The Hague, 10 October 2018– The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals has today made available the dataset from the 2016 research report entitled “Echoes of Testimonies: A Pilot Study into the long-term impact of bearing witness before the ICTY”. The study was conducted by the Victims and Witness Section (VWS) of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Castleberry Peace Institute of the University of North Texas (UNT).
Between 2013 and 2015, the VWS of the ICTY conducted in-person interviews with 300 fact witnesses, hailing from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo and Serbia in order to examine the impact of their testimonies before the ICTY on their long-term well-being.
This dataset includes, inter alia, information on the demographics of witnesses and their reasons for testifying before the ICTY, the socio-economic impact of testifying, their security concerns, witnesses’ physical and psychological well-being and their perceptions about justice and the ICTY. All data provided has been made anonymous in order to protect the identities of witnesses included in the pilot study.
By making this information available to all, the Mechanism’s Witness Support and Protection Unit aims to increase recognition of the importance of supporting witnesses who testify before international criminal tribunals, and encourage further research and development in this field. Furthermore, by enabling researchers to replicate, validate, confirm or challenge the findings of the pilot study on the basis of the dataset, the Mechanism also aims to increase the study’s transparency and bolster its scientific integrity.
On the picture from left to Right: Dr. Tony Nader, Mr. Alojz Peterle, Minister Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik from India, Dutch Minister Mr. Bruno Bruins and H.E. Mr. Venu Rajamony , Ambassador of India, during the opening ceremony of Fourth International Ayurveda Congress and Health Fair.By Roy Lie Atjam.
The Indian Minister of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy)the Hon. Shripad Yesso Naik,visited the Netherlands on the occasion of the Fourth International Ayurveda Congress and Health Fair (4IAvC)and subsequent Seminar. Leiden, September 2018.
The Dutch Minister of Medical Care and Sport, Mr. Bruno Bruinsand the Indian Minister of AYUSHMr Shripad Yesso Naik spoke at an Ayurveda Seminar.
H.E. Ambassador Venu Rajamony stated that the International Ayurveda Congress and seminar are the largest ‘top level’ event focusing on Ayurveda ever to be held in the Netherlands. Rajamony went on, “the participation of the AYUSH minister from India and the Dutch minister of Medical Care and Sport at a seminar focusing on Indian-Dutch cooperation in Healthcaredemonstrates that the two countries are eager to further the cooperation in this field.
The traditional Indian systems Ayurveda and Yoga can be of tremendous benefit to the ageing population of Europe. He added I am convinced that there is a great potential for the healthcare sector to do business with each other. Such a cooperation might take the sector to higher heights.
The seminar is the final part of the Fourth International Ayurveda Congress (IAvC) from 1 to 3 September in Leiden, the Netherlands and is organized by the International Maharishi Ayurveda Foundation, the Netherlands; the All Ayurvedic Congress in India, New Delhi and the International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune, in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in the Netherlands.
Ayurveda is a holistic system of healthcare with great potential for the treatment of lifestyle-related chronic diseases, geriatric health problems and the promotion of global healthcare and well-being, says AYUSH Minister Shripad Jesso Naik at the Fourth International Ayurveda Congress ( IAvC) in Leiden, the Netherlands.
The Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda which literally means ‘Science of Life’ takes an integrated view of the physical, mental, spiritual and social aspects of human beings and about the inter-relationships between these aspects. The Seminar aimed at bringing together Government, medical professionals, business and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities in both modern- and traditional systems of medicine.
Ambassador of India and Dutch Minister Mr. Bruno Bruins.MrAlojzPeterle, former Prime Minister of Slovenia and current Member of the European Parliament, addressed the audience. Other speakers were:
Dr. D.C. Katoch, Adviser Ayurveda, Ministry AYUSH, Government of India
Ms Amanda Mackintosh, Member of the Board, Task Force for Health Care
Dr Tony Nader, world head of the Transcendental Meditation movement,According to Dr Nader ayurveda medication starts with a balanced diet, it’s a kitchen medication he quipped.
