The Business Circle of the Residentie Orkest the Hague recently welcomed members at Urban Farmers.
Urban Farmers is the largest rooftop farm in Europe. In essence they believe that better food will bring us together. Growing food better is the only recipe for better food.
For additional pictures by Robert Huiberts, please open the link below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/109407424@N02/albums/72157698477303374Business Circle of the Residentie Orkest at Urban Farmers.
The Business Circle received a tour through the rooftop farm and fish farm where the concept of the Urban Farm was explained.
After this there was a performance of Wouter Vossen (concertmaster), Timu Yakubov (1st violin) and Sven Weyens (cello). They played a string trio in Bes. D471 van Schubert en Libertango by Piazolla.
The evening was concluded with an Asian buffet with fresh products of the Urban Farm.
H.E. Mr. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of Indonesia at SCENECS International Debut Film Festival. By Carl van Denzen.SCENECS International Debut Film Festival, which has been a recurring event since 2006, has been established and organized over the years thanks to the efforts of a number of volunteers, professionals, and sponsors. For additional images by Hester Dijkstra, please open the link below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/109407424@N02/albums/72157698463939094H.E. Mr. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of Indonesia, and H.E. Mrs. Ngo Thi Hoa, Ambassador of Viet Nam.The Festival “offers new directors and producers from all over the world the opportunity to show their first or second film in the cinemas,” and it has become over the years an important venue for debuting directors to make their work known. On Friday June 22nd, 2018, the 12th edition of SCENECS started, with an opening ceremony at the VUE Cinema Hilversum. The hundreds of guests who attended the event were welcomed with a drink, and the opening ceremony started with four Indonesian dancers in colourful costumes.Indonesian dancers at SCENECS.Mr. Arya Tariverdi, Festival Director and founder of SCENECS, welcomed all the guests, thanking in particular H.E. Mr. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of Indonesia, and H.E. Mrs. Ngo Thi Hoa, Ambassador of Viet Nam.Following this introduction, Ron Sterk, CEO of VUE Cinema and long time partner of SCENECS, explained the relevance of SCENECS for VUE. While his organization is usually more focused on big productions (such as that of, for example, Jurassic Park), Mr. Sterk noted that every film maker, even Spielberg himself, has to start from a debut film. “The debut movie makers of today can be the important movie makers of the future,” hence the importance of festivals such as SCENECS. Then, Mr. Wimar Jaeger, Alderman of Media and Culture at the Hilversum Municipality, praised Hilversum as the “city of the storymakers.”In this city, he said, it is vital that story makers train new people who can tell new stories. After this introduction, H.E. Mr. Wesaka Puja was invited on the stage. The Ambassador revealed his movie preferences, naming One Flew over the Cuckoo’sNest as his favourite movie, and he stressed the educational nature of movies, from which everyone can learn a lot. A movie, the Ambassador said, “is a small mirror that can change your life.”H.E. Mr. Wesaka Puja praised SCENECS, because the Festival builds bridges between different cultures and different directors. As for Indonesia, given the increasing popularity of movies, the plan is to increase the number of screens, from the current 1500 to up to 5000 screens. This would be surely an improvement for the Indonesian people, because as Steven Spielberg once said: “Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.”Mr. Wimar Jaeger and Ambassador Puja officially opened the festival,The Ambassador and Mr. Jaeger then officially opened the festival, pushing a red button in the midst of paper golden garlands flying in the air. This year’s edition of SCENECS started with the Indonesian film “Posesif,” from producer Muhammad Zaidy and directed by Dhani Awan. The movie revolves around the issue of love and its difficulties. These problems are experienced by everyone: not only teenagers, but also teachers and parents. The focus of the movie is on teenager experiences in Indonesia, and it is not much influenced by mainstream cinema. In the Top 100 ranking of Indonesian movies, Posesif ranks 35th, and it is a clear example of the growing Indonesian movie industry, which started its growth after the 1980s and 1990s. After the movie, Jacques Happe interviewed Muhammad Zaidy, producer of the film, who explained some of the film’s features. The opening ceremony ended with drinks and Indonesian snacks. In the rest of the festival, which has lasted from June 22nd to June 29th, several movies have been screened. In the 2018 edition, SCENECS has received more than 800 applications from 71 different countries, and it has screened 130 (inter)national fiction films and documentaries. Also, the Festival has offered, to both film makers and the audience, a series of workshops and masterclasses on film and media, thus contributing to the spread of the “cinema culture” in the Netherlands.
