dream couple of the XIX century – as Premier Ramelow described Albert and Victoria – still bring together today. He also stressed the presence of the British Ambassador Sir Sebastian Wood and the last Tsar of the Bulgars, Simeon II, who was in Gotha for the ceremony.
“It is about our cultural richness, our cultural diversity and our cultural openness to the world. That is the message that Victoria and Albert are giving us,” Ramelow said. Further in attendance was The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Andreas and his heir, Hereditary Prince Hubertus.
Latin American classical music and Indonesian gamelan sounds presented together on one stage
The Hague – After a successful start of his three part concert series Around the World on Two Pianos with ‘Latinissimo’ on 12 October, Latin America specialist Gustavo Corrales Romero is preparing for the next notable concert organized by his production company KyG Productions on 17 November at The Concertgebouw. The other grand piano will this time be played by none other than Indonesia music specialist Henk Mak van Dijk.
Cuban pianist-composer Gustavo Corrales Romero has had a 17 year spanning classical education culminating at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Havana, Cuba. Together with his wife and business partner he has been promoting ‘the other sound of Latin America’ for years. He offers several concert formulas for which he can draw on a 200-year-old range of Latin American classical, modern classical and contemporary compositions, including his own.
Henk Mak van Dijk studied piano at Codarts Rotterdam and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. After his studies he ended up in Indonesia, where he taught piano at Institut Seni Indonesia in Yogyakarta and gave concerts on Java, Bali and Sulawesi. After his return he worked at the conservatories of Rotterdam and The Hague and performed for Dutch radio and television.
His interest for classical music from Indonesia led to research in co-operation with the Dutch Music Institute (Nederlands Muziek Instituut, NMI), resulting in his pioneering book De oostenwind waait naar het westen; Indische componisten en Indische composities, 1898-1945 (The Eastern Wind blows to the West; Indische composers, Indische compositions 1898-1945). Besides other publications since, another remarkable book was launched in May 2019: Tropenjazz, Jazz in Indië, 1919-1950 (Jazz in the Dutch East Indies 1919-1950).
In 2018 Mak van Dijk approached Corrales to do a first performance on two pianos in The Netherlands of a forgotten jazz concert by Indonesian composer Ludwig van Zele. Its manuscript was found by Mak van Dijk on an attic in The Hague with the collaboration of Zele’s cousin Mark Boon. This unique work was written in 1932 and has two versions: one for piano solo with small jazz orchestra… and one for two pianos.
Mak van Dijk had played this piano concerto with the Galloway Big Band from Amsterdam, conducted by T.S. Galloway, at the Tong Tong Fair two years before. This jazz concert certainly deserves more attention from a wider audience with its many virtuoso passages, big chords and a swing bass in the first part; a slow part in a sultry bluesy atmosphere in the style of a Hollywood movie song; ending in a spicy ragtime. The concert seems to be written in the style of music of the American composer George Gershwin. In the newspaper Den Haag Centraal the piece was referred to as ‘an Indische Rhapsody in Blue’.
This cornerstone of the program is complemented by a balanced selection by Corrales and Mak van Dijk of the music they serve from two different parts of the world: on the one hand the magic of the gamelan in Java and Bali, with – among others – three beautiful transcriptions by Canadian composer Colin McPhee of ceremonial Balinese music. On the other Cuban romance, Corrales’ ode to his hometown Guantánamo, steaming Manteca bebop, two waltzes from respectively Curaçao and Aruba and a premiere by Corrales’ wife: Enigma from her Suite Latina.
East Indies – West Indies can be heard on Sunday 17 November 2019, from 14:15 to 16:15 at The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Ticket sales are handled by The Concertgebouw: at the box office, by telephone 020 671 8345 and online. Search The Concertgebouw website by Corrales or visit this link for a series discount www.concertgebouw.nl/around-the-world-on-two-pianos
Pieter de Hooch (1629- in or after 1679) ca. 1657. Portrait of a Delft Family. Gemäldegalerie der Akademie der bildenden Künste, Vienna.
By John Dunkelgrün.
‘Everyone’ has heard of Johannes Vermeer and it is common knowledge that he was the most important painter in Delft, a city which during the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age, as a very important center of the arts.
Much less known is his contemporary and fellow Delft painter Pieter de Hoogh and more is the pity. De Hooch is not ‘just’ one of the great Dutch painters of the time, he was an innovator and for the most time a chronicler of ordinary life.
Born in Rotterdam he lived his formative years in Delft, the city of his mother. He married a Delft girl, had his education there and an important part of his career. He started by painting ‘genre’ works, guard soldiers at rest and play. Inspired by his father, a master bricklayer, he developed his own style, life on the inner courtyards of normal, even simple Delft houses.