Dr.G.P. Geetha Krishnan, World Health Organization (WHO)
Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands, MrVenu Rajamony.
Minister Shripad Yesso Naik leads a delegation consisting of senior officials from the Ministry of AYUSH, including the Pharmacopoeia Committee of Indian Medicines and Homeopathy.
During the seminar, the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the field of healthcare was discussed, with particular emphasis on the traditional medicine system of India – Ayurveda. The benefits of traditional knowledge of India, such as Yoga and its contribution to healthy living and growing old in Europe will be studied.
Mr. Alojz Peterle.
The Fourth IAvC also explores the 340-year relationship between the Netherlands and India and also highlights traditional natural medicines from India and Europe.
It includes an exhibition on the Hortus Malabaricus (Garden of Malabar), the epic 17th-century Dutch treatise on plants from the Western Ghats of South India. This treatise has beenbrought together in almost 30 years and appeared in Amsterdam between 1678 and 1693 in 12 volumes, originally in Latin. It provides an overview of the flora of the Malabar region in South India, including copperplate engravings and a description of 742 plants and their medicinal properties. A rare set of the 12-volume collection in Latin is in the Asian Library of Leiden University.
Further,minister Bruno Bruins was a member of the trade mission that accompanied Prime Minister Rutte to India on May 24, 2018. A number of Dutch healthcare companies are active in India, Philips has been present since 1930. The University of Maastricht has set up an education and research centre in Bangalore to promote cooperation with Indian institutions.
Minister Bruno Bruins accompanied Prime MinisterMarkRuttein a trade mission to India in May 2018.
Ambassador Rajamony.
A number of Dutch healthcare companies are active in India, Philips has been present since 1930. The University of Maastricht has set up an education and research centre in Bangalore to promote cooperation with Indian institutions.
Speaking at the IAvC, the Indian Minister for AYUSH noted that the integration of Ayurveda, Yoga and other Ayush systems in the delivery of health services is one of the driving forces with which the government aims to achieve functional involvement of AYUSH practitioners and interventions in public health.AYUSH treatments are now also covered by insurance contracts. Currently, more than 27 insurance companies offer health insurance to AYUSHbeneficiaries.
The Minister added, our intention and aim are to achieve convergence and synergy between traditional medicine, modern medicine and modern sciences for the scientific validation of Ayurveda concepts and the development of research-based medicines.
Many of the Ayurveda drug manufacturers have received WHO-GMP certification and the certificate of pharmaceutical products for the export of their products to different countries, he added. we are very much looking forward to communicating with policymakers, researchers and
entrepreneurs in European countries for the development of bilateral ties and institutional links to drive Ayurveda’s holistic health care potential and its beneficial role in integrative medicine said the minister.
The Minister added, in November we will organize the International Yoga Conference in Goa and in December 2018 we will organize the World Ayurveda Congress in Ahmedabad to show the best of the research results and other developments in the field of traditional medical systems. The minister concluded with an invitation to participate in these conferences.
The audience was very diverse, diplomats, Ayurveda practitioners, diaspora, students, representatives of the India Foundation, media and others. A takeaway from the Q&A session is the necessity to establish an accreditation- and standardization system for Ayurveda.
The manner in which Ambassador Venu Rajamony has presided over the Fourth International Ayurveda Congress and Seminar is commendable.
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Photography Courtesy of the Embassy of India
ICC judges hold retreat focusing on collegiality and various aspects of judicial proceedings
On 27-28 September 2018, the judges of the International Criminal Court held a judicial retreat at the seat of the Court in The Hague. The retreat provided an opportunity for private exchanges among judges on topics related to the conduct of judicial proceedings and the overall functioning of the judiciary.
Topics discussed included judicial collegiality and ethics, the reparations phase of proceedings, the modalities of victim participation in proceedings and current legal developments.
