The book ‘Romualdo Locatelli, Eternal Green under an Eternal Sun’ was presented at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague on 18 March.
Following biographies on G.P. Adolfs, W.G. Hofker, and W.C.C. Bleckmann, the well-known author Gianni Orsini MSc. spent five years of extensive research on Romualdo Locatelli. Orsini presented the newly published book to H.E. Mr. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Kingdom of The Netherlands, who has written the Foreword to the biography.
For four years, from 1939 until his tragic disappearance at the age of 37, the Italian painter Romualdo Locatelli lived and worked in the former Dutch East Indies and the Philippines. Although his paintings from Java and Bali are by far his rarest and thus most expensive and sought-after works, previous biographies have mainly described and illustrated Locatelli’s Italian and North African experiences and oeuvre. The 1994 Memoirs of Erminia Locatelli Rogers (1908-2005), the artist’s widow, have been the sole relevant guideline to his Southeast Asian fortunes and misfortunes. Mr. Didier Hamel, who published these Memoirs, has written a Preface to the current book.
‘Romualdo Locatelli, Eternal Green under an Eternal Sun’ is the first-ever biography to focus in detail on the final four years of Locatelli’s brief yet eventful existence. It tells the story of a painter who reached fullest artistic bloom in the turbulent period when Southeast Asia was plunged into World War II, who tragically and mysteriously disappeared there, and thus, during the following 75 years, attained a status that evolved to mythological proportions.
‘Romualdo Locatelli, Eternal Green under an Eternal Sun’ by Gianni Orsini includes images of several paintings by Locatelli which have not been seen since the end of World War II. One of these, a Balinese oil painting entitled ‘Smoking’, will be auctioned on 31 March 2019, during the Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art Evening Sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
In the picture H.E. Mr. Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland in the Netherlands.
By Roy Lie Atjam.
St.Patrick’s Day or Paddy’s Day as it is also known was celebrated this
weekend, not only in Ireland but worldwide. For instance, in the USA, it is the
custom that the Chicago River is dyed green, the national colour of Ireland.
St Patrick is about inclusiveness, in fact, it is alleged that the most
famous Irishman was a born and bred in the UK (Welshman)
Here in The Hague, H.E. Mr. Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland in the Netherlands hosted an official St. Patrick’s Day reception in the Grote Kerk on 14th March 2019. The reception was held a few days ahead of the actual date, 17th March.
The guest of honor was the Hon. Michael D’Arcy TD, who is Minister
of State at the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure
and Reform with special responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance.
The festive ambiance was felt by all in attendance at the Grote Kerk. The
program included Irish dance and music, sampling of Irish food and a steady
flow of the “black stuff,” Guinness, Ireland’s world-renowned
national drink. Hundreds of Irish nationals, Dutch dignitaries and a large
number of Ambassador Kelly’s colleagues came by to congratulate him on this
special day.
The speakers at the Irish festivities that evening were Ambassador Kevin
Kelly and the guest of honor the Irish Minister of State, Hon. Mr. Michael
D’Arcy TD.
A resume of Ambassador
Kevin Kelly’s welcome remarks follow hereby.
Ladies and
gentlemen, may I begin by wishing you all a Céad Míle Fáilte, or, a hundred
thousand welcomes.
It is a great honour to host you at this, my third St Patrick’s Day in the Netherlands. And my first in the wonderful venue that is the Grote Kerk. I am particularly pleased to have as our guest of honour, Mr Michael D’Arcy TD who is Minister of State at the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance.
St Patrick’s Day , Grote Kerk in The Hague.
As a strong
champion of honesty, accountability and integrity in public life, it is fitting
that we are hosting the Minister this evening in a Church (Grote Kerk). Perhaps
however it is even more fitting for a Minister with responsibility for
financial matters to be addressing you from this small stage carefully
positioned in front of the figure of Prudence! Yet again we are a little ‘ahead
of ourselves’ this year, in that our national day, St. Patrick’s Day, actually
takes place on Sunday the 17th of March. Given however that throughout the
world the day has stretched into a weekend, and even a week – we decided to
hold our reception this evening – to allow you make an early start into what
promises to be an excellent weekend in celebration of all that is good about
our country.
