Uzbekistan Soiree, 28thAnniversary of State Independence

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Uzbekistan Soiree, 28thAnniversary of State Independence

Uzbek dancer from the iconic folklore-ethnographic ensemble “Amu tolqini”.

By Roy Lie Atjam.

After a marvelous celebration of the 28thanniversary of state independence, H.E. Ambassador Dilyor Khakimov of Uzbekistan reunited his friends for yet another anniversary soiree on Thursday 26th September 2019. The program consisted of an outstanding Uzbek cultural show along with a formal dinner at an upscale venue in The Hague. The event was enjoyed by almost 100 people including the Ambassador of Ukraine, The Director General of OPCW, diplomats from many countries and other distinguished guests from Dutch society.

H.E. Dilyor Khakimov unfortunately had to cancel his trip to The Hague at the last moment to attend to an urgent matter. The responsibility of leading the festivities was assumed by Mr Ulugbek Agzamov, Minister Counsellor and head of political section Embassy of Uzbekistan to Benelux countries and missions to the EU and NATO, in H.E Khakimov’s absence.

Mr. Ulugbek Agzamov, Minister Counsellor and head of political section Embassy of Uzbekistan to Benelux countries and missions to the EU and NATO.

Mr. Agzamov cordially welcomed the audience and expressed thanks to all for accepting the invitation. Furthermore, Agzamov enumerated the great strides that Uzbekistan has made over the years.

He quoted from the address delivered H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistanon the occasion of the declaration of independence 28 years ago.

Mrs. Dalya Çakar– Chairwoman of the Uzbekistan Netherlands Friendship Foundation.

” ….. at present, Uzbekistan is confidently entering a new stage of its development. A new, democratic face of Uzbekistan is being shaped on the basis of modernization, ensuring human rights and freedoms and the rule of law.

In this regard, a priority idea “From national reconstruction – to national progress” enshrined in the Action Strategy is serving a guideline for us.

Under the notion of national progress we understand the development of our country, comprehensive improvement of living standards of our people.

Drawing on the potential and might of our people, reasonably using our natural resources, we are consistently moving toward such goals that we set before ourselves. “

Mr Dautbay Kurbaniyazov- Chairman of the Committee of Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Other speakers the soiree were: Mrs. Dalya Çakar– Chairwoman of the Uzbekistan Netherlands Friendship Foundation and Mr Dautbay Kurbaniyazov– Chairman of the Committee of Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

The program also included a stunning performance by the iconic folklore-ethnographic ensemble “Amu tolqini”

Uzbek National Day celebration in The Hague.

The folklore-ethnographic ensemble “Amu TolkinI” was founded in 2001,with the focus on promoting folk songs andthe unique art of the Uzbek-and Karakalpak people, extolling love for the Motherland, fraternity, friendship in the hearts of thenext generation.

The promotion of this unique culture, art, songs and melodies, which considered the masterpieces of the Karakalpak people will no doubt prove fruitful in stimulating greater mutual understanding between Uzbekistan and the Netherlands.

H.E. Mr. Vsevolod Chentsov, Ambassador of Ukraine admiring Uzbek craft and silk products’ exhibition also part of the event. The high quality of Uzbek products attracted the attention of many.

The repertoire of the ensemble included Karakalpak, Uzbek, Turkmen and other folk songs. These were performed by folk narrators and singers of Baksyand Zhyrau on folk musical instruments of the Dutar and Kobyz.

The performances also included heroic and lyrical folk poems, folk songs and melodies handed down through generationsfor hundreds of years.

These truly entertained the audience and has evoked  interest in traditional Karakalpak musical art, Karakalpak national costumes, jewelries, sculptures and braided pigtails are considered masterpieces in the art of  Karakalpak dance.

The “Amu tolqini” folklore-ethnographic ensemble came from Uzbekistan special for the occasion.

The ensemble has performed in Germany, France and India, thereby introducing the national culture, with the rich, vibrant and unique art of the country to the peoples of the world.

Those in attendance returned to their respective homes after a delightful soiree with a new perspective and deeper appreciation of Uzbek culture.

Mr. Agzamov and the OPCW Director General H.E. Ambassador Fernando Arias during the dinner.