During the retreat, the ICC President, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, emphasised the importance of cultivating a collegial judicial culture: “The judiciary of the ICC and the Court more broadly stand to benefit tremendously from a commitment to an open, respectful, dignified and inclusive approach to institutional decision-making by the judges. That is to say, it is highly desirable to cultivate a cohesive and constructive environment marked by the highest degree of dignity and respect for one another, encouraging judges to share their diverse expertise, experience and professional backgrounds to the benefit of the Court”.
The Ambassador of Costa Rica, H.E. Mr. Sergio Ugalde, the Ambassador of El Salvador, H.E. Mr. Agustin Vazquez Gomez, the Ambassador of Nicaragua and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Mr. Carlos Arguello and the Ambassador of Guatemala, H.E. Marthiza Ruiz de Vielman.The Central American Republics CelebratesBy Roy Lie Atjam.
On the occasion of the 197th Anniversary of the Independence of the Central American Republics, the Ambassadors of Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala hosted a reception in The Hague on14 September 2018.
The Ambassador of Costa Rica, H.E. Mr. Sergio Ugalde, the Ambassador of El Salvador, H.E. Mr. Agustin Vazquez Gomez welcoming the Ambassador of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Bruce Koloane.
H.E. Ambassador Marithza Ruiz de Vielman of the Republic of Guatemala addressed the guests on behalf of the Central American Republics. Although not based in The Hague the Ambassador mentioned the Republic of Honduras. She went on emphasising the fraternity, cohesion and solidarity within the region. Notably the cooperation in tourism.
Solidarity, cooperation, these are key elements capable of propelling the central American countries further to prosperity. A special thanks went to GRULAC. Ambassador Gladys Marithza Ruiz Sanchez in her brief address went on to express the contentment of the Embassies for being in the international city of The Hague.
H.E. Mr. Jens-Otto Horslund, Ambassador of Denmark, H.E. Mr. Agustin Vazquez Gomez, Ambassador of El Salvador, H.E. Mr. Bruce Koloane, Ambassador of South Africa, H.E. Ms. Maria J. Alonso, Ambassador of Spain and H.E. Mr. Jean Pierre Karabaranga, Ambassador of Rwanda.
When asked, an Ambassador from the other side of the globe attending the function, lauded the Central American Republics for the peaceful manner in which they settle disputes and the stability in the region.
The many guests including the Ambassadors from Japan, South Africa, Ecuador, Denmark, Panama, Korea, Philippines, Bulgaria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Uruguay, etc. all enjoyed the reception and networking opportunity.
Santa and his elves have been busy organizing a festive 2018 AWC Holiday Bazaar! Whether you celebrate Sinterklaas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas – we invite you to join us. Our bazaar is open to the public and a lovely way to kick off the holiday season. Why travel to other Christmas Markets when there is one right in our backyard!The Holiday Bazaar will feature a wide variety of international items and unique, handcrafted gifts galore. We’ll have everything from baked goods to wine and beer, essential oils, paintings, textiles, ceramics and jewelry to name a few! You won’t want to miss this festive event!In addition, there will be children’s activities and the opportunity to take a picture with Santa! The AWC Holiday Bazaar is the perfect family outing; you’ll find a warm, festive atmosphere and that special gift for everyone on your list!WHEN: Saturday, November 10th, 11:00 – 18:00 & Sunday, November 11th, 11:00 – 17:00WHERE: The Hilton Hotel, Zeestraat 35, The HagueADMISSION: €2 (children free)CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES: €5
ICC Prosecutor addresses Informal Ministerial Network for the ICC in the margins of the 73rd session of the UNGA.ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, attends 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly to highlight & advance the work of her Office
From the 24th to the 27th of September, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Mrs Fatou Bensouda, attended the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (“UNGA”) held at the United Nations (‘‘UN’’) Headquarters in New York, to participate in a number of high-level side events and to hold bilateral meetings so as to highlight and advance the work of her Office and mandate under the Rome Statute.
