By Jhr mr Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland.
This will be my last contribution to Diplomat Magazine. To say goodbye. During many years I wrote articles every month in my honorary function as ‘Special Advisor International Affairs of the City of The Hague’, or –as some Dutch newspapers (NRC Handelsblad, De Telegraaf, AD Haagsche Courant) called me several years ago and ever since (with a wink !)- ‘the city ambassador of The Hague’.
In the 80’s and especially the 90’s of the 20th century The Haghe was very succesful in gathering in international organisations (ICTY, OPCW, ICC etc.), other IGO’s and NGO’s. Tens of thousands of international workers from all over the world work and live here now. They are very important for The Hague’s image as ‘The International City of Peace and Justice’ as well as for its economy and employment. That is why in 2004 the Municipality of The Hague was extremely worried about the results of an enquiry from an international workers union amongst their members about what they thought about living and working in The Netherlands: a lot of international workers were at that time not happy here and wanted to leave our country, together with the organisations they worked for. If the expats really would leave on a large scale, it would be disastrous for our city. The Mayor and Aldermen of The Hague took many measures, together with the Government, to avoid that exodus.
A small measure of the Mayor and Aldermen was to ask six inhabitants – I was one of them- to become ‘City Consul of The Hague’ and to be their ‘eyes and ears’ in the international circuit in The Hague. So we did. The complaints were very divers: from police behavior to not understanding the public health system here to the general feeling that they were not welcome by the Dutch people and much more. We listened to the complaints of the expats and passed the information on to the Mayor (and former Cabinet Minister) Mr. Deetman personally, who then took measures. Several years later the new Mayor Mr. van Aartsen –also a former Cabinet Minister- decided to decrease the number of City Consuls to only me and to change my title into ‘Special Advisor International Affairs’.
What I mainly do in the international circuit of The Hague can perhaps be summerized as: (1) explain about and help with many different aspects of The Hague and The Netherlands, (2) connect people if useful for them and (3) –occasionally- listen to complaints and try to solve them. Furthermore I gave in the past fourteen years interviews to several newspapers, wrote articles in several international as well as Dutch magazines and held speeches for international as well as Dutch organisations about the history and future of, and importance for The Hague of the big international community here.
This year I will turn 70 and I will have to retire as Justice (Judge) in the (Dutch) Court of Appeal, my daily work. It’s time for other things than work. That is also the main reason that I will resign as Special Advisor International Affairs per February 1, 2018. Since that capacity was the reason why I wrote for Diplomat Magazine, I will stop with that also per the same day: February 1, 2018.
It was a privilige to serve during fourteen years The Hague as well as to serve and help hundreds of always very nice and friendly foreign diplomats, judges and other expats, coming from all over the world to live and work in my own beloved The Hague, ‘The International City of Peace and Justice’.
I thank all people involved, expats as well as Dutch, from the bottom of my heart. Goodbye !
a.beelaerts@planet.nlAlexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland
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Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland’s articles in ‘Diplomat Magazine’ 2013 – 2018
2013-10 The Hague welcomes six new ambassadors in September
2013-11 Congratulations !
2013-12 The Dutch learn about Diplomacy in The Hague
2014-01 From Queen to King in 2013
2014-02 A remarkable year in The Hague
2014-04 ‘It was truly gezellig !’
2014-05 Remembrance / Kwibuka
2014-06 Jolly June in The Hague
2014-07 Welcome to nine new ambassadors
2014-09 200 years ‘Prinsjesdag’
2014-10 Welcome !
2014-11 International Organizations in The Hague
2014-12 Welcome Ambassadors !
2015-01 Ambassadors in the Press
2015-02 Welcome new ambassadors !
