How true leadership in regards of climate change may give outstanding impact to the Asian world

By Dr. Wolfram Kalt. The Netherlands and Indonesia share a special relationship as they were connected for centuries in times of colonialism, separated after the horrible years of Indonesian struggle for independence and later then they have found together again into a respectful and close relation based on strong pillars of common history and development, intense economic and political ties, and so many deep interpersonal relationships among the two countries. For me living in Bandung, the former Paris van Jawa, a modern Indonesian metropole where the government of West Java is located, it is always surprising to see the respect Indonesian people have towards European countries and the Netherlands in specific. It is maybe part of the open and friendly culture among its citizens in general but maybe also part of a quite realistic view that such huge country can be developed only with ongoing support and expertise from outside. In regards of industry this support interestingly comes more and more from the North East Asia, from Korea, Japan and from China, while western countries are loosing ground. USA is successfully managing its moral and economic outsider position under its current administration, and Europe is in view of its unity weak, it still gives a diversified picture of small nations on their own who all act via isolated representations in Indonesia. In the eyes of Indonesia, however, Europe is strong in three areas: democracy, technology and the environment. While the first may be a source for many fascinating articles and books, I would like to focus on the other ones – and here especially on the different meaning and understanding of the environment in the context of a highly industrialized economic conglomerate and a developing nation – to support a changing leadership perspective and vision of one European role model which may guide both continents hopefully soon in future. We speak about the fact that the Netherlands – based on a broad political consensus – are on the way to implement the toughest climate law in the world. WOOW, this is great, isn’t it! But … is this really needed? This may be the main question in a controversial global (not only European!) discussion and an ambivalent public opinion process where everybody, and here I mean really everybody seems to have an expert position with strong believes fed by certain sources of doubtful information. I rarely experienced so many bull shit info told to me even by good friends than in this field of changing climate and its impact on humans, our living conditions and life itself. Lets make clear at this point that there is no doubt about science, all findings which indicate that we are growing to fast, that we are consuming the resources of the planet too fast and that we are polluting and destroying our own basis of existence with a speed and degree of complexity which makes it difficult to interfere. The Paris Agreement 2015 was a miracle in a mostly confused and disoriented world, a light moment of mankind when under the guidance of the United Nations a milestone agreement regulating global greenhouse gas emissions with impact on Climate Change was negotiated, ratified and adopted by consensus of 196 state parties at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in Le Bourget, near Paris, France, in December 2015. Even the US declared its intention to withdraw in meantime in June 2017, the fact that such an agreement was declared and committed by so many countries proves that there is something ongoing, huge and beyond our imagination. We are losing control over the planet, a disturbing and frightening reality which does not affect all in the same way at the same time. Those who created the miserable situation, mostly the industrial nations of the west built their wealth on the foundation of a global disaster which is coming closer. “Wealthier people produce more carbon pollution – even the green ones” was a great article straight to the point by David Roberts in December 2017. So its not about left or right, its about the rich and the poor and in a wider sense about fairness of distribution. This fairness is very unfair when it comes to the consequences of climate change which mostly hits the poor ones around the world. Even in Asia and here in Indonesia in specific a new middle to high income population is forming which – unaware of the unlucky spiral of economy and consumption – transfers and copies same patterns of inequality into the nation. While those who become wealthy are flexible and can move and enter a better life, those who live a the limit to poverty have to bear the consequences. “We are doomed” is the logic consequence of scientists and thinkers like Mayer Hillman or David Wallace-Wells.All not that worse will be the answers of those who benefit from sucking the resources and living in a quite safe harbor. Maybe there will be a better wine in Belgium [beside a soccer semifinalist title… People in my home in central Europe really don’t care that much about global warming, yes there are more heavy thunderstorms visible, but we can insure and our real problems indeed are refugees who want to enter our country. That this is increasingly a consequence of Climate change people are unaware or not really interested in. National politics serve theme, but also catalyzes the problems as they promote their industries only and by doing so they ignore climate change as a crucial political issue created by themselves. Climate change induced migration is – sorry to say – a more or less a welcome argument of fear to be voted again. No wonder that implementation of national climate actions plans to mitigate global warming lack behind and will end up in a story of delays and excuses soon. Even warming of 2C will be ‘substantially’ more harmful than 1.5C as per a draft UN report national action plans will be by far too slow. Its’ a matter of psychology that people and politicians don’t care enough at the moment. As Kate Stein points out in a recent interview with researcher Galen Treuer from University of Connecticut “It’s Human Nature Not To Think About Rising Seas”. As long as we don’t have a personal threat people have other issues that are very important: affordable housing or Transportation for example. Those are the things that seem to motivate more than the consequences of an impact which may come. In such situation of excuse and delayed industry serving implementation of measures it is outstanding noticeable to look at the ambitious role model of Netherlands. Maybe people in the Netherlands are feeling the increasing sea levels more than others, or whatever, they are guiding the show, and even the country is not participating in recent soccer world championship, they show an outstanding championship behavior we all can learn from. The Oranjes guide necessary developments and ways into a better future. Whether their positioning and action will be enough I don’t know. Just a side remark: 18 years ago I learned about the importance of a role model when I argued (for first time in history) an Austrian company towards an European winner enterprise for sustainable technologies. A great success but what I received in between is, that this may be not enough! We need to understand the relevance of local frameworks in Europe when we look to Asia. While discussing the relevance of emissions of 20 or 50 cars with running motors from the chimney of a factory in clean Europe we got stuck in daily traffic jams of big cities like Jakarta with million of cars standing around and emitting CO2 in useless non operation mode every day. As we have the same heaven we share the consequences of effort same as of standstill. The role model of the Netherlands inspires and gives hope but finally its the leadership learning of all of us (in Europe and Asia) which will make the difference. Do we recognize the urgency for our society to act and maintain the life foundations of next generations? Even national developments are somewhat disillusioning at the moment I strongly believe into such a role model like offered from the Netherlands. It is guiding leaders in Europe and in Asia to spearhead a more sustainable development, ton take action on our future. True leaders foresee it, they address issues early and they work out plans to counteract. On this stage wise countries like Indonesia also have to enforce positive leadership and international cooperation. The West-East relationship between Netherlands, the European Union and Indonesia may become a recognized shiny example on this important way forward. —————– About the author: Dr. Wolfram Kalt, long-serving CEO of one of the largest viscose facilities of the southern hemisphere, visionary green-economy practitioner and entrepreneurial guru. Independent strategy advisor for business and institutions with 20+ year of excellence in industrial enterprise build up and transformation of emission intensive industry towards sustainability leadership in Europe and Asia. 

