On the weekend of 20 and 21 July 2019, the foundation “Delft Quality” organizes during the “De Delftse Keramiekdagen” the 15th edition of Delft Ceramica, the international ceramics market. The Delft Ceramic days is the event to experience ceramics in Delft.
DelftCeramica: International Ceramics Market 20 and 21 July 2019
In the picturesque city centre of Delft, during the Delft ceramic days on the international ceramics market Delft Ceramica Enjoy the work of over 60-70 ceramists from all over Europe. As a participant in Delft Ceramica, only artists can participate, who present their own work. They show their latest work and let the audience get acquainted with the latest techniques and trends. Visitors can expect a wide variety of works of art, such as organically shaped use ceramics, raku, (garden) sculptures, jewellery, pots and vases, animals, masks.
Information about the participants in Delft Ceramica 2019 and pictures of their work can be found at www.delftceramica.nl
The ceramics market is held on the historic market of Delft with its atmospheric terraces between the historic town hall and the new church with the royal burial vaults.
Accessibility:
Delft Ceramica on the market is easy to reach by public transport – train, bus and tram-. From Station NS, bus station NS, Tram 1 stop Station NS and Prinsenhof stop it is a walk of 8 minutes.
The car restricted inner city is closed for traffic: see https://parkerendelft.com/
Delfies: Make your Delft Ceramica selfie. Visitors contest. More information from the 1th of July.
The Vermeer centre: The Vermeer Centre Delft organises an exhibition in the sign of ‘ The Milk Girl ‘ by Johannes Vermeer in ceramics.www.vermeerdelft.nl
Carillon concert on the carillon of the new church by Henk Groeneweg on Saturday 20 July from 11 am to 12 am.
Information Booth DelftCeramica: on the market there is an information booth for visitors.
Saturday 20 July 10-17:00 \ Sunday 21 July 10-17:00
The UK-based ‘Channel 4 News’ in September 2017 first débuted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the ‘Mother of Humanity’ after her valiant resolution to open Bangladesh-Myanmar borders for the fleeing persecuted Rohingya people from Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Following this, the daughter of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina, has come to be known as the ‘Mother of Humanity’.
Sheik Hasina, leader of the highly densely populated developing country, demonstrated a unique example of an altruistic gesture.
The persecution by the Myanmar security forces and local vigilantes on the Rohingya people in the Rakhine State has resulted fleeing of over a million Rohingya people to Bangladesh. An estimated 738,805 Rohingya people arrived in Bangladesh within a few days since 25 August 2017 when the Myanmar military coordinated an operation, which the world came to term as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.
Among the latest Rohingya arrivals, 58 per cent are children, 34338 women are pregnant, 39841 are orphans.
Moreover, over 87,000 Rohingya people entered into Bangladesh after October 2016 and over 300,000 entered into Bangladesh between 2005 and 2015 following the grave human rights violations in the Rakhine State by the Myanmar security forces and the local vigilantes. As many as 1,118,576 registered Rohingya people are now sheltered in Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina visiting Rohinya Camp in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar.
The latest exodus of Rohingya people following the events of 25 August 2017 in the Rakhine State has been described as the fastest displacementcrisis in the history of mankind.The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in coordination with international agencies, 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. As long as the forcibly displaced Rohingya people remain in Bangladesh, awaiting return to their homelands in the Rakhine State, Bangladesh would continue to provide them shelter and other humanitarian assistances.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI – 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, Myanmar leader: “We have to take care of our citizens. We have to take care of everybody who is in our country, whether or not they are our citizens.” September 07, 2017
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stated that “if my government can arrange food for over one hundred sixty million people of Bangladesh, we would also be able to feed one million people more”.
The government of Bangladesh has allocated 6,200 acres of land for construction of shelter-houses, sanitation and other related services; 30 camps have been set up while 212,607 houses have been built in the camps for the forcibly displaced Rohingya people. As many as 845,914 Rohingya people now receive food and other relief support while 142,823 have so far received nutritional support; 177,725 Rohingya children receive informal education through 3,271 education centres. As many as 219 medical camps and other family welfare centres have been set up to provide reproductive health services to the Rohingya people. 137,464 have so far received reproductive health services while 1,668,860 Myanmar nationals have received different services. Over 8,063 tube-wells, 57,891 toilets and 15,982 shower rooms have been set up to provide drinking water and sanitation services to the Rohingya people.
MALALA YOUSAFZAI – 2014 Nobel Peace Prize: “Over the last several years, I have repeatedly condemned this tragic and shameful treatment. I am still waiting for my fellow Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to do the same.” September 03, 2017.
The government of Bangladesh has spent Tk. 957,000,000 approximately US$ 11.50 million for the humanitarian assistance to the forcibly displaced Rohingya people. The NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh government has allocated over Tk. 7.87 billion (approximately US$ 95 million) to provide safe drinking water and sanitation services to the Rohingya people through 122 local and international NGOs. Different agencies of Bangladesh government have been implementing different projects including roads, drains, cyclone-shelter-cum-schools, multipurpose centres, and food distribution centres in Cox’s Bazar with the financial support of the World Bank (US$ 480 million) and Asian Development Bank (US$ 240 million) for the welfare of the forcibly displaced Rohingya people.