In the margins of the UNGA, the Prosecutor held productive meetings with, amongst others, H.E. Mr Adama Barrow, President of The Gambia; H.E. Mr Mamuka Bakhtadze, Prime Minister of Georgia; H.E. Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France; H.E. Mr Riad al-Malki, Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs of Palestine; H.E. Mr Sidiki Kaba, Minister of Foreign affairs of Senegal; H.E. Ms Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and H.E. Mr Miguel de Serpa Soares, UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel. At these meetings, the Prosecutor expressed her appreciation for the support and cooperation received by her Office, while her interlocutors reaffirmed their strong commitment to continue doing so.
On 27 September, the Prosecutor addressed the annual meeting of the Informal Ministerial Network for the ICC, a network of over 30 Ministers of Foreign Affairs representing regional groupings of States Parties.
At the event, convened and chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein, H.E. Ms Aurelia Frick, the Prosecutor briefed the Network on the latest developments, achievements and challenges faced by her Office, underscoring the importance of consistent support and cooperation by States Parties to the success of the Court. She conveyed her gratitude for the public expressions of support for the Court and stressed the need for States Parties, as custodians of the Rome Statute, to continue to provide such critical support.
“We cannot let the ICC be weakened given its importance to the progress of humanity. On the contrary, we need to strengthen it to be able to continuously deliver on the promise of the Rome Statute and apply international criminal justice, independently and objectively,” she stated. The Prosecutor was received with overwhelming support from participating Ministers, for which she expressed her sincere appreciation in her closing remarks. Following the session, members of the Informal Ministerial Network issued a joint press release renewing their commitment to the ICC “as the centrepiece of the international criminal justice system” and a “fundamental part of a rules-based order.”
On 25 September, at a high-level side-event convened by the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, and co-sponsored by Luxembourg, Finland, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Sierra Leone and Belgium, the Prosecutor delivered a keynote speech on addressing the scourge of sexual and gender-based crimes from her perspective. She re-affirmed her Office’s commitment to continue to apply the Rome Statute, where applicable, striving to systematically investigate and prosecute these serious and traditionally underreported crimes. The Prosecutor called for a collective effort to combat impunity, for the sake of the victims of such heinous crimes.
On 24 September, the Prosecutor participated at a Ministerial-level side-event organised by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of The Netherlands and Niger, respectively, aimed at exploring collective action against human trafficking, through accountability and the rule of law.
She briefed the audience about the efforts of her Office, namely in the context of the Libya Situation, to combat crimes committed against migrants that fall under the Rome Statute. The Prosecutor stressed that a multi-layered, multi-party strategy is required to tackle the complex international, transnational and domestic crimes being committed in Libya, and further elaborated on the collaborative efforts of her Office with various states to combat such crimes.
The Hague, Netherlands —The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was briefed recently by officials of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs about a cyber operation targeting the OPCW that was disrupted by the Netherlands Defence Intelligence and Security Service.
The Netherlands is the OPCW’s host country and, as such, is in charge of ensuring and exercising due diligence in protecting the OPCW Headquarters.
Since early 2018, the Organisation has observed increased cyber-related activities. The Director-General has informed OPCW Member States about these activities and the OPCW Technical Secretariat has undertaken measures to mitigate them
Prosecutor Brammertz takes part in the conference “Justice after The Hague” in ZagrebThe Hague, 9 October 2018– Prosecutor Serge Brammertz is taking part in a two-day conference in Zagreb entitled “Justice after The Hague”, organised by the Serb National Council, Council of the Serb National Minority for the City of Zagreb, Documenta – Centre for Dealing with the Past and SENSE – Center for Transitional Justice. The conference brought together prosecutors, members of the civil society, victim’s organisations, journalists and scholars.
In today’s panel which gathered prosecutors from the region, Prosecutor Brammertz participated in discussions which touched upon achievements and challenges of prosecution of war crimes, regional cooperation and dealing with the past in the former Yugoslavia.