And speaking
of Britain and St. Patrick’s Day, a simple illustration of how the annual
celebration of Irish culture and identity has become a means of transcending
narrow national boundaries you might be interested to hear that it was in fact
my good colleague Ambassador Peter Wilson (UK) who actually launched the 2019
festivities in The Hague with a small St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the
British Embassy yesterday evening. Thank you for that gesture Peter which I see
as a tangible expression of the binding connections, the enduring warmth and
the close, almost family, relationships that will continue to flourish between
the neighbouring islands, despite the political turbulence of a changing
political landscape in the European Union.
Between The
Hague and Amsterdam, it will be a weekend of celebration – both for the growing
Irish diaspora in this country (now estimated to be 10,000) and for our many
Dutch and international friends who proudly wear the green and become part of
our Gaelic family at least once every year! St Patrick’s Day is all about
connection. It is an opportunity to connect with our more than 70 million
diaspora around the world. It offers us the chance to acknowledge how the
Ireland of today is being shaped and invigorated by new diaspora communities
from all over the world – One in every six people living in Ireland today was
born abroad. And therefore St. Patrick’s Day provides an opportunity to
reinforce Ireland’s connection with the world, as a truly global island.
I know Minister D’Arcy will say some more
about this topic during his remarks.
We fully
recognise that the role that our membership of the EU has played in Ireland’s
journey towards becoming what our Taoiseach now calls “a small island at the
centre of the world”. Without our positive engagement in the EU, Ireland would
not have made the progress it has in recent years. This is partly why opinion
polls consistently show huge support in Ireland for our EU membership. Although
we remain disappointed by the decision of the UK to leave the EU and have
concerns about the risks that Brexit poses both to our economy, and more
importantly our peace process, we have been heartened by the steadfast support
and solidarity we have experienced from right across the European Union,
especially here in The Netherlands, in making sure that the Irish issues have
remained front and centre of the negotiation process.
As we prepare for the departure of the United
Kingdom from the European Union, much remains uncertain. But what is certain is
that the Government remains steadfastly committed to the compromises enshrined
in that transformative Good Friday Agreement of 1998. In our efforts to prevent
a hard border in Ireland, we have drawn on strong solidarity from the
Netherlands and from our other partners in the European Union. For that, thank
you.
One hundred
years ago, on 19th January, 1919, a small group of people gathered in Dublin’s
Mansion House to convene the first meeting of Dail Éireann, the first truly
democratic and freely elected Irish parliament. The meeting lasted under two
hours. But changed forever the course of Irish history. Amongst three seminal
documents agreed that afternoon was ‘‘A message to the free nations of the
world’’. Outward looking and ambitious, just as Ireland is today, it proclaimed
that: “Internationally, Ireland is the gateway of the Atlantic. Ireland is the
last outpost of Europe towards the West: Ireland is the point upon which great
trade routes between East and West converge: her independence is demanded by
the Freedom of the Seas: her great harbours must be open to all nations” The
message of that first Dail was intended, above all, for the many influential
members of our diaspora, notably those in Europe and the USA. In asserting the
global outlook of our small nation, the message is equally relevant for where
we find ourselves today.
We hope that you will enjoy a small taste of
Irish hospitality this evening – listening to Irish music, sampling some of our
food and drinks – and shortly, we will have a small treat for you – with a
demonstration of Irish dancing performed by the very talented Kilkenny School
of Irish Dance from right here in The Hague! St Patrick symbolises much of what
is great about our land and our people. The triumph over adversity, the
wandering spirit, the global outreach, the peace that we have for so long
yearned in Ireland, a peace that we so jealously guard. It is in that spirit
that I wish to raise a toast to the King and people of the Netherlands, to their
Irish and other international guests, and to the growing friendship between all
of our countries.