Sheikh Hasina, PM of Bangladesh.
The persecution of Rohingya people has generated multi-dimensional and multi-layered crisis for Bangladesh ranging from economic, security, environmental, social, and political. The crisis has also severely impacted on Cox Bazar’s ecosystem, wildlife habitat, labour market, access to public services, law and order situation, etc. Despite various challenges to the economy, ecology and overall societal rubrics of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s decision to shelter the persecuted Rohingya people emanates from humanity alone.
The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes that humanitarian responses would help the forcibly displaced Rohingya people only temporarily. A durable solution of the problem is a must for the sake of humanity. Bangladesh government has engaged diplomatically with Myanmar to make sure that the Rohingya people are enabled to exercise their right to return to their own homeland.
Bangladesh is determined to follow human rights based return of the forcibly displaced Rohingya people to their homelands in the Rakhine State of Myanmar.
No one will be forced to return. Bangladesh is committed to comply with international standards and UNHCR has been involved to complement its efforts. Ensuring sustainable return, non-criminalization, non- discrimination, resettlement and reintegration, etc. would be the hallmarks for the return of the forcibly displaced Rohingya people from Bangladesh to their homeland in the Rakhine State.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presented a 5-point proposal at the 72ndSession of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2017 for a permanent solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis:
First: Myanmar must unconditionally stop the violence and the practice of ethnic cleansing in the Rakhine State immediately and forever;
Second: Secretary General of the United Nations should immediately send a Fact-Finding Mission to Myanmar;
Third: All civilians irrespective of religion and ethnicity must be protected in Myanmar. For that “safe zones” could be created inside Myanmar under UN supervision;
Fourth: Ensure sustainable return of all forcibly displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh to their homes in Myanmar; and
Fifth: The recommendations of Kofi Annan Commission Report must be implemented unconditionally as soon as possible.
Open letter to Aung San Suu Kyi from five Nobel Peace laureates, “How many Rohingya have to die; how many Rohingya women will be raped; how many communities will be razed before you raise your voice in defense of those who have no voice?” SEPTEMBER 11, 2017
At the ‘High-level Event on the Global Compact on Refugees: A Model for Greater Solidarity and Cooperation’ organized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees at the UN Headquarters in New York on 24 September 2018, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed a 3-point proposal to resolve the Rohingya crisis:
First: Myanmar must abolish discriminatory laws, policies and practices against Rohingyas and address the root causes of forced displacement in a genuine and timely manner;
Second:Myanmar must create a conducive environment by building trust and guaranteeing protection, rights and pathway to citizenship for all Rohingyas. If needed, create a “safe zone” inside Myanmar to protect all civilians; and
Third:prevent atrocity crimes against Rohingyas in Myanmar by bringing accountability and justice, particularly in light of the recommendations of the Fact-Finding Mission of the UN Human Rights Council.
The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina committed to the principle of voluntary repatriation and would return the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals to the Rakhine State only when they are willing. In the meantime, Bangladesh government would urge the Myanmar side to demonstrate genuine efforts towards meeting the demands of the Rohingya people, as committed by them in the UN and create conducive environment in Myanmar in its efforts to convince them to return to their homes.
Bangladesh government believes that durable solution of the Rohingya crisis lies in sustainable return of the displaced people to the original places of their residence with safety, dignity and assurance of livelihoods, and more importantly in restoring civil, political and economic rights of these people as underscored by the Kofi Annan Commission. Bangladesh would continue to remain engaged with the Rohingyas through UNHCR and other UN agencies to encourage them to return at their own choice. The international community needs to remain seized with the matter and intensify its engagements with Myanmar towards creating conducive environment in the Rakhine State and help secure a durable and just solution to this protracted Rohingya crisis.
Likewise the world seen even in some developed parts of the world the policy of closed borders and push back of refugees, had Bangladesh followed the same script that would have resulted in the death of thousands of persecuted Rohingya people. But Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saved the lives of thousands of Rohingya people by opening borders and providing them shelter and other humanitarian assistances, out of only her humanitarian compassion.
Over the years, I have visited San Francisco, Tokyo and New York. They are the world’s most celebrated bay areas. Soon enough, they will find company and competition in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a key development strategy in the People’s Republic of China as it enters a new era of deepening reform and opening up. Comprising the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao and nine prosperous municipalities in southern China’s Guangdong Province, the GBA’s collective GDP in 2018 was US$1.6 trillion. Covering an area of 56 000 square kilometers, the GBA accommodates the world’s most intensive cluster of ports and airports, handling 66.5 million TEUs and 200 million air passengers a year. With a combined population of about 71 million, the GBA is both a manufacturing hub and a huge market for quality goods and services.