Khaled Elanany, Minister of Antiquities of Egypt and Sovereign Prince Albert II of Monaco – Picture by Gouvernement Princier de Monaco.
Friday, 6 July 2018, Principality of Monaco: HSH The Sovereign Prince of Monaco and the Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, Khaled Elanany, opened the exhibition “L’Or des Pharaons: 2500 ans d’orfèvrerie dans l’Egypte ancienne” (The gold of Pharaohs: 2500 years of goldsmithing in ancient Egypt).
The exhibition is on display till 9 September in Monte-Carlo.
Following a tradition, a post stamp dedicated to the exhibition has been released that is meant to further the visibility of cultural activities held in Monaco worldwide.
Minister Khaled Elanany was treated to a working luncheon by Counsellor Patrice Cellario, Monégasque Minister of Interior previous to the opening.
For further information:
15-21 July 2018, Paris, Maison Cartier: Emeralds, spinels, mandarin garnets, turquoises and diamonds stand out in sparkling contrasts and signature pairings that invite you to discover the quintessence of colour in Cartier’s newest collection, Coloratura, on display at 13, rue de la Paix in Paris (by appointment only).
By Roy Lie Atjam.
Only hours before his departure, I had the honour to meet with Mr. Alvaro Sanchez, Chargé d’ Affairs at the Embassy of the Republic of Venezuela in the Netherlands.
After serving his country for one year and a half as Chargé d’ Affaires, Alvaro Sanchez has left the Netherlands for a new important assignment on the Caribbean island of Barbados, often referred to as the little Britain of the Caribbean.
Alvaro Sanchez, new Chargé d’affaires du Venezuela in Barbados.
During his stint in the Netherlands Sanchez contributed towards exposing Venezuela culturally through several concerts by El Sistema at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
He also contributed to the screening of Venezuelan films at the Rotterdam Film Festival last year.
Mr. Sanchez with his team of Venezuelan diplomats in Barbados.
It didn’t take the Chargé d’ Affaires long to settle down in his new abode in the “Bajan” capital Bridgetown. He met with Heads of Mission and other representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, government ministers, among them, Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment Adrian Forde, Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Trevor Prescod, Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Colin Jordan.
All had gathered on Thursday 5 July 2018 for his welcome reception and the Venezuelan National Day.
Mr. Alvaro Sanchez is confident that a recent meeting between the newly elected Barbadian Prime Minister the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley and Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Caribbean Affairs, Raul Licausi will mark a new beginning in the two countries’ relations.
Embassy of Venezuela in Barbados.
Next year, Venezuela and Barbados will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and according to the new Chargé d’ Affaires, this will be a great opportunity to work comprehensively towards more cooperation and integration.
We wish Alvaro the best of luck in his new assignment.
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For additional information, please open the links below:
On the picture, Dr. Dilruba Nasrin, from Bangladesh.By Roy Lie Atjam.
Wassenaar, 27th June 2018 Dr. Dilruba Nasrin spouse of Bangladesh Ambassador in the Netherlands, hosted a festive gathering for her fellow members of the Ambassadors’ Spouse Association (ASA) at Bangladesh House.
For additional exceptional Hester Dijkstra’s pictures, please open the link below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/109407424@N02/albums/72157698444641834Mrs. Uma Rathore, from Pakistan, Mrs Najat Bellouki. from Morocco, Mrs. Linda Zin from Malaysia.
The main focus of the gathering was a saree and fashion pageant as well as a presentation of various elements of the rich Bangladeshi culture, including the authentic Bengali cuisine.
Dr Dilruba Nasrin is a prominent exponent when it comes to the wearing of saree. The (very) young models and actors put on a stunning performance.
Young models and actors from Bangladesh together with Dr. Nasrin.
Furthermore, ASA avail itself of the opportunity to take leave of the members Mrs. Patricia van Oordt (Spain) and Mrs. Reem Mufleh (Jordan).
At the same time it warmly welcomed a new member, Mr. Thongvut Pintaruchi, spouse of the Ambassador of Thailand. Moreover, Dr Dilruba Nasrin held a touching expose on the Rohingya issue.
Mrs. Ntokozo Koloane, from South Africa welcome Mr. Thongvut Pintaruchi, spouse of the Ambassador of Thailand.
It has been a pleasurable Bangladeshi afternoon.
Mechanism Registrar Olufemi Elias on official visit to Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Hague, 10 July 2018– The Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Mr. Olufemi Elias, will be on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), from 10 to 12 July 2018.