By Zaki Shubber. Water management is conflict management. From the Aral to the Zambezi, water disputes are a priority at local, regional, national, and international levels. Worldwide, water demands are growing, groundwater levels are dropping, water bodies are increasingly contaminated, and delivery and treatment infrastructure is aging. The potential for conflict and the need for cooperation between domestic and transboundary watershed stakeholders will increase as problems become more acute. New concepts have emerged to describe the issues and to propose pathways for dealing with the increased multi-level competition that is being observed, and for enabling the creation and use of appropriate conflict prevention and management tools. Water cooperation and water diplomacy are amongst these concepts. They incorporate all levels, acknowledging the interconnection between them and between the various stakeholders of shared water resources, and suggesting methods for conflict avoidance, and dispute settlement and resolution. They also set the issues within broader societal contexts and highlight the implications with regard to other sectors not always immediately associated with water issues, beyond those of food and energy. The ability to identify signs of potential conflict is a starting point in addressing issues of competition. Early warning frameworks can provide support to decision-makers and practitioners to recognise these signals and to consider what might be appropriate measures to address the situation, as well to ascertain which stakeholders to engage with. In this regard governance at domestic and international levels plays a key role. Governance frameworks provide tools, including legal ones, to assess and agree criteria for water allocations, which are fundamental in the context of potential and existing competition. Whether international conventions, regional or basin treaties, or national water legislation, legal instruments contain and outline key policy principles for the peaceful management of water bodies. Importantly, they also contain dispute resolution mechanisms for parties in the event that a conflict could not be avoided. Moreover, understanding where the right points of entry are and the ability to provide momentum to relevant parties to engage with water related disputes is also an important feature of water diplomacy. Political will is crucial for the resolution of disputes and in its absence, conflicts may stagnate and potentially escalate. This may also in some cases require the involvement of external parties to nudge stakeholders in the right direction or to provide the setting and expertise that the disputing parties themselves are lacking and which is hampering progress in the resolution of the dispute. This is another aspect of water diplomacy that can help create and sustain a peaceful environment for water resources management. Finally, key in addressing all of these matters is the capacity of water professionals and of stakeholders to deal with them. Education and capacity building are absolute requirements to empower all those who are closely or indirectly involved in water or water related conflicts. It is necessary to provide the right education to the new generation of water professionals. In addition, it is essential to continuously train those already active, to better understand the options available to address latent or actual competition and conflict over water and how to take into account technical, scientific, political, or governance-related factors. IHE Delft, together with its partners all over the world, has been working on these issues across three broad pillars, education, research and capacity building, to enhance the overall understanding of the processes happening and capacity of those who are involved in them. At a recent water diplomacy workshop at IHE Delft, attended by a large number of diplomatic representatives, great interest was shown in this urgent and increasingly important topic. ——————————– About the author:  Zaki Shubber is a  lecturer in Law and Water Diplomacy at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. For further information on relevant education or training programmes, please contact:  z.shubber@un-ihe.org ——————————— Photographer Hans de Lijser, copyrights IHE Delft