Beyond the numbers, the GBA’s wide-ranging strengths, diversified markets and far-reaching promise herald a new economic era for Hong Kong. Innovation and technology, advanced manufacturing, high-end services, trade, transport and more will drive this bay area economy and meet the growing middle class’aspirations. And Hong Kong will be at its fast-beating economic heart.
The Outline Development Plan for the Greater Bay Area announced in February emphasises coordinated economic development, complementing the varying expertise of each of its 11 member cities. Hong Kong will lead the way in several key sectors, from financial and professional services to trade and transport. Hong Kong will also play a vital role in innovation and technology, in building the GBA into the Silicon Valley of the East.
The free flow of people, goods, capital and information is critical to the success of the GBA. That means ensuring superior physical and administrative connectivity and people-to-people bonds. Our infrastructural connectivity has been significantly enhanced, thanks to last year’s opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. Both reduce travelling time considerably between Hong Kong and key GBA centres. For example, a ride on the high speed train from Hong Kong’s West Kowloon to Shenzhen’s Futian, both being business hubs, takes a mere 14 minutes.
Later this year, a new land-based border crossing, the seventh between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, will open. Outside Hong Kong, in addition to the Humen Bridge and the Nansha Bridge, opened in 1997 and this year respectively, another central artery across the Pearl River Delta, the Shenzhen-ZhongshanLink, is under construction. These infrastructure projects will contribute to a fast and efficient one-hour living circle within the GBA.
Caption: The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, attended the Symposium on the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on February 21, 2019, in Hong Kong. Photo shows (from left) the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Xie Feng; the Deputy Chairman of the Office of the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mr Lin Nianxiu; the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr Chui Sai-on; Mrs Lam; Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Mr Tung Chee Hwa; the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui; the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Wang Zhimin; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Mr Huang Liuquan; and the Director General of the Department of Regional Economy of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr Guo Lanfeng; at the symposium.
Apart from infrastructural connectivity, the GBA’s Outline Development Plan envisages ambitious objectives to develop an international innovation and technology hub, a globally competitive modern industrial system, as well as a quality living circle embracing innovation, ecological conservation, culture and leisure. As the most open and cosmopolitan city in the GBA, enjoying the unique advantages of “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong has much to offer. These in turn will inject new impetus to Hong Kong’s economic development.
In the end, of course, the GBA must look outward if it is to compete with the world. Hong Kong’s renowned connectivity – underpinned by the network of HKSARG overseas economic and trade offices in Brussels, London, Berlin, Geneva, New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok, as well as offices of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council around the world, will make that happen.
Furthermore, leveraging on the high degree of autonomy under “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong maintains and develops relations and concludes and implements agreements with other economies. For example, Hong Kong signed its eighth free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia earlier this year. More FTAs will follow. In all, Hong Kong has inked more than 250 binding bilateral agreements with some 70 nations. They cover a wide variety of areas, from investment promotion and protection, to air services, avoidance of double taxation and legal accords.
“One Country, Two Systems” also enables Hong Kong’s adherence to common law. Rule of law and an independent judiciary have been critical to Hong Kong’s standing as Asia’s world city and our contribution to the success of the GBA. Indeed, the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2018 topped Hong Kong in Asia for judicial independence. It’s why so many notable regional and global organisations specialising in legal and dispute resolution services maintain offices in Hong Kong.
Later this year, Hong Kong will usher in a legal hub in the heart of our Central Business District. Offices have been set aside there to accommodate these organisations alongside our Department of Justice. That enhances the synergy and operational efficiency of our legal services sector, and underscores the role Hong Kong will take on as the GBA’s centre for international legal and dispute resolution services.
If the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is just beginning to make its name, its long-term promise is big, bold and welcoming. I invite institutions and companies, entrepreneurs and start-ups, to join us – to connect and excel in Hong Kong, where we are building a greater future.
I am delighted to return to The Hague for another tour of action, this time as the President of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), the successor institution to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
It has been a challenging and rewarding few months for me in my new role, since taking over the leadership of the Mechanism on 19 January 2019. The Mechanism is a unique institution, with branches in Arusha, Tanzania as well as The Hague, and staff working in different time zones. Moreover, our focus is split equally between the residual judicial matters arising out of two very different conflicts, namely the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the conflicts during the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia.
These residual responsibilities do not merely mean completing pre-existing cases while intensifying the search for the final ICTR fugitives, though no one doubts the importance of these core functions. Our mandate also focuses on protecting the thousands of victims and witnesses who provided evidence to the Tribunals or the Mechanism, lending assistance to national jurisdictions upon request, supervising the enforcement of sentences of convicted persons, and preserving and managing the archives of these institutions.
I already knew of these unique circumstances before assuming the Presidency, of course, because I have been a Judge of the Mechanism since its inception in 2012, and was a Judge of the ICTY for many years before that. Nevertheless, I have been amazed at the extent to which the Mechanism differs from its predecessor institutions. Fortunately, my experience as the final President of the ICTY helped me to hit the ground running as soon as I assumed the Presidency of the Mechanism earlier this year.