On 11 July, Registrar Elias will attend the commemoration ceremony of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide at the Potočari memorial centre, where he will deliver remarks and pay his respects to the victims.
As part of the visit, Registrar Elias will meet with officials at the Court of BiH (Court) in Sarajevo, including the President of the Court, Judge Ranko Debevec, and the Registrar of the Court, Ms. Emira Hodžić, to discuss a range of issues, including the Mechanism’s provision of assistance to national authorities dealing with war crimes cases.
Registrar Elias will also meet with the Head of the Sarajevo Mayor’s Council for the Information Centre on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (Centre), Mr. Ivo Komšić, to discuss ongoing cooperation between the Centre and the Mechanism. The Centre, which recently opened with the support of the Mechanism, promotes the legacy of the ICTY by providing digital access to public records and archival material of the ICTY.
During his visit in Sarajevo, the Registrar will hold a briefing for the diplomatic community based in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as meet with the representatives of civil society.
This is Mr Elias’ first of a series of planned visits to the former Yugoslavia since his appointment as Registrar of the Mechanism in January 2017.
US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland and President Donald Tusk – Picture by European Union.
Monday, 9 July 2018, Brussels: US Ambassador Gordon Sondland arrived in Brussels on 8 July 2018, and presented his credentials at the European Commission and to the President of the European Council Donald Tusk on 9 July 2018.
Ambassador Sondland is the Founder and CEO of Provenance Hotels, a national owner and operator of full-service boutique “lifestyle” hotels. Provenance and its affiliates (founded in 1985), currently own and/or operate 19 hotels in seven states and have another six hotels currently under development.
Sondland, a first-generation American whose parents fled from Germany after the rise of the National Socialist Party, is a long-time member of the Republican establishment.
For further information:
Representation of the USA to the EU / H.E. Ambassador Gordon Sondland: http://www.useu.be
H.E. Jean Pierre Karabaranga and his spouse Mrs. Vibviane Uwicyeza Mironko.Kwibohora24: 24th anniversary of liberation of Rwanda celebrated in the Netherlands
The 24th anniversary of liberation was held under the theme “Together we prosper”. On Wednesday 4 July the Embassy of the Republic Rwanda in the Netherlands hosted the Kwibohora24 celebration with a reception and lunch at the Hilton Hotel in The Hague, in order to pay tribute to Rwandan men and women who in different ways contributed to Rwanda’s liberation. The fallen heroes paid the ultimate price during the liberation struggle.
For additional Naldo Peverelli’s pictures, please open the link below: https://www.flickr.com/photos/109407424@N02/albums/72157697220207991Ambassador Karabaranga, Ntokozo Koloane, Vibviane Uwicyeza Mironko and the Ambassador of South Africa, H.E. Bruce Koloane.
The Embassy of Rwanda in The Hague initiated this reception to celebrate 24 years freedom, peace, security and unity that have been the backbone of Rwanda’s political and social economic transformation.
Rwanda has made tremendous strides in all aspects and Rwanda has been repeatedly ranked the safest, peaceful, cleanest and one of the most economically progressive country not just in Africa but also in the world.
H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga, his spouse Mrs. Vibviane Uwicyeza Mironko and the Embassy team welcomed more than 200 guests including the diplomatic community, representatives of international organizations, Rwandan nationals living in the Netherlands, Friends of Rwanda and others.
The program started with the national anthem of Rwanda, followed by the national anthem of the Netherlands followed by a word of welcome by Mr. Emmanuel Safari, Chairman of the Diaspora Committee in the Netherlands. H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga gave a remarkable keynote speech to the crowded venue in The Hague.
After the speech, the audience enjoyed traditional Rwandan dance called Intore and the celebration was concluded with a lunch, where also Rwandan coffee with a Rwandan Coffee Brownie was served. All guests received a goody bag with Umushanana Coffee from Rwanda, sponsored by Starbucks Netherlands.
In his speech H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga said that The 4th of July is for Rwandans a time for reflection. “A time to look back, to see where we are coming from, assess what we have achieved as a nation and re-assess our targets to ensure that they remain relevant to the nation’s needs within the regional framework and international responsibilities. Kwibohora is an opportunity to share Rwanda’s liberation story, the journey of unity and reconciliation since 1994 and the country’s on-going renewal and vision for a brighter future.”
Swiss, Liechtenstein’s, Luxembourgian and Austrian foreign ministers – Picture by Gouvernement grand-ducal.
Tuesday, 3 July 2018, Schengen, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg: German-speaking ministers of foreign affairs gathered in Schengen to discuss a common strategy for the challenges of protectionism, migration, terrorism, climate change and free trade.
