Exhibition Retratos CruzadosFrom 15 September until 12 November, Cervantes Institute, Utrecht
From 15 September until 12 November the Cervantes Institute in Utrecht, in collaboration with the Spanish Embassy in The Hague, will hold the photo exhibition “Retratos cruzados” on the occasion of the 450 anniversary of the beginning of the Eighty Years’ War. The project has been launched by “Gaceta Holandesa”, a website in Spanish on culture and current affairs in the Netherlands.
“Retratos cruzados” consists of 16 photographs of Spanish residents living in the Netherlands and Belgium and Dutch and Belgian Flemish citizens living in Spain, who have been portrayed in places historically related to the Eighty Years’ War, offering a modern perspective of the 450 anniversary.
The different portraits have been made by Alicia Fernández Solla, photographer specialized in documentary photography and co-founder of Gaceta Holandesa.
Sculptures by Eduardo Chillida in the Rijksmuseum GardensFrom 22 June until 23 September
The sixth annual summer’s exhibition in the Rijksmuseum Gardens will feature nine giant sculptures by Spanish artist Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002). Chillida is considered to be one of the most important post-war innovators in sculpture. He became famous chiefly for his huge sculptures in steel.
For the first time, nine of Chillida’s monumental outdoor sculptures will be exhibited together in the Netherlands. The works are on loan from the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the Eduardo Chillida-Pilar Belzunce Foundation in Hernani, Ordovas in London and a private collection.
The opening of the exhibition will take place on June 22. The exhibition will run until September 23.
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More information can be found at the websites of the Rijksmuseum.
Tiffany and Co.’s flagship boutique in NYC
Luxury brand Tiffany & Co. announced a multimillion dollar renovation to its flagship New York City boutique.
The flagship renovation, which should be complete in 2021, is part of the company’s new focus on attracting younger, hipper customers to its engagement rings, and its iconic store.
In 2017, Tiffany & Co. opened an Instagram-friendly eatery called the Blue Box Cafe, that finally gives visitors a chance to actually eat breakfast at Tiffany’s. The restaurant, located on a recently renovated fourth floor of the iconic10-story Tiffany flagship, has been a big hit.
During the construction, Tiffany will use a nearby retail space at 6 East 57th Street in NYC.
For further information:https://www.tiffany.com/
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Picture by Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
August 2018, Capital City of Amsterdam, Kingdom of the Netherlands: US Consul General, Mr. Joe Parente arrived to Amsterdam. His previous diplomatic post was held in the capacity as Deputy Consul General at the US Embassy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) between 2016-2018.
CG Parente speaks with various degrees of fluency, Farsi, Romanian, Mandarin Chinese, and French and is currently studying Dutch.
Thursday, 16 August 2018: Air France-KLM named Air Canada’s President Airlines and Chief Operating Officer Ben Smith as its new CEO director general.
The 46-year old Francophone Smith is the first non-French CEO of the company since its foundation in 1933.
Smith served as Air Canada’s is known for putting shareholders’ interest first; indeed he is credited with developing Air Canada’s low-cost subsidiary Rouge. At the same time, he is credited with sealing a 10-year pay deal with Air Canada unions in 2015.
For further information:
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, and discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, space, digital India and people-to-people relationship during an official visit on 19-20 June 2018. Thus she became the first external affairs minister from India to visit Luxembourg.
She also made a courtesy call on HRH The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and exchanged views to further strengthen 70 years old diplomatic relationship between India and Luxembourg, and impart an upward trajectory to our bilateral ties.
Swaraj subsequently held a productive meeting with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn. The two leaders discussed cooperation in trade and investment, steel and space, and exchanged views on strengthening India-EU relations.
India and Luxembourg are celebrating 70 years of establishment of their diplomatic relations.
Heiko Maas in Tokyo – Picture by National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo.
25-26 July 2018, Tokyo, Japan: Germany and Japan have the potential to be “at the heart of an alliance of multilateralists” amid “huge upheavals” in the world. That was the message delivered by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas as he laid out an ambitious vision for closer bilateral cooperation during a visit to Tokyo, and first to Asia since taking over the German Foreign Ministry. There Maas met with his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, for two hours.
The meeting came just a week after European leaders and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe singed a landmark economic partnership agreement, which is to create the largest free trade zone in the world. The agreement was accompanied by a strategic partnership agreement that paves the way for closer coordination between Japan and the European Union on a range of pressing matters.