By Israel Rafalovich. Religion has helped since the beginning of times to shape the culture and civilization of the world and therefore it cannot be ignored in our globalised world especially when countries design their foreign policy and diplomatic strategies. Faith-based diplomacy is only beginning, and it may be sowing the seeds for deeper, more lasting forms of social transformation. Religion and diplomacy have been soul mates all along, and are currently engaged in seeking the post modern connection. Diplomacy now takes place in cultural and religious context and is concerned with the way identities are constructed as well as challenged by the interplay of a variety of factors in domestic and international politics. Globalization and the changing nature of conflict have shown the limits of conventional diplomacy in resolving these new conflicts in a global era and this has opened up opportunities for religious partner to be involved in diplomacy. One of the challenges facing global diplomacy is to fully understand and engage the great impact that a wide range of religions have on foreign affairs as there is far more to the religion and diplomacy agenda than just Islam and security. As our society and culture have become less religious, and perhaps, even less spiritual in some ways, governments have become less attentive to religion. Sometimes deliberately so. Religion was not taken seriously as it should have been and was not a priority in terms of international relations. Modern diplomacy’s dismissal of religion as a factor in world affairs was a huge mistake. Understanding of our contemporary world politics is not possible without including the religious element. There is an interaction of diplomacy and religion. Hence, this interplay of religion and diplomacy has not always been a story with a happy end. The lack of sensibility for the religious dimension of people often makes diplomatic efforts unsuccessful. In the ongoing discussions on constructing the world order many new approaches are being developed. One of the most discussed and controversial issue is the recognition of a religious dimension in international relations. We need to understand religion as a backbone for cultural identity, social engagement and human development. Religious inspired claims can redefine identities to promote reconciliation opponents to a better image, like “God’s children”. To put it clear, religion is essential to identity as we cannot understand human beings and human behavior in purely economic and political terms. In the current dynamic the politisation of religion in today’s environment means that religion increasingly plays a role in diplomacy both as an opportunity for engagement and as a way to inspire a variety of partners. In faith-based diplomacy, faith played, and is playing, a growing role in human affairs.  Human nature matters in general as do the vision and leadership of certain persons and at the same time it’s also recognizes the evil in the human soul. Iran Shiite revolution in 1979, the September 11, 2001 attacks all underline what an important global force religion has become, as the twenty-first century will make full-scale return to wars of religion. Religion has advanced political reforms and human rights but also induced irrationality, persecution and terrorism. Almost all the great religions contain exhortation that can incite and provide internal legitimacy to violence against others. The presence of religion in the global arena highlights its bond to violence and peace. It has been used as the fuel to stoke the fire of war and the water to extinguish it. In diplomacy today we should move towards a more syncretism stance that acknowledges the possibilities of religious diplomatic cooperation because of realization that religion is a large part of what motivates people and shapes their views. Religion informs the world views of both allies and adversaries. Do foreign policy makers undervalue or fail to understand the strategic importance of religion? Yes. If religion can be the missing dimension of statecraft, it is the most underestimated tool in creative diplomacy. In order to be able to lead internationally policy makers should learn as much as possible about the basics of religious history and incorporate that knowledge in their strategies.This means, there is no universal rule about diplomatic religious cooperation across the dynamically changing world. Policy makers need to institutionalize religion in order to be part of mainstream diplomacy and so to be able, to move away from the usual thinking that religion is relevant to certain specialized functions such as the advancement of international religious freedom. Many diplomats do not do not fully appreciate religion’s potential as a positive partner as many foreign policy officials have scant grounding in religious faith issues. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was shocked from the reaction he received when he lobbied the British labor government on behalf of the Christians of Iraq. His interlocutors had no idea that such people existed, or that their presence in the region predated Islam. A little bit religion and history education for the honorable diplomats could never harm them. The significant part of the problem is that religion plays different roles at different times and different places. By recognizing the role of religion in affecting political behavior and for using spiritual tools to resolve conflicts faith-based diplomacy can be a useful tool of creative foreign policy taking into consideration the influential role that religious institutions around the world play around the globe on almost every issue in global affairs, from economic growth to terrorism. What do religious based diplomats bring to the negotiating table that is different? They bring the motives for peace and reconciliation that are rooted in deep sense of religious identity and religious sensibility. Faith-based diplomats are also efficient at operating in those areas where traditional diplomacy possesses limited or no tools and resources to deal with a conflict. Faith-based diplomacy draws upon secular expertise in conflict resolution analysis, political science and philosophy, experience in national security and diplomacy. The objective of faith based diplomacy is not only conflict resolution but also the restoration of the political order that has suffered from war and injustice and the reconciliation of individuals and social groups. One example is the Vatican as a diplomatic organ of the Catholic Church. There is no similar organization at the level of effectiveness for any other religion. Catholicism’s impact today stems from tradition and doctrine in the Catholic Church as an institution. It is the only one that has diplomatic representation. The Vatican by its very existence challenges our common understanding of things like sovereignty and power in the international system, so its diplomacy shop is also the “tip” of the iceberg of what the Vatican can do, and has done in foreign relations.