Ambassador Grenell for the Kosovo process

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Ambassador Grenell for the Kosovo process

HH Mayor Peter Tschentscher and US Ambassador Grenell – Picture by Tim Ott, Senatskanzlei Hamburg.

Thursday, 3 October 2019, White House, Washington D.C., USA: President Donald Trump announced the appointment of  his top diplomatic envoy to Germany, Richard Grenell, as ‘Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations’. 

A native of Michigan but previously California-based, Ambassador Grenell holds extensive senior policy and communications advisory experience for public officials at international, US federal, state and local levels as well as being for a partner in a Fortune 500 ranked company, that being Capital Media Partners. In fact, Grenell served as the longest in duty U.S. spokesman and political appointee at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in history between 2001 and 2008. 

Whilst remaining US Ambassador to Germany, Grenell is due to champion the efforts in assisting Serbia and Kosovo to reach a formal peace agreement that could result in Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. 

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and is recognised as a sovereign country by more than one hundred United Nations members states including the USA, however, has been blocked from UN membership by Serbia. Both countries cannot join the European Union till a peace accord has normalised their relations. 

For further information: 
US Embassy to Germany: https://de.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/

Embassy Festival 2019

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Embassy Festival 2019

By Roy Lie Atjam.

The seventh Embassy Festival took place in The Hague on 7thand 8thSeptember 2019.

The participation in the festival this year involved about 70 Diplomatic missions accredited to the Netherlands.  This Festival is rather unique in the Netherlands. It was indeed a pleasure to meet attendees from other parts of Europe who were just as eager as myself to share and savor the essence of this year’s festival. 

The participating embassies all showcased the various aspects of their respective cultures. As the theme of the festival  emphasized, the Embassy Festival is about the uplifting of global culture and uniting people from across the world in order to foster mutual tolerance, multiculturalism and diversity.

Embassy Festival 2019.

The cultural extravaganza included an authentic Reyog Ponorogo Parade from Indonesia. The parade featured brilliantly designed traditional costumes that truly emphasized the vibrant culture and people of Indonesia.

The Mexico Fundación Xochiquetzal, enthralled spectators at the festival with traditional Mexican dance from different regions of the country such as Veracruz and San Luis Potosi. 

The festival was officially opened by Madame Deputy Mayor of The Hague, Mrs. Saskia Bruines. Mrs. Rawan Suliaman, Head of Mission, State of Palestine, spoke at the welcome reception. Mrs. Suliaman lauded the efforts that festival had set out to accomplish, which is to promote the message that culture has the power to inspire as well as unite.   

Embassy Festival

Mrs. Suliaman gave a few examples of the rich Palestinian culture and history that can serve as a catalyst in promoting mutual understanding. An example of this is the newly instituted Palestinian Museum as well as the Lufta Rabbani Foundation which was founded by refugee Mahmoud Rabbani that promotes Euro-Arab dialogue through education and cultural scholarships.  

Embassy Festival.

Mrs. Suliaman concluded saying that different cultures can learn from each other and when cultures converge, the result can be beautiful harmony.   

The success of this year’s festival no doubt has whetted the appetite of the attendees for the embassy festival 2020. This rich cultural showcase was indeed a triumph as a result of the welcomed participation of the partners and sponsors. It is without a doubt that the Embassy Festival 2020 will be even a greater sensation with continued involvement of the partners and sponsors next year.   

Korea Celebrates National Day

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Korea Celebrates National Day

H.E. Mr. Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland, H.E. Mr Sallah Ben Abdelkader Hamza, Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire, H.E. Mr. Yun Young Lee, Ambassador of Korea and a guest.

Text and pictures by Katherine Dailey.

His Excellency Mr. Yun Young Lee, the Republic of South Korea’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, welcomed hundreds of guests to the well cared for grounds of his official residence on Wednesday, October 2nd, in celebration of Korea’s National Day.  

His Excellency Mr. Yun Young Lee Ambassador of Korea and members of his staff.

Included among the ambassador’s three hundred plus guests were the ambassadors of Ireland, Venezuela, the Holy See, Iran, Kazakhstan, Italy, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Bangladesh and many more. 

Korean girls.