Then, Ambassador Kevin Kelly proudly announced the next speaker with the following words: it is my great pleasure to hand over to my guest of honour, Minister Michael D’Arcy.
In the picture United States Special Representative for Ukraine, Ambassador Kurt Volker.
By Guido Lanfranchi.
On the fifth anniversary of Russia’s claimed annexation of Crimea, the
United States reiterated its full support to Ukraine. The U.S. Special
Representative for Ukraine, Ambassador Kurt Volker, called on Russia to resume
negotiation in good faith to find a way out of the current impasse.
It was on March 18th, 2018, that, in the wake
of the referendum on the status of Crimea, the Russian Federation formally
declared the annexation of Crimea. Five years later, the issue of Crimea
remains a hot topic in international politics.
On March 18th, 2019, the United States’ Special Representative for Ukraine, Ambassador Kurt Volker, briefed the press on the situation in Ukraine, as well as on the stance of the U.S. and its partners. Ambassador Volker strongly condemned Russia’s annexation, as well as the “substantial clampdown on political rights and freedoms” that followed it. He noticed that five years into the conflict, the situation has not improved: the status of Crimea remains contested, the fighting in eastern Ukraine continues, and confrontations are erupting also in the Kerch Strait.
Ambassador Volker reiterated the U.S. position of full support to Ukraine’s territorial integrity, in full respect of the principle established by the Helsinki agreement of 1975, which prohibit the seizure of territory by means of force. He underlined the international community’s rejection of Russia’s claim, and he welcomed the concerted efforts of the U.S., Canada, and the European Union in applying pressure on Moscow through economic sanctions.
In a moment in which a solution does not seem in sight – Ambassador Volker noted – the international community should not give the impression that the situation can be normalized, and the pressure on Russia will be released only when Moscow will resume negotiations in good faith.
In the meanwhile – Ambassador Volker reiterated – the
U.S. fully stands behind Ukraine, and is ready to support the Ukrainian
government not only via diplomatic channels, but also militarily. While a
number of weapons and military systems have already been delivered to Ukraine,
Ambassador Volker did not exclude that more supplies could come in the future.
However, he also specified that “there is no military solution in the sense of
Ukraine taking Crimea back by force”, and only a political process has the
potential of resolving the conflict.
On the political front, Ukraine is headed towards
presidential elections, which are scheduled for March 31st, 2019 and
see the participation of 39 candidates competing for the post. Ambassador
Volker welcomed the unfolding of the democratic processes in Ukraine, clearly
stating that the decision on who will be the next president is in the hands of
the Ukrainian people. The U.S. does not have any preferred candidates – he
stressed, noting that although the same seems to apply with Russia, it is
nevertheless more evident that Russia would not favour the re-election of the
incumbent president, Mr. Petro Poroshenko.
Ambassador Volker also touched upon the societal
situation ahead of the elections. Over the last five years, the Ukrainian
people – he claimed – have developed a stronger sense of national identity,
arguably in reaction to the confrontation with Russia. This has resulted in a
number of developments, such as the request for autonomy by the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church, as well as the diffusion of increasingly pro-European and
pro-NATO sentiments among the Ukrainian people – Mr. Volker claimed.
Special Representative Volker also defended himself
and his government from the critiques voiced by presidential candidate Ms.
Yulia Tymoshenko, who recently argued that the West is to blame for the
conflict in Ukraine, and that Ambassador Volker’s negotiation style sidelines
the Ukrainian government. Ambassador Volker countered such claims by pointing
at his frequent contacts with the Ukrainian government, and counterattacked by
fully blaming Russia for the stall in the situation. Until the Russian
government will not engage in the negotiations in good faith, there will be no
solution to this conflict, regardless of the willingness of external actors or
of the negotiations’ format – he explained.
Five years on, thus, the conflict over Crimea is still
an open wound for Ukraine, the U.S., and for international politics. The
efforts to close such wound continue, hopefully with more success in the
future.