• The role of the Catholic Church in mediating the conflict in the Chiapas region between the Zapatista rebels and the Mexican government.
• The Holy See intervening in Cuba, mediating in negotiations between then President Barak Obama and the Cuban President Raul Castro.
• Vatican diplomats have been on the ground in Venezuela, attempting to mediate peace between the government of Nicolas Maduro and the opposition.
• The Holy See has been also at the forefront of a big push at the United Nations on a new global treaty banning nuclear weapons.
• In 2013 we find Vatican diplomats taking part in committee  meetings at the Geneva peace talks to end the Syrian war.

The internationally recognized power of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State in the area of diplomacy is one of the biggest assets that make the Roman Catholic Church a global player. Given the role religion has played as a motivating force in foreign policy and the fact that religion looms as a factor in international politics the most important factor is the nature of diplomatic engagement with religion. For many, religion does not sit comfortably alongside diplomats’ conventional focus on issues like political affairs, public diplomacy or international security and for other it is just impossible to imagine religion relevance to diplomacy, although faith bears in very important ways on all these issues. Furthermore, it is critical for diplomats to understand the special role religious leaders play in a dynamic world. There is the desire for religious leaders to be more involved in politics. In certain situations faith-based diplomats are better positioned to become, trusted envoys and therefore they can be the right voice to be used in the call for tolerance and reconciliation and to promote mutual respect. This position comes from their links and their prestige. On the other hand, individuals on the religious side of the equation would benefit from an understanding of diplomatic terms and analysis and a realistic understanding of the working elements of international relations. To truly understand faith religious issues requires that all levels of policy decision makers have some idea of what’s going on. Religious diplomacy is a vital necessity, on which the future of humanity depends. It continues to be an important political phenomenon throughout the world. And, at its best it can reinforce the core values necessary for people from different cultures to live, to some degree, in harmony. ———— About the author: Israel Rafalovich, is a journalist now based in Brussels who has 51 years of experience with international in Tel-Aviv, Brussels, Bonn and Washington, DC. He covers the Europe and the European institutions and writes a weekly column on international Relations.