Military attaches from the Netherlands, as well as other European countries, were also present. Members of the ambassador’s diplomatic staff and their families, many of whom donned traditional attire for the occasion, supported Ambassador Yun Young Lee by extending warm Korean hospitality to his international guests.  

Representatives from the Dutch government, former Dutch ambassadors, representatives from both the municipalities of Wassenaar and The Hague, representatives from some of Korea’s partners in trade, members of the Dutch-Korean community in the Netherlands, academics and other friends of Korea were present as well.

Dutch veterans, from the Seventeen State International Force, which supported the Republic of South Korea (ROK), as part of the United Nations Command (UNC) in the early 1950s.

A small, but hardy group of Dutch veterans, were honoured at the event for having served in a Seventeen State International Force, which supported the Republic of South Korea (ROK), as part of the United Nations Command (UNC) in the early 1950s. The veterans were prominently seated near the podium for the standing room only event. 

An enormous pavilion, placed on the parklike grounds of the Residence, sheltered guests and added to the day’s festive atmosphere. 

Ambassador Yun Young Lee welcomed his guests, spoke briefly and opened the cultural program which included a captivating Taekwondo martial arts demonstration. Taekwondo, as demonstrated by both Korean and Dutch men and women skilled in various Korean martial arts traditions, especially enthralled some of the younger guests. Some are likely to have been inspired to take up Taekwondo which, since 2000,  have become an official competitive event at the Olympic and Paralympic games.

Taekwondo at Korean National Day.

After the formal program concluded, His Excellency invited his guests to a buffet and traditional Korean BBQ of Bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef), Dakgangjeong (sweet crispy Korean fried chicken), Geotjeori  (fresh kimchi) and other popular national dishes.

Two smaller pavilions served as a BBQ station and outdoor kiosk for distributing tourism information. Some guests were introduced to “Tuho”, a traditional Korean game of “Pitch-pot,” for the first time.

Ambassador Lee and His Excellency Andrea Perugini, Ambassador of Italy.

Anyone who may be considering a trip to the Republic of Korea are especially well positioned to do so from the Netherlands. Both Korean Air and KLM offer daily non-stop flights to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN), one of the largest and busiest airports in the world.

Incheon has been consistently rated by SKYTRAX, as the best airportin the world transit passengers.

Joan McNamara and Mrs. Lee in national dress.

With four distinct seasons; 2,413 kilometers of coastline along three seas; thirteen cultural heritage sites and one natural heritage site, there is plenty to experience for everyone who is keen to “Imagine Your Korea”and plan a visit.  Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries (2018) and Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies (2019) are the two most recent additions to the list.

UNESCO also has separate programs called the “Intangible Hertitage of Humanity” and “Memory of the World” further expanding Korea’s contributions to humanity.

 Ambassador Yun Yang Lee’s successful National Day Program offered something of interest to everyone who attended, leaving them with better understanding of the country and the people.  Korea’s National Day, as celebrated in The Hague, served to spark an interest, which was shared by many, to visit the Republic of Korea in the near future.

Indonesia abandoning its Capital ?

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Indonesia abandoning its Capital ?

By Julia Suryakusuma.

I have almost always lived in capital cities. I was born in New Delhi, resided in London, Prague (before Czechoslovakia split in 1993), Budapest, Rome, Bonn (long before the capital moved to Berlin in 1991), when my parents were posted there as diplomats. When in Indonesia, it’s always been in Jakarta. 

So am I a capital city snob? In connection to the uber-densely populated, polluted, badly planned, garbage-filled, flood prone, traffic-choked, sinking city that Jakarta is? Hah! Not likely. 

Jakarta is Indonesia’s gateway to the world, Southeast Asia’s most dynamic metropolitan area, and the nation’s economic, political, cultural and intellectual center. It provides all sorts of opportunities unavailable elsewhere in the country, which is what draws migrants in. 

Jakarta proper hosts about 11 million in an area of 661.5 square kilometers, while the entire metropolis is home to over 30 million people across 6,400 sq km. Pretty squeezy huh?

Furthermore, Jakarta could also be hit by a powerful earthquake, not just the tremors we’ve been experiencing. Then we wouldn’t have a capital. Oh boy!