This is an important time for the international rule of law, and I am both honoured and humbled to be entrusted with the overall execution of the Mechanism’s mandate. The extent of the world’s yearning for justice was made clear to me yet again this April, when I conducted my first mission to Rwanda in my new capacity. I was deeply moved while visiting memorial sites and speaking with survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
A few weeks later, I travelled to Croatia to help launch an exhibition on the ethnic cleansing that took place in Ahmići, central Bosnia, over 26 years ago. These occasions reinforced to me that, while international justice takes time and costs money, we must never forget the lessons from previous generations, who have seen first-hand that the alternative is so much worse. The Mechanism plays an important role in delivering justice, and I am determined to do my utmost to maximize its impact in this critical area.
As many in the diplomatic community may already know, I will be focusing on three main priorities during my Presidency. First and foremost is to ensure that the residual judicial proceedings are conducted efficiently and in a timely manner, while maintaining the highest standards of due process and fair trial rights. The Mechanism is acutely aware in this respect that the Security Council created it to be “a small, temporary and efficient structure, whose functions and size will diminish over time”. Indeed, the temporary nature of our institution will continue to present challenges, particularly when coupled with budgetary constraints that impact the staff and resources at the Mechanism’s disposal.
Secondly, I am striving to enhance a unified work culture at the Mechanism which benefits not only from a harmonization of practices and procedures at our two branches, but also from a shared vision as to the best and most efficient ways to accomplish our goals. Such inter-branch coordination is crucial for the Mechanism to fulfil its mandate, and I am determined to conduct frequent visits to the Arusha branch throughout my Presidency in order to interact personally with staff and stakeholders there.
My third key priority is fostering a positive work environment and encouraging high staff morale and performance. This is never straightforward and it becomes more challenging with significant budget cuts across all areas, especially when staff members know that the institution is temporary in nature. Many staff members lost their jobs last year, and many more are concerned about job security in the near future. I want to do my best to motivate and take care of the Mechanism’s most precious asset.
In line with this third priority, I am actively participating in the International Gender Champions hub in The Hague and have not been shy in expressing my full support for female empowerment and gender parity at all levels of our institution.
But the Mechanism’s work cannot stop there. Like all organisations, the Mechanism is not immune from harassment, and under my leadership we are intensifying efforts to stamp out any prohibited conduct that may occur. In light of my strong belief in these issues, I would encourage other leaders to take action to foster gender equality throughout their organisations and the international community as a whole. Certainly from the Mechanism’s perspective, our efforts towards gender equality go hand-in-hand with the ability to recruit and retain excellent staff and thereby function most efficiently.
The Mechanism will have an enduring impact on international peace and justice, so long as we all remain committed to these causes. As its President, I deeply appreciate the assistance and cooperation of States and other key stakeholders around the globe, and I will continue to rely on the support of the international community in carrying out the vital mission that it entrusted both to me and to the Mechanism.
The Ambassador of Kazakhstan, H.E. Magzhan Ilyassov.
By Guido Lanfranchi.
Ahead of the historic 2019 presidential election in Kazakhstan, H.E. Magzhan Ilyassov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands, commented on his country’s political transition. Praising the pacific and constitutional nature of such transition, the Ambassador hailed at the developments in Kazakhstan as a success story in Central Asia.
On March 19th, 2019, then-President Nursultan Nazarbayev caught many by surprise when he announced that, after thirty years spent as Kazakhstan’s leader, he would resign from the position of President of the Republic. Mr. Nazarbayev’s resignation kick-started a political transition in the country, with the Senate’s Chairman and former Prime Minister Kassym-Jomart Tokayev temporarily taking over the Presidency. Less than a month later, President Tokayev decided to call for anticipated presidential election, pointing at the need to eliminate any political uncertainty on the country’s future. This historic presidential election, to be held on June 9th, will therefore be the first election in the country’s history that will not feature Mr. Nazarbayev as a candidate.
Less than three weeks ahead of the polls, H.E. Magzhan Ilyassov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, commented on the political transition ongoing in his country. Mr. Ilyassov hailed that Mr. Nazarbayev’s resignation has been handled in accordance to the country’s constitution, which stipulates that, in case of the President’s resignation, the interim Presidency shall be assigned to the Senate’s Chairman.
Moreover, Ambassador Ilyassov praised President Tokayev’s decision of calling for early elections, stressing the President’s openness towards an open, democratic electoral process. The election will feature the presence of seven candidates, offering to the voters a range of options in terms of different political orientations – the Ambassador noted. Interim President Tokayev will be among the candidates, and for the first time in the country’s history a woman, Dania Yespayeva, will also run for the Presidency. Ambassador Ilyassov also clarified that, while Kazakh citizens will be free to cast their ballot as they wish, the government will strongly encourage all citizens, and especially the younger generations, to go to the polling stations on June 9th, in order to decide their country’s future.