On the picture Chef Dao Van Son. By Youri Moes. Chef Dao Van Son was at the helm of the Crowne Plaza Hotel kitchen staff for the Vietnam Flavours event this June, showcasing his specialities of Vietnamese dishes to a hungry crowd. Chef Dao’s name is synonymous with haute cuisine in Viet Nam, boasting 2 Michelin Stars at his restaurant La Table Du Chef in Hanoi. Chef Dao has had a very prestigious career, working in some of the most exclusive hotels throughout Viet Nam. Chef Dao was responsible for creating well known dishes like Pomelo Salad with scallops, deep fried crab spring rolls, and sautéed king prawns.

During the Vietnamese food festival at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, guests had the opportunity to see Chef Dao’s culinary prowess first hand, with him using an outside grill. Together with chef Sido de Brabander and  other members of the kitchen staff of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chef Dao cooked up a storm, serving fresh fish in a spiced sauce, along with noodles and fried onions. Along side this was a mixed grill of Vietnamese meats. While working the grill and fires, Chef Dao managed to speak to all his guests, enquiring if they were enjoying their meals. To see a man working a craft in a high stress situation all while remaining calm and speaking to his guests was truly inspiring.

The guests Ambassadors and diplomats from more than thirty countries  obviously tasted the passion that Chef Dao put in his cooking since many guests went outside a second, third and even fourth time for more servings of the food. Even after the desserts, with sticky coconut rice, red bean jellies and fresh Vietnamese fruits, people would head outside, looking for any possible leftovers.

The Viet Nam Flavors dinner was a huge success, with chef Dao opening the doors to this great event together with the Ambassador of Viet Nam, H.E. Ms. Ngo Thi Hoa.    He has done a terrific job, showing the deep styling of Vietnamese cuisine to many diners without experience eating it. No one went home hungry, tables were alive with compliments to the chef, all of which was completely deserved.

 

On the picture Professor Peter A.G. van Bergeijk and Selwyn J.V. Moons. Photography by Dick de Jager.   By Peter A.G. van Bergeijk and Selwyn J.V. Moons. The design and management of bilateral relationships has become even more important in the new world “order” in which regional disintegration and an open confrontational approach to foreign policy make the headlines. The major lesson from the Great Depression – avoid protectionism – abruptly seems to have been forgotten: indeed, we are witnessing an unprecedented change in geopolitics with a clear impact on the international business environment and de modes and opportunities for economic diplomacy. Our recent Research Handbook on Economic Diplomacy clarifies that there is an important role for economic diplomacy in this context. TheResearch Handbook offers relevant and focused contributions by 31 leading experts from five continents and provides a comprehensive set of detailed analyses of OECD countries, developing and emerging economies in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The contributions provide a unique perspective on both the heterogeneous dynamics of economic diplomacy and the tools to analyze the impact and efficiency of economic diplomats. The studies in the Research Handbookthereby reveal how and under which conditions economic diplomacy can be effective, providing clear guidance for evidence-based policy. The Research Handbookoffers comprehensive analyses of state visits and trade missions (Volker Nitsch), export promotion agencies (Mario Cruz, Daniel Ledermanand Laura Zoratto) and embassies and consulates (Selwyn Moons and Remco de Boer). This analysis of modioperandi is strengthened by consideration of new forms and new agents in economic diplomacy, such as business diplomacy (Désirée van Gorp), iDiplomacy (GorazdJustinek), the management science of commercial diplomacy (Olivier Naray) and the use of case studies (Renata Cavalcanti Muniz).