2015-03 Elections in March
2015-04 4th Global Conference on CyberSpace in The Hague
2015-04 The Hague becomes an International Security Centre
2015-05 Remembrances in The Hague: Armenia, ANZAC and Rwanda
2015-06 The Hague for UNICEF
2015-07 The Haghe and Missing Persons
2015-09 The topic of Immigration and NIMP, The Netherland’s Institute for Multiparty Democracy
2015-11 The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters in The Hague
2015-12 New World Campus: an innovative and sustainable new organisation
2016-01 The Dutch and the Dutch EU Presidency in 2016
2016-02 Terrorism in The Hague
2016-03 The Hague’s new word mark
2016-04 The Hague: more than just the international institutions
2016-05 European exhibition on peace ans security
2016-06 Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) centre of Excellence (CCOE) moved to The Hague
2016-07 The Hague Academy of International Law in the Peace Palace
2016-09 The Hague as Shelter City for Defenders of Human Rights
2016-10 EUROPOL: a fast growing international police organization in The Hague
2016-11 REDRESS: the most recent NGO that started in The Hague
2016-12 Kosovo: again a new international tribunal to settle in The Hague
2017-01 “Discover International Law”: an interesting new book
2017-02 Brochure The Hague International City of Peace and Justice
2017-03 Dutch elections on March 15th
2017-04 OPCW twenty years in The Hague
2017-05 The Hague and the Urban Agenda for the EU
2017-06 A new NGO in The Hague: Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI)
2017-07 Visitor’s Centre of the Peace Palace
2017-09 4th Just Peace Festival 2017
2017-10 The Red Cross branch The Hague’s activities in the autumn
2017-11 The Hague and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)
2017-12 The end of ICTY
2018-01 My resignation as ‘city ambassador of The Hague’ after 14 years
By Corneliu Pivariu.
During the last 20 years we witnessed numerous “calligraphy exercises” or exercises directly on the map as far as the possible developments in the Middle East were concerned, some of them worth paying attention to, mainly through the authors’ prism and the interests behind them and less through any practical elements they suggested.
Here we are 100 years later after the Balfour Declaration (2nd of November, 2017) and the developments after the two World Wars and the end of the Cold War foreshadow the continuation of an incertitude and conflict situation in this area.
If after the fall of Berlin Wall it seemed that the Middle East evolved gradually toward stability following the Peace Treaty between Jordan and Israel and some minor positive evolutions of the Palestinian problem, here it came 2006 which marked a dangerous development for Israel in its conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and later on we were witnessing the so-called “Arab Spring” which, in fact, triggered a storm not only in the Middle East but also in North Africa. It created not only a state of instability but also it sent profound reverberations especially in Europe where the migrants/refugees crisis continues. And all these on the background of a still undecided struggle in a globalising world whereby the Middle East still represents an important geopolitical stake.
If we simplify a little the situation, a solution for normalizing the actual state of affairs in the Middle East might be represented by setting on new bases the relations among the four of the most important countries (in alphabetical order): Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Turkey and Israel’s acceptance of the evolutions in this regard as well as solving the Palestinian problem.
An especially first important condition for a start of the solution being possible is that of achieving a Sunni-Shia reconciliation, which would mean an important step toward normalizing the relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Such an achievement, followed by a series of political and economic steps for cementing and developing these relations could create the conditions for a new development of the cooperation among the Gulf countries, for stabilizing the situation in Yemen as well as positive evolutions in Iraq, a particularly important country for the Middle East.
Egypt, which ever since the last part of Mubarak regime played an ever dull role in the Middle East in comparison with its geopolitical size, importance and position and having diplomatic relations with Israel, could contribute to a greater extent to a durable solution in case it solves the serious economic and social problems it is confronted with and will improve its relations with Iran, Turkey and even with Saudi Arabia. In its relationship with Turkey, the leadership in Cairo should overcome the episode of the support Ankara extended to the former president Mohammad Morsi.
Turkey is an important regional player still in the ascendance, yet confronted with domestic problems of a political and social nature, with the Kurdish movement of independency and, no less important, dependent on foreign financing for implementing its ambitious programs of economic development. Turkey is also dependent on the import of energy resources (especially crude oil and gas from Russia and Iran), as well as on the relations with these countries, to which China should be added. The manner in which the conflict in Syria will be solved has a particular importance for Ankara and in this respect it is interesting to follow the developments in Idlib area. We think that the development of the relations between Ankara and Riyadh might be of great importance.
Tehran should renounce exporting the Islamic revolution and the project of the Shiite crescent, to achieve a greater economic regional and global opening and to decide as well if it wants to be a nuclear or a geopolitical power. To say nothing of the policy in relationship with Israel.