So when I heard about the plan to move the capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan, I thought, hmmm (read: thinking hard!). A recent survey (posted in Coconuts Jakarta) unsurprisingly found that 95.7 percent of Jakartans were against the move. They suggested the new capital be called “Jokograd” or “Saint Jokoburg”, mocking what they consider President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s overly ambitious plan. 

Megalomania? Overly enthusiastic? Or just like all leaders, wanting a legacy? Pak Jokowi, you have left legacies aplenty already! Yeah, sure, some failures, misguided policies, and many unmet promises as well, but no one’s perfect!

So what and who is behind Jokowi’s burning ambition? Could former president Megawati Soekarnoputri be one of them? Her father had also wanted to move the capital to Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan (Jokowi decided on North Penajam Paser regency and part of Kutai Kertanegara regency in East Kalimantan). Moving the capital was one of first president Sukarno’s unmet goals, so is “Mama Mega” passing it on to Jokowi?

Those who are for the move say it’s courageous and revolutionary. Not really. Besides Sukarno, almost every president — certainly Soeharto and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, wanted to do it. But Jokowi is typically the Nike guy who says “just do it!” 

Since independence in 1945, we’ve always been too Java-centric, even more than during colonial times. It’s curious considering Java is an island comprising 7 percent (128,297 sq km) of the size of Indonesia (1,905 million sq km), populated by almost 160 million people, nearly 60 percent of the total population.

Kalimantan meanwhile has a land mass of 542,630 sq km, hosting under 14 million people. Transmigration from Java to the lesser populated islands of Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi and even Papua seemed an obvious solution to reduce overpopulation and poverty. 

Transmigration programs, starting since the Dutch colonial period, later stoked fears of Javanization and Islamization, triggering conflicts, communal violence and bolstering separatist movements. Uh-oh!

In 2015 Jokowi scrapped the transmigration program, but now he’s ferociously adamant about moving the capital to Kalimantan? 

OK, let’s look at the pros: like the transmigration program, it certainly looks good on paper. It suggests the government is serious about paying more attention to parts of Indonesia other than Java. 

The move is expected to stimulate economic growth in the outer islands, and give a nod to non-Javanese culture. According to Endy Bayuni of The Jakarta Post, “It’s a step toward the ‘de-Javanization’ of Indonesia […] decentralization and regional autonomy are not enough”. 

My nephew, Andi Haswidi, a researcher, said, “Jakarta is sinking, and relocating the capital could induce a more equitable economic development”. But he warned, the process will be incredibly hard and will require the revision of so many laws, unless the government resorts to using government regulations in lieu of law (Perppu). “It also requires incredible leadership, a serious commitment to the rule of law, and a more relaxed fiscal policy”. Right. Just minor things.

The cons: extremely costly with an expected budget of Rp 477 trillion (US$36.6 billion) and humungous disruption, while the benefits are still uncertain. And remember Murphy’s Law: expect the unexpected!

It’s also one way to shrink the civil service, and possibly not getting the best human resources to work there. Would you be willing to just get up and leave everything that constitutes your life in Jakarta/Java? Family, friends and facilities, from health, education, entertainment and access to other places, both domestic and international?

Emil Salim, senior economist and extremely seasoned politician who held several governmental and Cabinet posts, reminds us of Indonesia’s archipelago of 17,000 islands, flanked by two oceans, located smack bang in the middle of maritime traffic. A capital in Kalimantan would be very difficult to access.

“If Jakarta is fraught with problems, fix them”, he said, “Moving is shirking responsibility”. His opinion is echoed by Jeffrey Winters, a professor of Northwestern University who said, “It’s capitulation. Jakarta is such a colossal failure, they’ve given up on trying to fix the city.” But Winters also said, “It would be irresponsible to keep a capital in a sinking city that is going to be completely under water in less than five decades”. 

Environmental activists warn that the move could spark “a fresh environmental crisis in a region home to rainforests and endangered orangutans”. They say mining and palm oil plantations are already threatening Kalimantan’s environment and endangered species habitats, which could worsen if a big city is built near a key conservation area. And don’t forget the forest fires! 

“Equitable development” has always been a catchphrase in every president’s rhetoric and every regime. According to Monique Rijkers in an article in Deutsche Welle, Indonesia doesn’t need a new capital, what it needs are more metropolitan cities and infrastructure spread throughout Indonesia. As she points out, even the basic needs of the people such as access to water, electricity, health, education have not been met, and the government wants to move the capital?