  Comparative perspectives are also provided, for example for the major EU countries (Filippo Vergara Caffarelli and Giovanni Veronese), Central and Eastern Europe (Hugo Lapeyronie, Mathilde Maurel and Bogdan Meunier) and Latin America (Phil Compernolle and Mark Vancauteren). The comparative perspective also includes a meta-analysis on the effects of different instruments of economic diplomacy on international economic flows (Selwyn Moons). Building on the economic diplomacy literature, Henri de Groot, Marcel van den Berg and Michiel de Nooij provide a cost benefit analysis of economic diplomacy, showing its important potential contribution to economic welfare. The study of positive economic diplomacy is thus further established and has a clear message: it works and contributes significantly to a nation’s welfare. One of the important lessons from practice (KishanS. Rana) and science (Arjan Lejour) is the highly significant impact of economic diplomacy for developing and emerging economies. Bilateral economic diplomacy is important for building a good country image and to promote an emerging market as a reliable trading partner with high quality export products, especially in developing countries. It is a relatively more significant determinant of bilateral exports among African states compared to regional integration (Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor) and highly influential in the trading relations with China (Fuchs). New modes of economic diplomacy and (development cooperation) are being developed based on China’s pioneering approach to development (Arjan de Haan and Ward Warmerdam). Economic diplomacy, however, is not a panacea as Prahastuti Maharani) clarifies while discussing challenges such as lacking exporter preparedness, substandard logistic infrastructure and budgets that remain below those of neighboring countries. Additionally, Andrew Rose, one of the seminal contributors to this literature moves beyond trade and investment promotion by also considering sanctions and soft power. Chapters on China’s trade and development policies (Andreas Fuchs, Arjan de Haan and Ward Warmerdam), sanctions against Iran (Sajjad Dizaji) and the consequences of Brexit and MAGA for the Liberal Peace (Mansoob Murshed). Discuss under which conditions negative economic diplomacy bites What are the major findings and implications of recent research?

• First, economic diplomacy works and this is true both for positive and negative interaction. One can build on positive interaction to strengthen economic ties and similarly twitter tsunamisand increasing US reliance on economic sanctions will carry a significant cost.
• Second, uncertainty itself already reduces international specialization: the threat of trade disruption and discontinuation of treaties in itself influences perceptions and thereby the behaviour of consumers, firms and governments.
• Third a one size fits all approach does not work. Economic diplomacy should be aimed at the niche where its contribution can be most significant: complex products, complex markets and countries with diverging political, cultural and historical background.

One of the key topics that we currently face is to better understand the conditions under which trust rather than uncertainty can be created by economic diplomacy and how the contribution of trade to sustainable development can be strengthened globally, regionally and locally. The Research Handbook shows that economic diplomats and their interactions with states and hold the key to that challenge. ——————– About the authors: Peter van Bergeijk (1959) is a professor of international economics at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, The Netherlands. He started researching economic diplomacy as part of his PhD thesis Handel endiplomatie (trade and diplomacy) at Groningen University (1990) and has since published many books and articles in leading journals. Peter has been chief trade economist of the Netherlands Directorate General for Foreign Economic Relations and also worked in private and central banking. Selwyn Moons (1981) is a partner at PwC The Netherlands and visiting scholar at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, The Netherlands.Selwyn has a master degree in economics from the Erasmus University and a PhD from the Institute of Social Studies. His PhD thesis, published in 2017, researches the heterogeneous effects of economic diplomacy. Before his job at PwC Selwyn has been senior trade economist at the Netherlands Ministries of Economic Affairs and Foreign Affairs. He also held several management positions at these Ministries. ———————————————————————————————————————————–

On the picture His Excellency Mr. Jean Pierre Karabaranga, Ambassador of Rwanda. The famous World of Coffee exhibition in Amsterdam opened last June 2018, with  “Rwanda Coffee – A Second Sunrise” which is a national brand for Rwandan specialty coffee. A delegation of 21 exhibitors arrived from Kigali to represent the country’s coffee sector players. The delegates were facilitated by the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in The Netherlands and the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) in Rwanda. On the side-lines of the World of Coffee, Team Rwanda made a call for participants to the up-coming ‘Rwanda Cup of Excellence’ to be hosted by the country at Kigali in August 2018.