NEW YORK, 12 March 2019 – Director of the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) Assist. Prof. Dr. Zijad Bećirović, accompanied by IFIMES Main Representative at ECOSOC/UN Irena Mernik Knee, met UN Secretary-General António Guterres at UN Headquarters in New York.
Director of the Institute Assist. Prof. Dr. Bećirović presented to the UN Secretary-General Guterres the work of the Institute in the region of the Balkans and the Middle East, with a special emphasis on projects related to the special consultative status of IFIMES whit the ECOSOC/UN.
The IFIMES International Institute intends to issue a special edition of the European Perspectives International Scientific Journal in the next period, dedicated to the UN and its role in the world.
The Secretary-General of the UN, Guterres, stressed the importance of the UN and importance of global stability and peace to enable universal progress of humanity.
At the end of the talks, UN Secretary-General Guterres and Bećirović agreed that global security, stability, peace and fast solutions of open issues are of great importance.
Permanent Representative of Australia to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Matthew Neuhaus and OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias.
The Hague, Netherlands —18 March 2019 — The Government of Australia is contributing €100,000 toward the Trust Fund for Syria Missions for the formation and operation of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) team to identify the perpetrators of chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The team was created pursuant to the decision on addressing the threat from chemical weapons use adopted by the Conference of the States Parties at its Fourth Special Session in June 2018.
The contribution was formalised through an arrangement signed on 15 March by OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade represented by Permanent Representative of Australia to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Matthew Neuhaus.
The Director-General has appealed to all OPCW Member States in a position to make voluntary contributions to do so while emphasising that “Identifying perpetrators will advance existing endeavours to tackle the re-emergence of use of chemical weapons”.
Ambassador Neuhaus remarked that Australia welcomes the decision to boost the OPCW’s ability to investigate and attribute responsibility for any future use of chemical weapons, in a way that no single country can veto. He continued to state, “Identifying perpetrators in an independent and impartial way will help deter others who believe they can get away with using these reprehensible weapons.
Strengthening global arrangements to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is a key national security priority for Australia. It is part of the Government’s efforts to make our nation, and the international community, safer and more secure.”
The OPCW’s Technical Secretariat is currently assembling a team of experts and setting up necessary procedures.
In the picture H.E. Heidemaria Gürer Ambassador of Austria arriving to Rwanda´s event.
For International Women’s Day, the Embassy of Rwanda to The Netherlands along with the Rwandan Women Association in The Netherlands, organised on March 16 an event to celebrate and display Rwanda’s culture and progress in gender equality and women empowerment.
By Aurore Heugas.
“International Women’s Day is a celebration of respect, appreciation, love and care towards women in your life and society” was a statement spoken at the Rwandan Embassy’s celebration for International Women’s Day on March 16, 2019.
Taking place at the Hilton hotel in The Hague, the event was an opportunity for the Rwandan embassy, in cooperation with the Rwandan Women Association in The Netherlands, to showcase their country’s achievements in gender equality and women empowerment.
This year, several themes were enumerated for International Women’s Day. UN Women’s theme was “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change”. Their focus was to find new ways to advance gender equality and women empowerment, “particularly in the areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructures”, according to the organisation.
The official website of International Women’s Day listed the global theme for this year as “Balance for Better”, which was open for interpretation for each country to suit their needs.
The goal for this year is to involve everyone; women and men, to aspire to reach gender balance in every aspect of society. In 2019, the Embassy of Rwanda’s take on that theme was “Together, let’s build a safe family”.
The event felt like both the UN Women and International Women Day’s themes had been merged. Several speakers, men and women alike, talked about the importance of achieving more balanced family dynamics, by offering equal opportunities and equal respect to everyone.
For them, if your home is stable, you already have a better chance to thrive, get an education and continue the cycle of equal opportunities later on.