Oh dear! Everyone has a point. It’s so dilemmatic! Even those against the relocation admit that at some point the capital has to move, but not now. There are still too many pressing issues that need urgently to be tended to. 

I give up. The House of Representatives needs to give its approval first anyway. Let’s take it one step at a time, shall we, and let history, politics, science, and nature, run its course. 

______________________

About the Author:  

Julia Suryakusuma is an influential columnist of SEA and Indonesia. Early version of this text published by the Jakarta Post under the title: Jakarta to Kalimantan: Capital gain or capitulation?

Bridging the Gender Gap in International Law: meet the Women in International Law Network

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Bridging the Gender Gap in International Law: meet the Women in International Law Network

In the picture current Board Members of the Women in International Law Network: Marija Stajic-Radivojsa Legal Adviser, Serbian Embassy in the Netherlands, Katharina Kofler Legal Adviser,  Austrian Embassy in the Netherlands, Yukiko Harimoto, Legal Adviser, Japanese Embassy in the Netherlands, Ana Cristina Rodriguez Pineda Chef de Cabinet and Principal Legal Advisor, United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and Antonia Pereira de Sousa External Relations and Cooperation Officer, International Criminal Court. 

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

The field of Law is still, be it on a national or international level, a predominantly male dominated territory. How can that be changed? How do women gain traction, tipping the scales towards a more balanced environment, fostering a culture of support and awareness for the potential and the achievements of women, bringing about positive social change? 

This is something the ‘Women in International Law Network’ aims to further. The WIL for short, is an informal network which aims to empower women in the field of law in the Netherlands by bringing them together to foster professional and personal connections. Established in 2017, it provides a forum to enable women to share information, experiences, ideas and knowledge to bring about positive social change and promote gender equality in the field of law.  

Women in International Law

The Network was created by legal advisers from the Embassies of Australia, Austria, Canada, Israel and Switzerland, as well as the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia Chef de Cabinet.

The current board members include the legal advisers of Austria, Serbia and Japan, as well as the Chef de Cabinetand Principal Legal Advisor of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and the External Relations and Cooperation Officer of the Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Network includes more than 300 members, and keeps growing with every new event. It is open to mid-level to senior female officials, experts, advisers and academics working in international law in the Netherlands. Men also participate in some of the events facilitated by the WIL.

Since the Network’s establishment several high-level events have been organized and held. Two discussions around the topic of Harassment at the Workplace, how to confront it and all the challenges revolving this issue. The most recent event on this topic was hosted by the Embassies of the Republic of Serbia and Israel, in July 2019. Several high profile speakers, such as the President of the Staff Union of the ICC Ruth Frolich, the Staff Welfare Officer of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Paola Paoletti, and the Coordinator for Safe Working Environment from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gerda Vrielink, enriched the agenda. 

An event at the University of Leiden on the Fight against Gender Inequality with UN Deputy High Commissioner of Human Rights Kate Gilmore to mark International Women’s Day in 2019 inspired and enhanced awareness on the need for all to play an active role to fight against gender inequality in a populist world. Moderated by Professor Patricia Sellers, Special Adviser of the ICC Prosecutor on Gender, and with an introduction by Professor Helen Duffy, the event allowed for the possibility of empowering women who are at different stages of their professional life, engaging with the subject at an early stage. 

Earlier this year a panel discussion celebrating the New Female Voices in Legal Academia was held at the Austrian Residence in The Hague, inspiring fascinating and rich dialogue and co-facilitation from young female researchers on various and ground-breaking fields of international law, including the responsibility of social media companies regarding human rights violations and litigation around achieving sustainable fisheries.

Women in International Law Network

In the previous year’s events such as a mock debate on the (in)effectiveness of Gender Quotas, discussions on Gender barriers in the Workplace, a movie screening on Women’s Suffrage, as well as hearing from guest speakers on Women in Leadership in the field of International Law, grew the Network and paved the way for more events and possibilities for connecting with strong, successful women in the field.  Social gatherings also have allowed members to mingle in a more casual environment and exchange views and experiences. 