Rwanda Coffee – A Second Sunrise The National Coffee Brand Values are built on the reflection of what the Rwandan coffee industry and Rwanda as a country stands for. They are deeply rooted in the specific ways in which they invest their pride and effort and how they choose to cultivate process and deliver their coffee to the world. It enforces pursuing excellence (Quality), trust (Integrity) as well as appreciating their resources (Socially & Environmentally Conscious). Regarding trust, the coffee industry prides itself on being transparent and delivering quality products at a fair rate. They take pride of the heritage and resources, as well as the growth that the country has seen through which is very relevant for the coffee industry. Rwanda National Coffee Brand aims to help stakeholders collaborate and share knowledge to encourage innovation and growth. The growth and success of the industry is a shared source of pride, creating solutions and identifying opportunities is done at each stage of the value chain. Rwanda is known for being environmentally and socially conscious. The National Coffee Brand therefore dedicates itself to appreciating and taking care of its natural resources with a focus on organic and natural products, as well as valuing the role and effort of each stakeholder. August 2018 – Rwanda Cup of Excellence It was introduced in Rwanda in 2008 following the Rwanda Golden Cup in 2007. It is a competition that selects the very best coffee produced in a member country of the Alliance for Coffee of Excellence (ACE) for that particular year. It has created a much more transparent infrastructure for high quality coffees across the world. It is also an opportunity for coffee business dealers as they can identify, trace and build relationships with growers of superior coffees. It brings together the high-quality roaster and the high-quality farmer and helps both understand and appreciate the nuances and flavour profiles of rare exemplary coffees. It has encouraged farmers to be committed growing incredible coffees that can build consumer excitement and loyalty. The Cup of Excellence is a program with three-fold benefits. First and foremost, it dramatically enhances the lives of the farmers, their family and the community at large. Secondly, it is excitingfor the coffee lover who gets to discover exceptional coffees. Thirdly, it stimulates the sales and the image of roasters who acquired the best coffees during auctions. Cup of Excellence has been a springboard for many growers and has secured long term relationship with international buyers which, in turn, allows for further investment in the Rwanda coffee sector. Winning farmers take both the competition and the award as an acknowledgement of their dedication to quality.

• World of Coffee Exhibition                                                 www.worldofcoffee.org
• National Agricultural Export Development Board            www.naeb.gov.rw

—————- Photography by the Embassy of Rwanda.

Dorothee ter Kulve, founder of  Friendship Netherland. 10 years ago Friendship Nederland was founded by Dorothee ter Kulve to support Runa Kahn, founder of Friendship Bangladesh, in realizing her dream of bringing healthcare to the forgotten Char people of North Bangladesh. In those 10 years Friendship Bangladesh has grown into a trusted organization that commits itself to the social and economic development of these remote islands. Throughout this journey Dorothee and Friendship Nederland have proven to be invaluable partners for Runa and her organization. Last May 17, Friendship Nederland celebrated this 10 year anniversary in the Humanity Hub in The Hague with an inspiring afternoon on Inclusive Citizenship. The event was organized together with the Hiil organization (The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law). Both Friendship and Hiil are convinced that equal access to justice is a critical part of a stable and prospering society.

Past year Hill has done extensive research on the Bangladesh judicial system. Prof. Dr. Maurits Barendrecht and Data Analyst Martijn Kind where invited to present the results of the Hiil report “Justice Needs &Satisfaction in Bangladesh” (www.hiil.org) Professor Barendrecht talked about making the law more accessible for everybody, and the (digital)innovations that can make this possible. Friendships founder Runa Kahn approached the subject from her grassroots experience with the remote Char communities : “You can only start to think about pursuing your civil rights when you are healthy and have some food in your belly”. The first 10 years Friendship has focused on health and education. Since a few years they have taken the next step by launching their Inclusive Citizenship Program(www.friendship.ngo.) This program helps the Char people gain access to information about their civil rights and obligations. For these forgotten people this is an important step forward to becoming self-reliant citizens of Bangladesh. The afternoon ended with a big thank you from Dorothee ter Kulve to Friendships committed group of sponsors: “An organization like Friendship cannot exist and realize its dreams without you. I have always felt the overwhelming support and encouragement by all of you. Our combined effort alone cannot lift the country out of poverty, but it can make people a lot healthier, safer and smarter, so they are able to do the job themselves”