Pieter de Hooch (1629- in or after 1679). ca. 1670. The Jacott-Hoppesack Family. Amsterdam Museum, acquired with support from the Vereniging Rembrandt
He used iconic Delft buildings such as the ‘Oude Kerk’ (Old Church) and parts of the “Hiëronymus Klooster” (the St. Jerome cloister and bits of old walls and buildings he found elsewhere.
This way he made phantasy cityscapes that were still recognizable as Delft scenes. He became a master of perspective, with techniques like using chalked threads radiating from a single nail, that left perspective lines on his canvas. He masterfully crafted little archways from the courtyards and corridors from rooms in which he placed his main personages.
Pieter de Hooch (1629- in or after 1679). ca. 1670-1674. Man Reading a Letter to a Woman. The Kremer Collection – www.thekremercollection.com
Later in his life he moved to Amsterdam, the ‘center of it all’, where he made a decent living for his family of seven (five children), but due to the heavy competition, life there wasn’t easy for him.
All in all this rare exhibition of his works from many countries (including works from the British Royal collection) gives a wonderful view of ordinary life in 7th century Holland. Noteworthy are some of his paintings, which he painted twice with slight differences. These are now together for the first time in almost four centuries and not likely to be seen again in anybody’s lifetime.
Pieter de Hooch (1629- in or after 1679). ca. 1663-1665. Figures in a Courtyard behind a House. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, on loan from the City of Amsterdam (bequest A. van der Hoop)
The exhibition also has displays of copies of his work next to that of Vermeer, showing how much they were influenced by one another. There is no proof that they were acquainted, but being brother members of the same guild in a relatively small city makes that almost inevitable.
This delightful exposition is in the Prinsenhof, the last residence of William I of Orange, the direct ancestor of King Willem Alexander. He was murdered there on July 10th, 1584 by an assassin hired by the Spanish crown. Three bullets were fired and he was killed by one. The bullet holes of the other two can still be seen on the stairway.
German premiers at Elmau Castle – Picture by bayern.de, Bavarian State Chancellery.
24-25 October 2019, Elmau Castle, Krün, Free State of Bavaria: In the capacity of ongoing chair for the Conference of Heads of Government of the Länder (Minister-Presidentenkonferenz – MPK), Bavarian Premier Dr. Markus Söder invited his colleagues to the MPK Annual Conference under Bavarian chairmanship for discussions on the cross-border integration amongst the Länder, stronger federalism, measures to counteract climate change, digitisation and mobile networks throughout Germany, the fight against anti-Antisemitism and the protection of synagogues.
On 2 October 2019, in collaboration with Diplomat Magazine, Russell Advocaten hosted a – diplomats only – seminar in The Hague. The subject of this well-attended event was “Dutch labour law and investing in the Netherlands – an update for Diplomats”.
Agenda
The agenda contained the following:
(New) Dutch dismissal law
Labour Market in Balance Act
Employee illness
Investment in the Netherlands
The highly interactive meeting focused in particular on Dutch dismissal law and the mandatory transition compensation.
Key issues
Key issues for Embassies include:
As from next year, every employee who does not quit himself is entitled to a transition allowance from day 1, even in the event of a temporary contract. Even though this obligation does not apply to termination agreements, a minimum comparable compensation will have to be paid in that case too.
As from next year, you may conclude three year contracts in a row.
Every employer, including Embassies, must call in an occupational health and safety officer/company doctor in the event of illness of employees.
It will be possible to combine reasons for dismissal.
A wage sanction may be imposed in the event of inadequate supervision of ill employees.
Legal assistance is required to set up a company in the Netherlands. Consult for example www.startingabusinessnl.com.
Russell Advocaten regularly publishes updates for Embassies on www.embassydesk.nl, the website for diplomats. You can also read their posts on the website of Diplomat Magazine.
In the picture Rik Bergman (left) and Karel Frielink (right).
The Honorary Consul of the United Kingdom in St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba, Mr. Rik Bergman, paid a courtesy visit to the Dean of the Consular Corps of Curaçao and Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Karel Frielink.
During the meeting the development and future of both the United Kingdom and the Leeward Islands were discussed. The possible cooperation in the event of a disaster was also discussed.
The courtesy visit also provided the opportunity for both sides to share and exchange views on other issues of mutual interest.
Arusha/The Hague, 24 October 2019– Yesterday, President Carmel Agius presented the seventh Annual Report of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) to the United Nations General Assembly (Assembly). This was President Agius’ first address to the Assembly since he assumed office in January 2019.