All the panellists are exceptional and successful women in strong positions, who have asserted their place in their fields of work and who are now able to pass on their experiences and help shape the future of women in international law.  The Network benefits in particular from the rich and diverse community of women working in and around international law in The Hague, an international hub for international peace and justice, and thrives thanks to this strong and enabling environment. 

The Network is active on its LinkedIn page (Women in International Law (WIL) Network), where information on upcoming events can be found, as well as articles and reflections related to the overall goal of the Network; it is also present on Twitter with the hashtag #WILnetwork 

Anyone interested in becoming a member can send an e-mail to womenilnl@gmail.com  indicating their name, e-mail and organisation/position, and/or ask to join our LinkedIn page.

Komitas Vardapet, a 150th jubilee for an Armenian giant

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Komitas Vardapet, a 150th jubilee for an Armenian giant

In the picture H.E. Ambassador Ashot Smbatyan.

By Dr Tatevik Shakhkulyan and Ambassador Ashot Smbatyan.

Komitas Vardapet (1869-1935) is an Armenian composer, music collector, musicologistand music performer. Devoting his entire life to research of traditional Armenian music, he created a national Armenian style of music composition and outlined paths for development of Armenian music. He was one of the pioneers in ethnomusicology in the world. Komitas is one of the most known personalities in the entire history of Armenia. His life and his activity symbolize the “Armenianness”. Many Armenians perceive him as an identity.

Komitas Vardapet, Armenian composer

Komitas’s birth name was Soghomon Soghomonian. He was born to an Armenian family in the city of Kütahya in the Ottoman Empire. He sang Armenian folk and spiritual songs, but he did not speak Armenian, because Kütahya was a Turkish speaking city. Only later he learnt Armenian. At the age of ten Soghomon moved to Etchmiadzin, the holy center of Armenians, according to the request of the Catholikos Gevorg IV. He studied there at the Gevorgian Spiritual Seminary and graduated in the 1892-93academic year.

At the age of 21 he was ordained a Senior Deacon, followed by Celebrated Priest four years later. When ordaining Soghomon a celebrated priest, Catholicos Makar I named him Komitas in honor of the 7thcentury Armenian Catholicos Komitas Aghtsetsi. Later on he became a Vardapet, which is a church academic degree. 

Receiving his early music education in the Seminary, Komitas got private music classes from the composer Makar Yekmalian and then moved to Berlin in order to study music. 

Komitas received his fundamental music education in Berlin, where he lived and studied in 1896-1899. He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Royal University (now Humboldt University) and from the private conservatory of Richard Smidt. While studying with the honored musicologists Oscar Fleischer, Heinrich Bellermann and Max Friedländer at the University, Komitas gained practical and theoretical musical knowledge at his classes of the conservatory. Evidently, his studies in Berlin played an outstanding role for him. At the same time, his epistolary heritage witnesses that the teachers themselves were admired by the unusual talent Komitas had.

After Berlin studies, Komitas lived in Etchmiadzin and taught at Gevorgian Seminary. He conducted choirs, among which was the Cathedral Choir. He did field-work of collecting music, which he had started long ago, since 1880s; he composed music and did musicological research. After moving from Etchmiadzin to Constantinople in 1910, he continued his activities as a composer, researcher, choral-conductor and teacher.

During this time he travelled much over Western and Eastern countries for research, lectures, concerts, concert-recitals. He travelled to Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Alexandria, etc. 

As a founding member of the International Music Society, Komitas was actively engaged in the musicological events of Europe. The organization played a major role in European musicology. It published books and periodicals, organized conferences and congresses, etc.Komitas was one of the most respected members of the Society. His lecture-recitals in many Western cities (including Berlin, Paris, Geneva etc.) were highly covered by the international press.

UnfortunatelyKomitas’s creative life ceased because of the Armenian Genocide in1915. The Ottoman government exiled Komitas along withmany other Armenians, but he was allowed to return after a few weeks due to the intervention ofHenry Morgenthau, who was the USA Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at that time. Thus, Komitas returned Constantinople, but he gradually stopped his creative activity.

In 1919 Komitas was transferred to Paris for the purpose of medical treatment. He spent there the last sixteen years of his life and passed away on October 19,1935. A year later his remains were transferred to Yerevan and buried in the Pantheon of prominent Armenian people. Komitas’s grave remains there up till now and the Pantheon now carries Komitas’s name. 