Here it is, very briefly, why we believe that such a solution is an utopian one and, at least for the next two or three decades, we do not contemplate an evolution toward stability in the Middle East.
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About the author: Corneliu Pivariu, former first deputy for military intelligence (two stars general) in the Romanian MoD, retired 2003. Member of IISS – London, alumni of Harvard – Kennedy School Executive Education and others international organizations. Founder of INGEPO Consulting, and bimonthly Bulletin, Geostrategic Pulse”. Main areas of expertise – geopolitics, intelligence and security.
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Photographer: Ionus Paraschiv.
With the release of the bestseller Traslados, Silvia Korenblum, psychologist and diplomatic spouse, describe and explore the transitory migration of diplomatic life and its impact on the family. Diplomat Magazine decided to publish this powerful companion book designed for diplomats and their families, in its original language.Por Silvia Korenblum. Las etapas del desarrollo con sus crisis vitales son esperables para todos los individuos. Surgen desde la naturaleza misma de la biología y de la sociedad y atraviesan la estructura familiar.Adolescencia
Una crisis de desarrollo por excelencia es la adolescencia, pasaje de niño a adulto, dolorosa y excitante travesía.
Siguiendo las ideas de Arminda Aberastury (1983), podemos decir que el adolescente realiza tres duelos fundamentales: a) duelo por el cuerpo infantil perdido, siente sus cambios como algo externo frente a lo cual se encuentra como espectador impotente de lo que ocurre en su propio organismo; b) duelo por el rol y la identidad infantiles, que implican una toma de responsabilidades que antes desconocía; y, c) duelo por los padres de la infancia que también tienen que aceptar su envejecimiento y el hecho de que los niños ya no son niños.
Ya el polo de identificaciones no está en la casa como en la infancia (madre, padre, hermanos). Es el momento de salir, de buscar afuera, de despegarse de los padres y descubrir el mundo. De esta manera, el adolescente se mueve entre el impulso del desprendimiento de los padres y la defensa que le impone el temor a lo desconocido.
A los adolescentes en tránsito, cuando se tienen que trasladar, se les suma el duelo por el grupo de pares y la geografía. Y se complica, porque dejar a los amigos, novios, clubes, deportes que se practican en virtud de una geografía y una cultura determinada, es dejar una imagen, un reflejo, un referente, en plena búsqueda de identidad.
Ese reflejo que al adolescente le devuelve quién es él, en el momento en el que la imagen del hogar ya no es lo que más necesita o justamente es una imagen de la que busca desprenderse. Es entonces cuando los adolescentes reaccionan y se enojan con sus padres. Los jóvenes sienten que tienen razón en esa rabia, mientras que sus padres se debaten entre las culpas y las reediciones de sus propias ansiedades adolescentes y se encuentran perdidos entre las razones de sus hijos, y sus propias razones.
Florencia de 16 años estaba de novia cuando llega el traslado. Esto crea una verdadera crisis en la madre, que se debatía entre estar alejando a su hija de “el amor de su vida”, y la culpa de hacer un daño irreparable. La madre con una testarudez adolescente, hacía que ella y su hija tuvieran enfrentamientos, de igual a igual, donde la madre no podía poner un orden de prioridades, sumida en una angustia paralizante. Ya no podía soportar escucharla. La madre ya no podía contener a su hija que necesitaba más que nunca de su escucha y contención.
Es un período de contradicciones, confuso, ambivalente, doloroso, caracterizado por fricciones con el medio familiar. Empiezan las justificaciones para todo tipo de trasgresión. Los hijos culpan a los padres porque son arrancados de su vida sin ser consultados, sin tener voz ni voto, en un momento en el que se trata por sobre todas las cosas de hacerse oír. El dolor es genuino.
Es un tiempo duro y de mucha soledad. Es un momento donde la identidad es muy frágil y la necesidad de un marco de referencia seguro y compartido se hace muy necesario.
Por eso será, de todos, el momento más complicado para la familia en tránsito. Los hijos deciden que ya no quieren acompañar más a sus padres en esa gitanería loca, pero no son autónomos como para quedarse solos. Comienzan luchas internas de las que no siempre se sale bien.