More than talking about building safer families, the celebration of International Women’s Day promoted the work of strong women in Rwanda, in an effort of women empowerment.
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Bruce Koloane, Ambassador of South Africa and one of the judges of the International Court of Justice.
Coffee was an example of how a simple act, like buying coffee, can make a difference. The event showcased and gave samples of Bekske coffee amongst others. Bekske Coffee is a Dutch-Rwandan project, that aims to support female survivors of sexual violence during the genocide in Rwanda.
Instead of buying coffee from larger companies with a set price for the kilo of beans, which then only gives 26 cents, or a very small percentage back to the original coffee workers, the Dutch foundation supports female coffee entrepreneurs by buying coffee from a local partner, where 8.23 euros per kilo goes back to support the local population and women in the program.
Fashion show by Rwanda´s designers.
In addition, 25% of the profits go directly to the women workers in Rwanda, for them to be able to have a chance at an education and a better everyday life.
Through the promotion of that foundation and that coffee, the event helped further three of the sixteen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere”
SDG 5: Reach gender equality and empower all women and girls”
SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”.
However hopeful and proud of Rwanda’s accomplishments, the women of the Rwandan Women Association were also honest about what is still left to do. “As a country, we have made great progress when it comes to women’s political participation, school attendance of girls, heritage rights to name a few achievements. But as our president said recently, there is much more to do in Rwanda to ensure women feel safe and enjoy equal opportunities.”
Panorama Mesdag and TU Delft move together onto a higher plane with the exhibition
14 March 2019, Den Haag _ In 1880, while Mesdag was making sketches for his Panorama from the highest dune in Scheveningen, land surveyors were trekking across the entire country drawing up a map of the Netherlands.
The painter and land surveyors alike sought out the highest points in the landscape: the first to create a spatial illusion and the latter to measure distances accurately. What similarities and differences were there in the approach of the artist and that of the surveyors? Thanks to a collaboration between Panorama Mesdag and TU Delft, this theme is explored and explained in an accessible way.
Surveying the Panorama. A student from TU Delft conducts a survey at Panorama Mesdag to find out exactly where Hendrik Willem Mesdag was standing on Seinpost dune.
TU Delft Library collection at Panorama Mesdag
TU Delft Library is offering visitors a unique opportunity to come and admire its Special Collections outside the walls of the campus. In the exhibition rooms of Panorama Mesdag, the history of land surveying is ‘mapped’, as it were, using measuring instruments, drawings and historical maps. Scientific photos show the highest points on the landscape, including spectacular temporary constructions that were specially built for surveying the land.
Visitors can also stroll through digital and interactive maps that show earlier measurement points used by Cornelis Krayenhoff and the National Committee. These maps also show how the landscape has been constantly changing from Mesdag’s time to today.
Water board map.A detail from the overview page of the map showing the area of Delfland water board. The map was produced by the Cruquius brothers over a period spanning 11 years, from 1701 to 1712. The map shows every sluice and ditch in the landscape as well as the administrative entities responsible for their upkeep. TU Delft Library, Special Collections
Unique experiment
Specially for this exhibition, TU Delft students and researchers performed a land surveying experiment involving the Panorama to determine exactly where on the Seinpostduin Mesdag stood when painting his huge canvas. The starting points are the lighthouse, water tower, Oude Kerk (church spire) and other elevated spots Mesdag depicts. Even today these reference points are clearly visible and recognisable on the landscape of Scheveningen. Now, 137 years later, using traditional techniques, the position of these points in the Panorama are compared to their actual coordinates.
Repeating circle. A repeating circle used to measure angles when performing triangulation. The sights are set to two different points in the landscape, and the angle between them can then be read from the circular scale. If the distance between two of the three angles is known, the other distances can be calculated. The measurement would be repeated more than ten times to improve the reliability of the results. This instrument was used early in the 19th century by Cornelis Kraijenhoff (1758- 1840) during the first large-scale survey of the Netherlands based on triangulation. The instrument was made by French instrument maker Étienne Lenoir based on a design by Jean-Charles de Borda. TU Delft Library, Special Collections, Inv. no. 2000.0106.GEO
How accurate was Mesdag and how much artistic license did he allow himself? The fascinating results of this experiment in ‘surveying the past’ are presented and explained at the
exhibition.