Many years later the Komitas Museum-Institute was built in the vicinity in 2015. While not being a place Komitas lived in, the museum-institute became a place with such a role, since it aimed at continuing Komitas’s activities.

Definite portion of Komitas’s works disappeared after the Armenian Genocide. What is available by now, was collected after his death by the so-called Komitas’s Caretaker Committee. 

Komitas collected thousands of folk and church songs and melodies. For that purpose he travelled much targeting remote dwelling places which did not have close contacts with the outer world. Komitas believed that the music and culture was preserved purely in such places. Not only Armenian music, bat also that of neighboring nations – Turkish, Kurdish, Assyrian, Arabic, Iranian – were subject of his interest. 

Komitas studied, analyzed and classified the songs he collected, explaining their characteristic features. He employed the collected materials for research purposes. In the result he derived the structure of the Armenian modal and melodic foundations and consequently created a music-theoretical system, which he used in his works. He published the results of his research in scientific articles and publicized them through his lectures, talks, lecture-recitals. In his works he used Armenian folk and church songs from both his collection and from printed books. Most of his works are based on the theoretical system of his own. 

One of the most noteworthy scholarly works by Komitas was deciphering Medieval Armenian Khaz notation. This was a system of music notation with various signs put above the literary texts. While thousands of such manuscripts dating back to the 10thto the 18thcenturiesare kept in different museums, they are not read now. In the result of about 20 years of research, Komitas managed to find the key to reading them. However, not much has survived from Komitas’s activity. Instead, Komitas himself very often along with the usual five-line notation used the New Armenian Notation, considered as Limonjyan Notation, which was created in the 19thcentury. 

Komitas was a wonderful singer with a nice baritone; he was a sring (Armenian flute) player and a choral conductor. He was gifted with amazing aural skills and music perception. He has conducted numerous choirs in various cities in many Eastern and Western countries. To be noted is his Gusan Choir in Constantinople, which consisted of as many as 300 singers.

2019 is the year of Komitas Vardapet’s 150thbirth anniversary, which is celebrated in association with UNESCO. 

About the authors:

Dr. Tatevik Shakhkulyan. Komitas Museum-Institute, Yerevan: https://komitasmuseum.am/en/

H.E. Mr. Ashot Smbatyan, Ambassador of Armenia in Berlin: http://www.germany.mfa.am/de/

Dutch Labour Law and update for Diplomats

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Dutch Labour Law and update for Diplomats

Diplomats only seminar

In the picture Dr. Hayder Al Tamimi, Legal adviser, Embassy of Iraq and Jan Dop, Russell Advocaten.

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”.

Mr. Omar Tarik Gencosmanoglu, Commercial Attache, Embassy of Turkey and Ms. Eva Balog, from the Embassy of Hungary during the registration period.

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. 

Attendees to Dutch Labour Law & Investing in The Netherlands’ seminar by Russel Advocaten in collaboration with Diplomat Magazine.

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. 
The Ambassador of Lebanon, H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa during the seminar.

Diplomats from Finland, Turkey, Kazakhstan, US, Armenia, Iraq, Lebanon, Ecuador, Tanzania, Surinam, Hungary, Nicaragua, Georgia, Singapore, Yemen, South Africa, Italy, Tunisia, Spain, Kosovo, Brazil, Ukraine, Slovenia, Malaysia, Ghana, Estonia, among others attended the seminar.

H.E. Ms. Sahar Ghanem, Ambassador of Yemen.

During the seminar that started earlier in the morning, many asked questions and Russel’s team composed by Jan Dop, Ranier and Paul Russell came back with practical counselling and solutions.

Russell Advocaten regularly publishes updates for Embassies on www.embassydesk.nl, the website for diplomats. You can also read our posts on the website of Diplomat Magazine.

Authentic Cuban cigar lounge in The Hague

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Authentic Cuban cigar lounge in The Hague

On the year of Havana’s 500th anniversary since its foundation, the embassy of Cuba in the Netherlands presented a top selection of some of the internationally recognized brands of Cuban cigars at the VI Diplomats Welcome After Summer event organized by the Diplomat Magazine.