President Agius opened by congratulating His Excellency Tijjani Muhammad-Bande of Nigeria on his election as President of the seventy-fourth session of the Assembly. He then apprised the Assembly of judicial developments at the Mechanism’s two branches, indicating that most of the current caseload is expected to conclude by the end of 2020. He recalled however that the Mechanism is tasked with a range of other residual functions that will continue once the core judicial work is completed, including supervising the enforcement of sentences, protecting victims and witnesses, providing assistance to national jurisdictions, monitoring cases referred to national jurisdictions, and preserving and managing the archives of the Mechanism and its predecessor Tribunals.
On the subject of the tracking and arrest of the remaining fugitives indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), President Agius noted that South Africa is yet to execute an arrest warrant issued by the Mechanism’s Prosecutor for a fugitive located in that country.
President Agius urged all Member States to adhere to their international legal obligations in this regard. He also sought support from Member States in relocating nine individuals who have been either acquitted or released by the ICTR but are unable or afraid to return to their country of citizenship. The rights of these individuals are being gravely affected by the status quo, he said, and it is vital to the credibility of both the Mechanism and the United Nations that they be able to rebuild their lives.
President Agius next reported on initiatives taken to increase harmonisation of practices and procedures between the Mechanism’s Arusha and The Hague branches, with a view to enhancing cooperation and optimising efficiency. He further drew the Assembly’s attention to the Mechanism’s restrained budget submission for 2020, emphasising that its approval will allow the Mechanism to finalise much of the existing judicial workload and position itself for a lean post-2020 scenario.
In this context, the President stressed his conviction that international criminal justice will always be worth the international community’s investment of time and resources. He urged Member States to continue to support the Mechanism, as well as other international courts and tribunals, to the fullest extent possible, so that the values that led to the establishment of the United Nations 74 years ago may be upheld.
In closing, President Agius expressed his deep gratitude to Member States for their support thus far, expressing hope that they will grant the Mechanism the resources needed to carry out its mandate as efficiently and effectively as possible.
In the picture H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangladesh during his speech.
By Roy Lie Atjam.
The Hague, 18th October 2019, an international conclave on Justice and Accountability for Rohingya has been held in The Hague.
The organizers of this momentous event were: the Centre for Peace and Justice of Brac University (Bangladesh), Asia Justice Coalition, and the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam.
The welcome address was delivered by Professor Syed Mansoob Murshed, from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam
H.E. Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, Minister of Justice, Republic of The Gambia.
The keynote remarks were delivered by H.E. Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, Minister of Justice, Republic of The Gambia.
Other speakers at the conclave included: Canada’s special envoy to Myanmar, Mr Bob Rae, former Dutch Ambassador and member of the Kofi Annan Commission, Ms Laetitia van den Assum and scores of other speakers.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador, Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, The Hague, The Netherlands delivered the closing remarks.
A Q&A session and a reception concluded the conclave.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of the Republic of Bangladesh and H.E. Mr. Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, Minister of Justice, Republic of The Gambia and guests.
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Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, The Hague issued the following Press release:
The Hague Conclave on Justice and Accountability for the Rohingya
The Hague Conclave on “Justice and Accountability for the Rohingya” brought together critical issues for consideration by the international community.
Having taken note of the abiding generosity and prompt humanitarian response by the Bangladesh Government in support of the Rohingyas, the Conclave underscored the importance of the United Nations, relevant member states and regional bodies to each play a role in calling out the impunity of the Myanmar authorities and finding a long term, viable and acceptable resolution to the Rohingya crisis.
Speakers slated the state sponsored hatred policy of Myanmar as root cause of the current crisis and demanded that the actions of Myanmar must be recognized as Genocide.
The Conclave recognized that Genocide does not occur in a vacuum and are often preceded by generations of distrust, the promotion of an ideology of hate and the indifference of the international body.
In his keynote remarks, His Excellency Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, Minister of Justice, Republic of The Gambia,shared his experience of visiting the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar in early 2018 and stated that he could smell the stench of genocide from miles away; as it was all too familiar for him after a decade of interacting with the victims of the Rwandan mass rape, killings and genocide.
Other speakers echoed his views that to bring justice and accountability for the Rohingya, the focus needs to be shifted from individual responsibility to state responsibility.
Canada’s special envoy to Myanmar, Mr. Bob Rae pointed out five suggestions with an emphasis on collecting evidences, listening the voices of the Rohingyas and encouraging dialogue with different international organizations and countries like China, Japan and India.