The exhibition From the Highest Point: Land surveys in the time of Mesdag is in collaboration with TU Delft and is on display at Panorama Mesdag from 31 March to 22 September 2019.
Photography by Panorama Mesdag.
Main image a Land survey kit. 18th century land survey equipment packed in an octagonal case covered in shagreen. The contents include a semicircle with a detachable sighting telescope, alidade, plane table, compass, transversal scales, plumb bob and other attachments. These instruments allowed the surveyor to conduct measurements in the field and also to produce maps. They were made by Benjamin Ayres, who in 1749 was appointed as the first instrument maker for the Dutch Admiralty. TU Delft Library, Special Collections, Inv. no. 2000.0055.GEO
President of the Assembly of States Parties regrets withdrawal from the Rome Statute by the Philippines
The President of the Assembly of States Parties, Mr. O-Gon Kwon (Republic of Korea), has reiterated his regret regarding the withdrawal of the Philippines, effective as of 17 March 2019, from the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”).
President Kwon noted, “the Assembly of States Parties, comprising more than 120 States from all regions of the world, is fully committed to the Court’s mandate: to help put an end to impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.”
“I sincerely hope that the departure of the Philippines from the Rome Statute is only temporary and that it will re-join the Rome Statute family in the future. Encouraging universal adherence to the Rome Statute is key in strengthening our collective efforts to promote accountability for atrocity crimes and the rule of law”, said President Kwon.
“The ICC relies on the continued support of the international community to ensure its effectiveness in the fight against impunity”.
In Parallel Bait Muzna Gallery, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 18 March – 1 April 2019
‘In Parallel’ interprets artist Rashid Al Khalifa’s artistic œuvre by considering the interconnectedness of styles that define certain periods.
Beginning with landscape painting in the ‘70s and continuing on to minimalistic, parametric structures that Rashid has exhibited most recently, his vast body of work has seen distinct shifts in style through varied use of mediums. However, the recurrence of certain sentiments resonates throughout. Matte, aluminum installations from 2012 onwards, recall his desert landscapes from the ‘70s, whereby the shadows cast by the soft desert light in these early landscape paintings, reawaken decades later in his minimalistic dunes and eclipses.
Mirrored pieces from the 2010’s, call to mind the reflective, fluidity of water and the susceptibility of Bahrain’s desert wadis, a regular feature of his paintings from the ‘80s. Feminine, wispy and emotive forms of the ‘80s and ‘90s, transpire in his lustrous lacquer paintings that began in the late 2000’s, only to reemerge a decade later in his immaculate enamel rose series.
The symmetry, geometric precision and bold hues of colour that define his most recent parametric forms are reminiscent of both his interest in the functionality of traditional Bahraini architecture, as well as the manner wherein these repetitive elemental structures react with their natural environment.
Despite experimenting with varying materials and developing distinct styles over the years, Rashid’s desire to simultaneously explore his heritage and his relationship to his immediate environment, has endured throughout his artistic practice. Essentially, the undercurrent that resonates throughout this exhibition at Bait Muzna Gallery is in many ways, reflective of the consciousness of the artist, the versatility of his work and of particular transitional periods in his life.
About Rashid Al Khalifa Bahraini artist Rashid Al Khalifa (Manama, Bahrain, 1952) began painting at the age of 16 and had his first exhibition at the Dilmun Hotel, Bahrain in 1970. He travelled to the UK in 1972 where he attended the Brighton and Hastings Art College in Sussex and trained in Arts and Design. Al Khalifa’s artistic practice has evolved over time: from landscapes in the 70s and early 80s, to merging elements of his figurative and abstract work in the late 80s, progression towards abstraction and experimenting with the ‘canvas’ in the 90s, and recent mirror-like chrome and high gloss lacquer pieces. His new work also incorporates installations reflecting a clear Bahraini identity.