An overwhelming number of diplomats from embassies and international organizations, business companies, as well as politically well-known personalities attended the event, including Dutch ministers, the Ambassadors of China, Malaysia, Rwanda, Indonesia, Vietnam, Iran, Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan, State of Palestine, Yemen, Morocco, Tunisia, Angola, Tanzania, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Holy See, Brazil, Cuba, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, and Ecuador; Charge d’ Affaires, a.i. of the Russian Federation, Georgia, Argentina, Panama, Suriname and Azerbaijan; and representatives from the Embassies of the USA, Kenya and Poland.

Cuban cigars tasting at Crowne Plaza VI Diplomats Welcome After Summer.

An unique cigar lounge in the Crowne Plaza Hotel provided an authentic atmosphere of the Cuban capital La Havana, with Jorge Martinez’s music accompanied by a piano and a guitar. The guests could also enjoy a glass of original Cuban Havana Rum together with their cigars, which only intensified the experience of the traditional Cuban tastes. 

Her Excellency the Ambassador of Cuba, Soraya Elena Alvarez Nuñez gave an impressive speech in front of the more than 200 guests attending the reception:

“Today, we are celebrating the relations of friendship and fraternity between the diplomatic community, the authorities of the host country and the Dutch friends in creating spaces and setting bridges between us to continue strengthening cooperation among all parties.

Cuba is a lover of friendship, solidarity and cooperation, these values alone could foster a better world for future generations therefore we are appealing to all of you to support this values.”

6th Diplomats Welcome After Summer Reception in Crowne Plaza

Ambassador Alvarez Nuñez continued by stressing the importance of the international cooperation and solidarity:  

“Cuba is also a grateful country and for that we say to everyone thank you very much for the support that the international community has given my country for more than 60 years in the consolidation of our independence and in facing difficulties caused by unjust blockades and policies. Thanks everyone for your friendship and solidarity with Cubans.” 

Rum from Cuba at Crowne Plaza.

The Cuban Embassy contributed greatly to the pleasurable atmosphere of the VI Diplomats Welcome After Summer reception by showcasing some of the most emblematic symbols of Cuba’s culture: its dance, music, and tastes, represented by the original Havana Rum together with the top Cuban cigars and the warm Cuban rhythms.

The Hague International Open Day

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The Hague International Open Day

On Sunday September 22nd, The International Open Day was held in The Hague, during which many of the international organizations and institutions located in this city opened their doors and offered guided tours as well as presentations to the public. This festival followed and partnered with the Just Peace Festival that was held during the UN International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21 worldwide, as well as in The Hague – globally known as the international city of Peace and Justice.

The Hague International Day looking inside the international organizations.

This one-day event was a great opportunity to discover how various EU, UN, or intergovernmental organizations, as well as numerous NGOs operate. The Hague is home to institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), Eurojust, OPCW, or the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Peace Palace, the work of which is immensely important to make the world safer and better place.

ICC

In the International Criminal Court, the visitors of the Open Day had the chance to see an interactive exhibition about the victims of the types of crimes that the court deals with, such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, or genocide.

What is more, the public was also guided through the process of investigating these crimes by following the artefacts exhibited in the halls of the ICC. Moreover, every hour the visitors were allowed to enter the main courtroom and listen to a presentation by the employees about their work for the court. 

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) also prepared a rich programme for the visitors of the open day by presenting interactive Q&A sessions with OPCW experts during which they provided an overview of the way this organisation works to eliminate the world’s arsenal or chemical weapons.

Another highlight of the open day visit to this institution were the demonstrations of a live-action of inspectors who showed the special equipment that is being used in OPCW missions. 

Eurojust

The visit to Eurojust enabled the public to “Meet the Prosecutor”– presentations during which the real prosecutors of this institution were describing their work as well as the operational structure of the European Union’s Judicial Cooperation Unit. The president of Eurojust himself, Mrt. . Hanran gave a important welcome speech about The workers of Eurojust also guided the visitors through the interiors and rooms of the building, where they could discover the environment in which cross-border crime investigations are led.

Overall, the International Open Day was a great success among the public, and by offering a plentiful programme, the participating organisations left a forceful impression on the visitors, while also underlining their contribution to the world peace, and not least, the international nature of The Hague.

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