With the aim of ensuring a level playing field, all candidates are being granted similar access to media and advertisement during the campaign – Ambassador Ilyassov stressed. Moreover, around 700 observers will be deployed across the country in order to ensure that the historic elections will be held according to the due standards. Around half of these observers are expected to come from a wide range of international organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as well as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
In particular, Ambassador Ilyassov praised the close cooperation between the Kazakh government and the OSCE. He noted that seventy percent of the recommendations issued by the OSCE electoral mission during the last elections have been implemented by the government. While explaining that the remaining thirty percent could not be implemented due to clashes with Kazakhstan’s constitution, the Ambassador voiced his country’s willingness to continue its close cooperation with the ODIHR OSCE, whose Director is expected to visit Kazakhstan on the occasion of the election as an observer.
The Ambassador also welcomed the strong interest expressed by international media platforms in covering Kazakhstan’s elections, announcing that around 50 agencies have already been applying for accreditation.
Ambassador Ilyassov also reassured the international community about Kazakhstan’s commitment to its international agreements and obligations, both at a multilateral and a bilateral level. Regardless of the election’s outcome – he announced – Kazakhstan will continue to pursue its “multi-vectoral, peaceful foreign policy”, including in its relations with neighboring countries in Central Asia. In particular, the Ambassador stressed Kazakhstan’s will to engage in deeper economic cooperation with its neighbors, welcoming the recent surge in Kazakh-Uzbek trade and the establishment of the International Center for Trade and Economic Cooperation at the border between the two countries.
As the whole country prepares for a historic election, other countries across the world stand ready to observe how Kazakhstan’s political transition will unfold in the upcoming months and years.
H.E. Mr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Otaibi, Ambassador of Kuwait to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, talked about Dutch-Kuwaiti relations and his experience as Ambassador, during an exclusive conversation with Diplomat Magazine at the historical Hotel Des Indes in The Hague.
“Balance and stability are our focus; high quality education is our goal to build a new generation of Kuwaitis.”
Your Excellency, how do you see the role of Kuwait in the Middle East in the upcoming years?
Kuwait wants to open a new chapter with neighboring countries, promoting prosperity and peace in the region, helping other countries to meet each other, and opening productive dialogues. When our neighbors prosper, we prosper as well; when our neighbors are in peace, this will also impact Kuwait in a positive way. Peace and prosperity are extremely important for all, even if at the same time we do not want interference in the region.
In the region, Kuwait is part of the coalition against ISIS. This group is far away from Islamic rules and principles, and its main objectives are the destruction of national culture and the spreading of terror. This is the reason why we are part of the Coalition: to avoid that the group can expand its presence.
Our leader, His Highness the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Al Amal al Jaber Al-Sabah has been Minister of Foreign Affairs for 40 years, and he has been the Emir of Kuwait for 13 years. With his experience and wisdom, he is trying as much as he can to solve the disputes in the region, to mediate and to bring people to the negotiating table, avoiding escalations of any dispute.
What is the current situation domestically in Kuwait?
Kuwait is a democratic country, with our Constitution now turning 58 years old. Even since before the establishment of our Constitution, Kuwaitis have believed in values such as gender equality, as shown by women’s freedom to cover their head or not. Moreover, Kuwait’s new Minister of Economic Affairs is a woman, who previously was also Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Education.
A new chapter in your life and your career is unfolding here in the Netherlands. What are your thoughts about this experience?
I presented my credentials as Ambassador of Kuwait to His Majesty the King in last October. However, this is my second time serving in this country, as I have been Counsellor to the Netherlands from 1993 to 1998. Moreover, I also served as Ambassador to Yemen and Japan and as Deputy in Egypt to the Arab League, as well as in India. When I was informed that I would come to the Netherlands again, my family and I were very happy. We have lots of good memories of the Netherlands, including the birth of one of our sons, and we still have many friends here.
How are the bilateral relations between Kuwait and the Netherlands?
The Netherlands is an important partner for Kuwait. We maintain a solid cooperation in the economic sector, and we enjoy a positive balance of trade, mainly due to a refinery we used to have in Rotterdam, which has been sold two years ago. We also have established offices of Kuwait Petroleum here, as well as the Q8 brand, to sell gas directly to customers.
Our first priority at the Embassy is to maintain our positive relationship with the Netherlands, but we also look for opportunities to improve this relation. Such improvements could materialize, for instance, in the sectors of water management and agricultural business, as Kuwait faces problems of water scarcity and relies on desalinization plants.
Moreover, we are currently working on the organization of a Kuwaiti-Dutch Business Council, with the aim of regrouping our different sectors of the economy, as well as promoting business on both sides.
Besides economic cooperation, which are the main areas in which you want to strengthen cooperation between your country and the Netherlands?
Currently, the government of Kuwait is increasing its focus on education. We are increasing the National Funds and we are investing abroad in human resources, in order to build the next generations with the best possible educational background. The Kuwaiti government also pays for higher education abroad, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Many young Kuwaitis, for instance, come to Maastricht University and Leiden University to pursue their studies.