About Dorothee ter Kulve, Chairman Dorothee studied business administration in Rotterdam and International Relations at Johns Hopkins University. She worked for five years at a multinational company and then spent five years as an independent entrepreneur in the Czech Republic. This has enabled her to get to know the professionalism of a large organization and the entrepreneurial spirit of a small company. She lived with her family for a long time in former Eastern Europe and China. All these different experiences together have laid the foundation for Dorothee’s vision and involvement in development work. “I am convinced that the problems of population growth and persistent poverty can best be addressed by investing in education and health care in underdeveloped areas. As these areas develop, the birth rates will decrease what is needed for a peaceful balanced and sustainable world. ” Runa Khan, Founder and Director of Friendship Runa Khan is the founder and CEO of Friendship. The roots of Friendship lie in the broad experience of Runa in, among other things, education, tourism, communication and setting up small businesses. She is the author of eight published books (6 on pedagogy and 2 on children’s stories). Runa is a board member at Global Dignity and country manager of Global Dignity Bangladesh. She is also founder of Friendship International, an organization that works in four European countries. Her work for Friendship is based on practical innovation, empathy, respect and a deep sense of justice. Runa has won several international awards, such as Ashoka, IDB Schwab Foundation and Positive Planet. In addition, she is the only Rolex Laureate from Bangladesh.    

By John Dunkelgrün.

The Israeli Food Festival at the Crown Plaza Promenade was a most successful event. Three evenings with an almost full house, people revelling in the colours and flavours of this unique cuisine. Few countries, especially not small ones, have as much of a cultural variety as well as international exposure as Israel has. Culture determines what you can achieve with food, but the land, the terroir, gives you the basic ingredients. For millennia the land has been known for its fertility and its produce. Expressions like “Land of milk and honey”, and “The fertile crescent” (which includes the Lebanon) show that if there is water, the bounty of the land is plentiful and good. With very scientific irrigation and advanced desalination, Israel has learned to farm in spite of the aridity of the area and proud of its achievements uses the land to grow beautiful tasty and above all healthy produce. Being able to share this expertise could mean vast improvements in the lives of all of its neighbours.

Israelis travel It is almost de rigueur for young graduates to travel the world upon their release from the army. From Cuzco to Laos you’ll find internet shops with Hebrew letters stuck to the keyboards. This has given most Israelis an international outlook. Take the two festival chefs for example. Jonathan Borowitz travelled a year through South America and studied cooking at the famous International Culinary Center in New York. He is inspired by the home cooking of his family and friends and is obsessed by the methods in culinary science. The combination of seeing what mothers and grandmothers cook all over the world combined with the professional rigour one is taught by the teachers at the ICC or any of the other top cooking schools, is what makes Israeli food so special. Amit Aaronsohn has found on his travels that cooks anywhere speak the same language. He is a food writer, TV show host and sees himself as an ambassador for the food revolution that has taken place in Israel. He has a Masters degree in Food, Culture and Communication UNISIG, the Italian University of Gastronomic Sciences. He spent the 80’s and 90’s chasing the world’s cuisines and now spends his time in search of the true new Israeli cuisine. “It is exciting”, he says, “but there is a great cloud hanging over us in the shape of millions of Palestinians. Imagine what we could do together if they were a proper nation, and we could sit and eat together in peace.” Ambassador Aviv Shir-on emphasises that Israel is a start-up country and a high-tech powerhouse that is used to look outward for inspiration. That is as true in cooking as it is in agriculture and in chip design. It shows in the original combinations of flavours of Israeli foods, mixes of Middle Eastern, East European, Indian, East Asian etc. Food is not just physical nourishment, but one of the essential pleasures of life. People all over want to improve their lives. And good food and good wine can help people reach the promised land of togetherness in peace.