Prosecutor Brammertz noted the importance of continuing to secure accountability for war crimes on the domestic level, underscoring the importance of regional cooperation in this regard. He highlighted that “[I]n every country in the region, there is a large backlog of war crimes cases, and more justice is still urgently needed.“
Prosecutor Brammertz also added: “Regional judicial cooperation today faces many challenges. But I also believe that […] we can find pragmatic solutions to many of the […] challenges that face us. We just need to remember that the purpose of the law is to achieve justice and punish those responsible for crimes, not to promote impunity.”
Jesus Herrera Raya and Dolores (Lolina) Echeverria Lanz.By Tamara Dijkstra.
The Crowne Plaza hosted the inaugural Mexican Food festival last week.
The festival was organized by the Mexican Embassy in cooperation with Diplomat Magazine and Aeroméxico, concerning the celebration of the 190 years’ diplomatic relations between Mexico and the Netherlands.
During the festival, the variety of dishes was accompanied by Mexican musicians. Tasting the Mexican food at this occasion was not only a culinary experience but also a fascinating social and cultural happening. Dolores (Lolina) Echeverria Lanz and Jesus Herrera Raya two well-known chefs from the region of Campeche in the south of Mexico, prepared several extraordinary dishes for this occasion.
Mexican Flavors, Crowne Plaza, The Hague.
Dolores is an amazing chef and currently a delegate of the Conservatory of Mexican Gastronomic Culture since 2011. The Conservatory of Mexican Gastronomic Culture is an organization, that focuses on the preservation of customs and cultural traditions that characterize the classical Mexican cuisine.
On a regular basis, she gives lectures and workshops about the culinary culture of Campeche and the region of Yucatan Peninsula. In order to preserve traditional recipes of Campeche last year, she published a book, with 253 different recipes from the traditional cuisine of Campeche.
Jesus Herrera Raya is the owner of the most famous, well known traditional restaurant of the ‘Campechana Cuisine’, which is called ‘the House of Campeche’. He dedicated himself to the exceptional cuisine 40 years ago and is considered as one of southeast Mexican most acclaimed chefs.
Campeche in the south of México has recently become part of the UNESCO World Heritage and is one of the most ancient seaports of the Mayan Peninsula.
Mexican chef Dolores (Lolina) Echeverria Lanz, preparing delicious tamales.
In general, the traditional food of the state of Campeche in Mexico is especially acclaimed for the variety of fish, seafood, and quality of the ingredients of the region. Furthermore, due to the hot weather a wide range of vegetables is growing on the lowlands in Campeche.
The state of Campeche has always been inhabited by the Maya peoples and the city of Campeche was founded in the sixteenth century. Besides the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, Campeche also suffered from several pirates’ attacks. One of the many attacks was led by the Dutchman, Laurens de Graaf and as a result of this devastating attack, strong walls were built around the city and eventually the pirate attacks came to an end.
The arrival of foreign visitors did not only influence the daily life of the citizens of Campeche but also the different ingredients from overseas influenced Campeche´s cuisine in an interesting way.
During the opening ceremony in the Crowne Plaza restaurant in The Hague, the two chefs talked about the unique ingredients and special dishes and invited the guests to share their opinions with them.
One of the main course was a dish that is called ´Quesorelleno´, delicious stuffed cheese with marinated meat. Remarkably, the chefs did not use Mexican cheese but prepared the dish with typical Dutch cheese, that is still an important ingredient in the ´Cuisine Campechana´.
Chez Jesus Herrera Raya and Lolita, the Mexican team.
Furthermore, five different main courses and three different kinds of dessert were served. When the chefs explained the guests about the process and the preparation of the different dishes, the visitors valued the hard work of the chefs even more.
To conclude, in order to describe this interesting ambiance in Crown Plaza, the restaurant could be compared to an art gallery, a place in which the objects do not only represent the ingredients by which they are made of, but also tell a story about the different traditions, history and a way of living in the south of Mexico.
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Pictures by the Embassy of Mexico.