Moreover, our ambition is to foster a wide cultural cooperation among Kuwait and the Netherlands. English is a common language in both countries. Moreover, concerning cultural cooperation, Kuwait has a great collection of Islamic art. Some of these pieces have already been sent to Europe and Central Asia for exhibition, and so we are looking to foster cooperation in this sector by opening an Islamic art exhibition Center in the Netherlands.
In addition to that, the Kuwait Art Committee will also be opened, in order to organize exhibitions and to show our culture to the world, for instance through museums, cultural centers, and musical shows.
We hope that art and cultural initiatives will increase our people to people exchange, enabling citizens of both states to learn from each other.
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The interview with H.E. Mr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Otaibi, has been held at Hotel del Indes an emblematic historic hotel in The Hague, symbol of Dutch beauty, tradition and class, charm and character, elegance and grandeur with more than 132 years of credentials: www.hoteldesindes.nl
By Ngo Thi Hoa, Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
At the invitation of H.E Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr. Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, paid an official visit to Viet Nam on 9 April 2019, accompanied by Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora van Nieuwenhuizen; Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Marjolijn Sonnema; State Secretary for Finance Menno Snel; President of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers Hans de Boer, and 75 leading businesses with more than 100 members.
Although having to cut short his visit (previously scheduled from 9 to 11 April) for attending the emergency EU Summit on Brexit in Brussels, Prime Minister Mark Rutte had a tight and effective working program in Viet Nam. More specifically, the Dutch Prime Minister held official talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, met with General Secretary, State President Nguyen Phu Trong and President of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, presided with Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue over the meeting with the CEOs of large enterprises investing and operating in Viet Nam, and finally attended and a sustainable fashion show held by the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Viet Nam before leaving Ha Noi on the late night of 9 April.
On the sidelines of the visit, many related Conferences, seminars, meetings and connecting events among businesses and governmental leaders of the two countries were held such as the 7th Session of the Inter-governmental Committee of Vietnam – Netherlands on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management, the Seminar between the Government and businesses in the agricultural sector, the Workshop on developing offshore wind power, the Water Business Dialogue, the 3rd Vietnam – Netherlands Civil Aviation Conference etc.
During all the meetings and talks, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the Vietnamese leaders agreed that the friendship and cooperation relationship between the two countries have been developing positively, effectively and dynamically on all fields, especially in the economic sector when the Netherlands is now the second largest European trading partner of Viet Nam (with bilateral turnover in 2018 reaching 7.8 billion USD) and the largest European investor in Viet Nam (with total registered FDI amounting to 9.55 billion USD).
They noted with satisfaction the fact that the Strategic Partnership on Climate Change Adaptation and Water Management and on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security have been implemented by specific programmes and projects and considered these to be the continued focus of bilateral cooperation in the future.
In the spirit of mutual trust and understanding, the two Prime Ministers discussed many international and regional issues of mutual concern; affirmed to continue to cooperate closely and support each other at multilateral fora such as the United Nations and the ASEAN-EU cooperation; highlighted the importance of peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the South China Sea, while underlining the principle of legal supremacy and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two Prime Ministers agreed to upgrade the Viet Nam-Netherlands relation to a comprehensive partnership.
After the talks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Dutch counterpart signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Viet Nam and the Government of the Netherlands on the Cooperation on the Agricultural Transition in the Mekong River Delta, and witnessed the signing ceremony of important documents, including the Agreement on Customs Cooperation and Assistance; the Joint Declaration on Adaptation and Vietnam’s engagement as convening country in the Global Commission on Adaptation; the Letter of Intent on Unlocking the Land Potential for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security; and the Letter of Intent on the cooperation in the field of Land registration and Land information management. On this occasion, the two sides issued a Joint Statement on the results of the official visit to Viet Nam by the Dutch Prime Minister.
On behalf of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen led the Dutch government and business delegation to pay working visits in Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, with many diverse activities such as meeting with local leaders, exploring investment projects of water management, coastal erosion and flood prevention, attending business dialogues and signing ceremonies of cooperation documents among the business community.
From the aforementioned contents, it can be said that the visit to Viet Nam by Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his delegation has been successful, achieving many positive results in the following key aspects:
Firstly, to contribute to strengthen the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries in an efficient and sustainable manner, thereby meeting common needs and interests of both sides: Most highlighting is the decision to upgrade the Vietnam – Netherlands relationship to a comprehensive partnership, with a view to effectively harnessing their cooperation potentials, enabling the bilateral ties to expand and deepen with greater dynamism in all dimensions in the years to come.
This is a significant milestone, coinciding with the commemoration of 46th anniversary of diplomatic relation establishment between Viet Nam and the Netherlands (9/4/1973-9/4/2019).
Secondly, to promote bilateral economic, investment and trade relations on the basis of potentials, advantages and development needs: Within the framework of the visit, 23 business agreements were signed between the two sides, covering a wide range of fields such as circular economy, agriculture, renewable energy, environmental protection, urban development and building of smart cities, ocean economy, sea transport, animal husbandry, food safety management, climate change adaptation, water quality, sports, education, football etc.