His solo exhibitions include Penumbra: textured shadow, coloured light (Saatchi Gallery, 2018, London,https://vimeo.com/293801432, https://man.vogue.me/lifestyle/art-and-design/sheikh-rashid-bin-khalifaal-khalifa-penumbra-2018/), Hybrids, Ayyam Gallery, Dubai, UAE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG6wnHhlp9I, 2018) Les Roses de Bagatelle at Maison Guerlain (2018, https://www.facebook.com/pg/GuerlainFR/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1793190634050514) Convex: A New Perspective, Bahrain National Museum, Kingdom of Bahrain (2010); Art Department, Shuman Arts Organisation, Jordan (1997); De Caliet Gallery, Milan, Italy and El Kato Kayyel Gallery, Milan, Italy (1996); Biennials include: Bridges, Grenada Pavilion, 57th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy (2017); 3rd Mediterranean Biennale: OUT OF PLACE – Sakhnin Valley, Israel (2017); Arab Delegation, TRIO Bienial – Rio de Janeiro, Brazi (2015); and In The Eye of the Thunderstorm, Collateral Events, 56. la Biennale di Venezia – Venice, Italy (2015).
The Mubarak Mosque on the Oostduinlaan in The Hague was opened in 1955 and is the oldest mosque in The Netherlands. It belongs to the Ahmadi-Muslims or Ahmadiyya who believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad from the city of Qadian (India) was the Mujaddid, the promised Saviour or Mahdi. He preached a return to the basis of Islam to his followers, who today number well over ten million worshippers worldwide.
The Ahmaddiyya firmly believe in living within the communities where they settle. In the Netherlands they want their children to go to regular schools and to get their religious training at home or in the mosque. They participate as a community as well as privately in the life of the city and the country. Their charitable collections are disbursed to organisations like the Dutch KWF Cancer Fund, food banks and refugees. In order to promote dialogue and to foster mutual understanding, once a year they organise an open house, where people who live in quite a large circle around the mosque are invited to meet, talk and enjoy a curry dinner.
On March 16th this year the open house took the form of a Peace Conference. There was an impressive panel of speakers including among others a senior Alderman from the City of The Hague, Mr. Rachid Guernaoui, a member of the City Council of Rotterdam, Mr. Narsingh Balwantsingh, a journalist and media expert Mw. Tjalina Nijholt and several members of the Ahmaddiyya comunity.
The conference was held under the black cloud of the massacre in Christchurch, which underlined the need for dialogue and cooperation.
Mr Guernaoui stressed that in The Hague, a city with at least 180 nationalities, this dialogue is crucial. “We need to concentrate not on where people came from, but where they are going, what their future can be”. He is preparing an action plan for the city that concentrates on work, language (Dutch!) and a community without demarkations. Only when we can understand one another and listen to one another can we learn about one another and feel confident to be in each others work groups.
Mr. Narsingh Balwantsingh
Mr. Balwantsingh, a Hindu, was so overcome by the tragedy in New Zealand, that he had thrown his prepared speech away and gave an impassioned plea for mutual understanding, citing several stanzas from the Veda’s, the Hindi Holy Scriptures ending with an almost Spinoza like saying that everything is related, everyone is related to everyone.
Tjalina Nijholt talked about the influence the media have on society. The media can spread information, but they can also spread hatred. Where ill is spoken, ill will follows. She talked about her grandparents, good god-fearing people with not a racist bone in their bodies, who yet, because of what they read or saw on the television, are dead scared of the people down the street who wear black head scarves.
A local conference like this with perhaps 50 guests is small potatoes, but if you get more, if you get many efforts like this, you’ll end up with a big stew. And we all know that it is the variety of meat, vegetables and herbs that makes a good stew so irresistible.