Only the German counterpart Heiko Maas was missing because of an internal accord in Germany to reduce the number of arriving refugees to the country.
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“The debut movie makers of today can be the important movie makers of the future,” hence the importance of festivals such as SCENECS. Then, Mr. Wimar Jaeger, Alderman of Media and Culture at the Hilversum Municipality, praised Hilversum as the “city of the storymakers.”
In this city, he said, it is vital that story makers train new people who can tell new stories.
After this introduction, H.E. Mr. Wesaka Puja was invited on the stage. The Ambassador revealed his movie preferences, naming One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest as his favourite movie, and he stressed the educational nature of movies, from which everyone can learn a lot. A movie, the Ambassador said, “is a small mirror that can change your life.”
H.E. Mr. Wesaka Puja praised SCENECS, because the Festival builds bridges between different cultures and different directors. As for Indonesia, given the increasing popularity of movies, the plan is to increase the number of screens, from the current 1500 to up to 5000 screens. This would be surely an improvement for the Indonesian people, because as Steven Spielberg once said: “Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.”
“The debut movie makers of today can be the important movie makers of the future,” hence the importance of festivals such as SCENECS. Then, Mr. Wimar Jaeger, Alderman of Media and Culture at the Hilversum Municipality, praised Hilversum as the “city of the storymakers.”
In this city, he said, it is vital that story makers train new people who can tell new stories.
After this introduction, H.E. Mr. Wesaka Puja was invited on the stage. The Ambassador revealed his movie preferences, naming One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest as his favourite movie, and he stressed the educational nature of movies, from which everyone can learn a lot. A movie, the Ambassador said, “is a small mirror that can change your life.”
H.E. Mr. Wesaka Puja praised SCENECS, because the Festival builds bridges between different cultures and different directors. As for Indonesia, given the increasing popularity of movies, the plan is to increase the number of screens, from the current 1500 to up to 5000 screens. This would be surely an improvement for the Indonesian people, because as Steven Spielberg once said: “Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic, no matter what the movie’s about.”
H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga, his spouse Mrs. Vibviane Uwicyeza Mironko and the Embassy team welcomed more than 200 guests including the diplomatic community, representatives of international organizations, Rwandan nationals living in the Netherlands, Friends of Rwanda and others.
The program started with the national anthem of Rwanda, followed by the national anthem of the Netherlands followed by a word of welcome by Mr. Emmanuel Safari, Chairman of the Diaspora Committee in the Netherlands. H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga gave a remarkable keynote speech to the crowded venue in The Hague.
After the speech, the audience enjoyed traditional Rwandan dance called Intore and the celebration was concluded with a lunch, where also Rwandan coffee with a Rwandan Coffee Brownie was served. All guests received a goody bag with Umushanana Coffee from Rwanda, sponsored by Starbucks Netherlands.
In his speech H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga said that The 4th of July is for Rwandans a time for reflection. “A time to look back, to see where we are coming from, assess what we have achieved as a nation and re-assess our targets to ensure that they remain relevant to the nation’s needs within the regional framework and international responsibilities. Kwibohora is an opportunity to share Rwanda’s liberation story, the journey of unity and reconciliation since 1994 and the country’s on-going renewal and vision for a brighter future.” 
H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga, his spouse Mrs. Vibviane Uwicyeza Mironko and the Embassy team welcomed more than 200 guests including the diplomatic community, representatives of international organizations, Rwandan nationals living in the Netherlands, Friends of Rwanda and others.
The program started with the national anthem of Rwanda, followed by the national anthem of the Netherlands followed by a word of welcome by Mr. Emmanuel Safari, Chairman of the Diaspora Committee in the Netherlands. H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga gave a remarkable keynote speech to the crowded venue in The Hague.
After the speech, the audience enjoyed traditional Rwandan dance called Intore and the celebration was concluded with a lunch, where also Rwandan coffee with a Rwandan Coffee Brownie was served. All guests received a goody bag with Umushanana Coffee from Rwanda, sponsored by Starbucks Netherlands.
In his speech H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga said that The 4th of July is for Rwandans a time for reflection. “A time to look back, to see where we are coming from, assess what we have achieved as a nation and re-assess our targets to ensure that they remain relevant to the nation’s needs within the regional framework and international responsibilities. Kwibohora is an opportunity to share Rwanda’s liberation story, the journey of unity and reconciliation since 1994 and the country’s on-going renewal and vision for a brighter future.” 