In the coming period, the expected signing and ratification of the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) will provide favourable impetuses for the Vietnam-EU investment and business environment in general as well as that of Vietnam and the Netherlands in particular.
Thirdly, to contribute to tightening friendship and people-to-people relations between localities of the two countries: Over the past years, Viet Nam and the Netherlands have established effective partnerships between provinces and cities such as Hanoi – Amsterdam, Ho Chi Minh City – Rotterdam, Binh Duong Province – Emmen and Eindhoven, Vinh Long – Gelderlands, An Giang – Oss etc. Through the working visits of the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora Van Nieuwenhuizen to localities of Viet Nam, the two sides agreed to jointly deploy many specific cooperation activities, especially in the fields that the Netherlands owns vast experience and advantages such as urban planning, environment, water management, industrial and urban waste disposal, agricultural technology development etc.
Konstantin Makarenko, the Executive director of the Public Diplomacy Corps (PDC) Foundation named the priority for the current stage: “to change the principles of work”.
The Hague, 18th May 2019. TASS Correspondent Vitaly Chugin.
A scheduled conference of the Coordination Council of Russian compatriots was held last Saturday in the Hague. The Conference elected a new Bureau and set out the goals and tasks for the near future.
When speaking to our TASS correspondent, Mr. Makarenko, the Executive director of the Public Diplomacy Corps (PDC) Foundation, who moderated the meeting, mentioned that the priority for the current stage is: “to change the principles of work”.
“Our organization needs a new working style”, said Mr. Makarenko. “In the past our activists reported on their own work results. Now we have built an internet portal which will publish the information on positive experience cases. People must know that such positive experience exists. But our Bureau needs to focus on comprehensive large scale projects. For example, each school can organize a festival. But no school can organize a large scale event where 300-400 students will participate”. As examples of such large scale events Mr. Makarenko named the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the350-year birthday of Tsar Peter the Great (1672-1725).
The freshly elected Bureau consists of 7 members. The Conference has also resolved to return to the old official name “The Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots in the Netherlands” and to offer the new version of the Statutes for public discussion.
Consolidation as priority
At the meeting were also present: Boris Zhilko, Chargé d’affaires of the Russian Federation in the Netherlands, Andrey Lanchikov, the Deputy-Director of the Foreign Ministry Department for Relations with Compatriots living Abroad, Mr. Artyom Chernovfrom the Rossotrudnichestvo Agency, who is responsible for cooperation programs with compatriots abroad, as well as representatives of the Russian Embassy in the Netherlands.
In his speech Mr. Lanchikov passed the greeting from Mr. Oleg Malginov, the Director of his Department and the Secretary of the Governmental Committee for Compatriots living Abroad. This greeting underlines the “current need to consolidate the Russian diaspora, to create an atmosphere of good will and mutual support”. The Russian Foreign Affairs Department expects the renewed Dutch Coordination Council of Compatriots to address a broad spectrum of issues. Such as lessons of Russian for children, the preservation of Russian culture and traditions among compatriots, the development of economic ties with Russia as well as making the diaspora youth aware of historical memory and their Russian roots.
Mr. Lanchikov also referred to the last years’ 6th World Congress of Compatriots. “There were many discussions during the Congress. The proposed objectives are quite ambitious. You can use them as guidelines in your work. Do your best to implement them. I really hope that you will continue to build on the constructive cooperation with the Russian Embassy in the Netherlands. Only together we can move forward.”
Yury Uraksin, the First Secretary of the Russian Embassy in the Netherlands has invited the newly elected Bureau to cooperate with all stakeholders. “No one should be ever excluded from our activities” underlined Mr. Uraksin. “Inclusivity is THE way to guarantee the best results for the whole coordination committee”. The diplomat has also stressed the need to use the positive experience of the past. He promised all possible help and cooperation on behalf of the Embassy to further consolidate the compatriots in the Netherlands.
Dr. Saroj Thapa, spouse of the Ambassador of India, H.E. Venu Rajamony, spent her whole life in the area of school education, forming teachers and promoting inclusivity in education all over the world. As of today, she continues to fight for a good education for all, because “every child can learn”.
Teacher education, classroom teaching, special needs education, inclusion: these are the core issues that have been at the center of Dr. Saroj Thapa’s life for the last three decades. Her long-lasting interest in the area of school education led her to build a solid academic background in this field, as well as a vast professional experience, gathered in several countries across the world, including India, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, China, and the United States.
Dr. Thapa started her academic career by pursuing her undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of History. After gaining experience as lecturer in college and as homeroom teacher, she decided to focus her attention on the complex issue of special needs education. She thus pursued a post-graduate study in Education for the physically and neurologically handicapped at the School of Rehabilitation Sciences in New Delhi, India.
A firm believer in disability rights, Dr. Thapa has been active in the NGO sector for several decades. She is the founder and the first president of a first-of-its-kind civil society initiative in Dubai, supporting persons with disability, their families, and professionals/volunteers in the field. Moreover, she actively lobbied for the passage of the Bill on Equal Rights and Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, which got passed by the Indian Parliament in December 1995.