Former Dutch Ambassador and member of the Kofi Annan Commission Ms. Laetitia van den Assum briefed the presence about the progresses taken place over the past eighteen months but stressed that but a lot more needs to be done to keep moving the slow wheels of justice.
It was revealed that implementation of the recommendations of the Anna Commission, is very crucial as it offers insight not only to the Rohingya crisis but also other minority ethnic communities.
Role of different international organizations including the UN was called into questions, but their effective and immediate engagements were also sought in resolving this great humanitarian crisis. Discussion on role of ASEAN countries in resolving the Rohingya crisis ended up with the recommendations like more political engagements with Myanmar, creating a platform in the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance etc.
Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal explained how Bangladesh government has been extending all sorts of humanitarian assistance including shelter, food, healthcare, water and sanitation, etc. to the persecuted Rohingya people solely on humanitarian ground despite numerous challenges to the economy, ecology and security of Bangladesh. He apprised Bangladesh’s genuine efforts to remain engaged with the Myanmar for immediate return and rehabilitations of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Rakhaine to Bangladesh and put great importance on implementation of 4-points proposal made by our Honorable Prime Minister to the world during her statement at the UNGA on 27 September 2019.
The Ambassador appealed to the international community to come forward to facilitate early repatriation of the displaced Myanmar residents to their homeland in Rakhine with safety, dignity and basic rights in a time-bound manner and also to eliminate the culture of impunity for the sake of a durable solution to the protracted Rohingya problem.
Some formal and informal measures for solving the Rohingya crisis were pronounced in the program. These include naming and shaming of those big companies investing in Myanmar, producing and preserving proper documentation with the help of International CSOs, more sanctions on Myanmar especially on Military junta of Myanmar, proactive role of India, China and Japan, holding art exhibition on the atrocities of Myanmar etc.
However, the voice of consensus in the Conclave has been that the short as well as long term solution to the Rohingya crisis needs to be multifaceted – covering humanitarian, legal, political and diplomatic channels – and throughout this process, the voice and participation of the Rohingyas must be ensured.
A sizable crowd of Diplomats and dignitaries including former Deputy Mayor of The Hague H.E Rabin Baldweb Singh, Ambassador of Morocco, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Yemen, representatives from Embassy of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sweden, Egypt and representatives of various international organizations like OIC, IOM, ICC joined in the conclave.
The exhibition is the main showcase of Mexican pre-Hispanic art and culture in Germany this year. It exhibits 228 masterpieces of Mexican art, 125 of which come from the National Institute of Anthropology and History. From 11 October in Stuttgart, capital of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, the exhibition “Aztecs” (Azteken) began at the Linden Museum, the first exhibition with social, political and economic context of this important pre-Hispanic civilisation in the European continent.
For the opening representing the Government of Mexico and the Secretary of Culture was Alejandra Frausto present, the Ambassador of Mexico to the Federal Republic of Germany, Rogelio Granguillhome inaugurated the exhibition together with the Premier of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann and museum’s director, Inés de Castro.
“Aztecs” at Linden Museum .
In his words, the Ambassador highlighted the timeliness of this exhibition in the context of the 500th anniversary of the contact between the Aztec and Spanish civilisations. He also stressed the importance of preserving pre-Hispanic cultures and the languages derived from them, as they safeguard the cultural richness of humanity, with 2019 being the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
He also recalled the vast legacy left by the renowned historian Miguel León Portilla, who recently passed away in Mexico City and one of the main promoters of Mexico’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
For his part, Premier Kretschmann was pleased that this exhibition began its European journey in Germany, since the country has important links with Mexico, particularly its federal state which is home to several German companies with investment in our country for more than 50 years. In addition, he highlighted the interest of the German public in the exhibition, which can be seen in the numerous reviews in various media throughout the country. Inés de Castro, the director of the Linden Museum, explained that this project began more than three years ago, during which time they have worked intensively with experts in Mesoamerica from various European museums, as well as with the authorities of the National Institute of Anthropology (INAH), with whom the exhibition catalogue was made.
The National Coordinator of Museums and Exhibitions, Juan Manuel Garibay and the Director of Exhibitions of the institution, Alejandra Barajas, attended on behalf of the INAH and in representation of its General Director, Diego Prieto.
Aztecas brings together pieces from the National Museum of Anthropology and History (MNAH) and the Museo del Templo Mayor (MTM) as well as collections from twelve European public institutions and has the advice of renowned Mexican researchers. The exhibition will be open to the public in Stuttgart until May 2020, and will then travel to Vienna, the Austrian capital, and to Leiden in the Netherlands.