On the trade front, Maas highlighted how the EU-Japan deal had created new standards for global trade in environmental and climate issues, consumer protection, social standards, and competition law. Ongoing negotiations on investment protection arrangements could also result in new standards in this area according to experts.
“That’s what I mean by the term ‘rule shaper’ in quite practical terms,” Maas uttered. “However, it is perhaps even more important to send a signal both eastwards and westwards – one that says that we don’t think of free trade as a zero-sum game. Trade with reliable rules creates prosperity for everyone at the end of the day.”
Maas added, however, that the World Trade Organisation needed to be modernised. He suggested Germany and Japan could act as pioneers in developing modern rules for digital trade and for dealing with state enterprises. The minister also suggested trilateral cooperation with the United States, wherever possible, to fight against unfair practices such as the obstacles companies face in accessing markets in China.
On his part, Minister Taro Kono said he intended to coordinate more closely with Germany, which he noted would begin a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2019.
The Embassy of India informs with deep sorrow that former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on August 16, 2018.
As a mark of respect to the departed leader, seven days of state mourning has been declared from August 16, 2018 to August 22, 2018.
A book of condolences will be opened for signing at the Embassy of India, (Buitenrustweg 2, 2517 KD, The Hague). All members of the diplomatic corps and public who wish to sign the book of condolences are welcome to do so at the following times:
Tuesday 21 August 2018, 1000 to 1300 and 1400 to 1700
Wednesday 22 August 2018, 1000 to 1300 and 1400 to 1700
United Kingdom Requests Extension of OPCW Technical Assistance for Amesbury, UK Incident
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—7 August 2018 — The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) received a request on 6 August from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) for the OPCW to extend its technical assistance in the technical evaluation of unscheduled chemicals.
In response to the request, the OPCW will deploy a technical assistance team for a follow-up visit and to collect additional samples. Samples will be sent to two OPCW designated laboratories. Once the results of the analysis are received, the report will be submitted to the United Kingdom.
The UK’s request for assistance was made in accordance with Article VIII 38 (e) of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Picture Twitter Mark Rutte. from his twitter account.By Anton Lutter.
On the 15th of August 1945 the Second World War ended for the Kingdom of the Netherlands by the surrendering of the Japanese forces, now 73 years ago. Every 15th of August this day is remembered at the Indies Monument in The Hague. During the Japanese occupation of the Netherlands East Indies (nowadays Indonesia), 100,000 Dutch nationals were detained in appalling conditions in internment camps for 4 years. About 13,000 of them died.
Thousands attended the commemoration, among them not only the victims but also their children and grandchildren. Confirming the recent trend that especially the younger generations are interested in the circumstances of their family during World War II.
The solemn ceremony began when the standard of the Regiment Van Heutsz was presented by the military in traditional uniforms of the former Royal Netherlands Indies Army. The music peace’s where performed by the Royal Military Band “Johan Willem Friso” and the Residentie Bach Ensembles choir.
On behalf of the government Prime Minister Mr. Mark Rutte– his own father being interned during the WWII – and the State Secretaryfor Health, Welfare and Sport Mr. Paul Blokhuis, who has “World War II Victims and Remembrance”in his portfolio, laid a reef. The importance of the 15th of August commemoration is reflected by a large attendance of dignitaries. Amongst them the Minister of Defense Mrs. Ank Bijleveld as well as the Commander of the Dutch Defence Force, with the Operational Commanders of the Army, Navy, Air force and Marechaussee.
The presidents of the parliament (Tweede Kamer) Mrs. Khadidja Arib and the senate (Eerste Kamer) Mrs. Ankie Broekers-Knol, the vice-president of the Council of State Mr. Piet Hein Donner and the president of the Court of Audit Mr. Arno Visser.
Des Indies Monument in The Hague. Photography by Anton Lutter.
After the laying of the reefs by the Government, Defense and City of The Hague, represented by deputy mayor Mr. Bert van Alphen, the representatives of the Embassies of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States and Indonesia paid their respect by also laying a reef.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Bernard Bot, during WWII “a camp child”, reiterated in De Volkskrant newspaper that the Japanese occupation of the Netherlands East Indies is a part of our history that deserves attention, “the horrors of the Second World War over there where at least as big as in Europe. It is good that one has knowledge and contemplates about it”.