Dr. Saroj Thapa, Spouse of the Ambassador of India to The Netherlands H.E. Mr. Venu Rajamony.
In the following years, Dr. Thapa gained further professional experience in the field of special needs education in New Delhi, Geneva, Beijing, and Washington DC. Such experience included two collaborations as consultant with both the World Health Organization and UNICEF, during which she focused on early childhood education and special education needs.
In 2007, Dr. Thapa moved again to the academic world, pursuing a Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and then gaining a position as Assistant Professor at Zayed University in Dubai, UAE, where she taught several courses on instructional strategies and special needs education.
For the last decade, the focus of Dr. Thapa’s work has then been teacher education and professional development, for both pre-service and in-service teachers. She has been engaged in research and designing of programmes for professional development of teachers from acres India, the UAE and Bhutan. Moreover, she has also had active involvement in designing curricula, as well as in building systems and processes for holistic development of school communities.
During this time, Dr. Thapa worked as a consultant for different organizations. For instance, she assisted the Indian NGO AARTH-ASTHA to facilitate the inclusion of children with special needs from the slums of New Delhi, and for the last few years she has been acting as Senior Education Consultant for Pallavan Learning Systems, contributing to the organization’s work in forming teachers from different countries. Moreover, for five years Dr. Thapa also held the position of Head of Teacher Development at Universal Learn Today in New Delhi, always with a focus on teacher formation.
Having worked with students, teachers and school leaders in many different settings and across many different countries, cultures and education systems, Dr. Thapa has acquired a 360 degrees view of school education and its challenges. As a result, she can bring a unique perspective to the field of school education, contributing to the complex task of finding contextualized solutions to educational challenges.
Currently, Dr. Thapa continues to work with Pallavan Learning Systems. In addition to that, she is member of the General Council of the Rehabilitation Council of India, the apex government body set up to regulate training programmes and courses targeted at persons with disability, as well as those facing any disadvantage of requiring special education in their communities. Moreover, she is also in the Board of Governors of a school in the UAE, where she is the Governor for Inclusion. In addition to that, she is member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, USA, as well as of the International Association of Scientific Studies in Intellectual Disabilities.
Besides her professional activities, Dr. Thapa provides pro-bono consultancy for the families of children with disability, and she actively supports NGOS, academic institutions, researchers and individuals working in the disability sector, with a specific focus on education. As Dr. Thapa puts it: “I believe that every child can learn. Some students are late bloomers: if you shut them early in life, you are not giving them a chance.” Dr. Thapa works to give this chance to everyone.
Sheila Turabaz and the Chairman of the Carnegie Foundation, Mr. J.P.H. (Piet Hein) Donner.
By Sheila Turabaz.
As a (junior) reporter for Diplomat Magazine since 2016, I have attended many interesting events hosted at different venues on various occasions, but nothing has left quite the impression on me like the Peace Palace, the global icon of peace and justice and considered a part of Europe’s finest cultural heritage.
It isn’t merely because of its majestic appearance (although that certainly contributes to its iconic status), but rather its mission: to prevent and solve conflicts peacefully and to stimulate world peace (through the application of international law).
Therefore, I am honoured to be appointed as Policy Officer Events at the Carnegie Foundation – Peace Palace as of April 2019. The Carnegie Foundation owns and manages the Peace Palace and is named after Scottish-American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who generously funded the construction and requested in his deed in 1913 that the Peace Palace serves as “Temple of Peace for the world”.
I consider the Peace Palace to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration and I have had the privilege of working at both courts housed in the palace. First I had the opportunity to work at the Permanent Court of Arbitration as Assistant to the Secretary-General, H.E. Mr Hugo Siblesz, and subsequently at the Press and Information Department of the International Court of Justice while simultaneously attending university to obtain a Master’s degree in International Business Law.
The global convening power of the Peace Palace offers a unique instrument to organize and host constructive dialogues on a variety of societal, economic and environmental issues – in light of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals – aimed at fostering (and financing) peacebuilding initiatives and sustainable development.
On behalf of the Carnegie Foundation, I would like to invite all stakeholders (e.g. philanthropists, representatives of states and international organizations, civil society, corporations, academia, youth and communities directly affected by conflict) to convene at the Peace Palace and participate in multi-stakeholder dialogues to generate peaceful solutions and good practices. Multi-faceted issues ask for an inclusive approach and therefore we believe that these multi-stakeholder dialogues are necessary.
As Policy Officer at the Carnegie Foundation I look forward to meeting many organizations and individuals sharing our peace ideal and forging new partnerships as well as maintaining warm relations with the corps diplomatique. I am proud to be part of the family of institutions founded by Andrew Carnegie for the promotion of peace, education, human courage and the general wellbeing of people and we intend to continue his legacy of doing real and permanent good in the world because “the killing of man by man, as a means of settling international disputes, is the foulest blot upon human society”.