El adolescente es especialmente vulnerable para asimilar los impactos proyectivos de padres, hermanos y amigos. Es un receptáculo propicio para hacerse cargo de los conflictos de los demás y asumir los aspectos más sensibles del medio en que actúa. Por eso, es lo más factible que en la familia migrante sea el adolescente el que represente el malestar que la mudanza irremediablemente trae consigo.
En virtud de la crisis esencial de la adolescencia, esta edad es la más apta para sufrir los impactos de una realidad frustrante.
Los padres son juzgados por sus hijos, y son padres culpógenos. Los hijos sienten hostilidad hacia sus padres y sienten que no son comprendidos. Esa misma des idealización de las figuras parentales los sume en el más profundo desamparo.
Cuanto más conciencia tienen los padres de sus propias limitaciones y necesidades, tanto más son capaces de responder a sus hijos. Cuanto más se enfrenten con la aceptación del crecimiento de los hijos, y la ambivalencia y resistencia que esto puede implicar, más conectados estarán con sus propias limitaciones por el paso del tiempo y de ahí podrán sacar experiencias y claridad para atravesar este difícil momento de crecimiento.
Reconociendo lo que se pierde y teniendo en cuenta la capacidad para reconstruirlo, tratando juntos de crear una estrategia común para recrear un grupo de pares en el nuevo destino.
Las crisis, al no discutirse lo suficiente, hacen que las personas que las experimentan se sientan aisladas, confundidas o culpables y creen ver en ellas algo malo y quizás hasta anormal cuando en realidad ya en esta etapa hay que pensar que hay que entender las razones de los hijos y empezar a contemplarlas aunque a veces a los padres no los convenzan tanto.
Una madre una vez me pregunto: ¿Quién nos enseña a ser padres de adolescentes?
La contraparte de los adolescentes:
Adolescencia: Dícese de la etapa de la vida en la cual los padres se ponen insoportables.
La autora Silvia Korenblum, nació en Buenos Aires y es Licenciada en Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Tiene un Post grado en terapias de familias y parejas, además de un Magister en psiconeuroendocrinologia. Es Especialista en problemas de desarraigo y adaptación, ha ejercido su práctica clínica en diversas instituciones clínicas y hospitalarias. Ha trabajado dictando seminarios y coordinando talleres de orientación a padres de niños y adolescentes atravesados por la problemática de la migración, en diferentes países.Es Autora de numerosas ponencias y artículos sobre su especialidad y del libro Familias en Transito, Lumen humanitas 2003.Casada desde hace 25 años con un diplomático. Actualmente vive en Bruselas, ejerciendo su practica clinica, terapia y coaching on line.
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Fotografia por Pablo Crinspun.
By Corneliu Pivariu.
After around six months since taking over the presidential mandate (14 May 2017), president Emmanuel Macron’s foreign policy begins to take shape after he made tours abroad in Eastern and Central Europe (Austria, Romania and Bulgaria and met political leaders of Slovakia and the Czech Republic), in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Ghana), Middle East – United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
What president Macron contemplates in his foreign policy is to restore France’s status of great power in matters of foreign policy (the status of permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto power together with that of nuclear power are essential elements for this role) whereby security issues play the foremost part.
France is placed on the first line of fighting terrorism (especially in Syria and Iraq, according to president Macron’s statements) and, in the last speech delivered at Versailles, the president named the enemy – the Islamic terrorism (something the previous president refused to specify). The military component plays an important role in this regard and the defense budget for 2018 will witness a “historical increase” so that the army dispose of a genuine deterrence capacity, will be modernized to confront the challenges, without reaching “the stage of militarizing the international relations”.
“France’s army must remain one of the main European armies and the second biggest in the free world” – president Macron said in his 29 August speech in Paris.
In the Gulf, president Macron attended the opening of the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi – an illustration of high level cultural diplomacy, after which he paid a surprise visit to Riyadh (our sources say that the French ambassador in Riyadh who wished to visit Hariri was subject to corporal and car control, a violation of diplomatic norms – which speeded up president Macron’s move) where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and stepped in favour of the Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri who has resigned in obscure circumstances while he was in the Saudi capital.
As a result, before coming back to Beirut, Hariri visited Paris. That little achievement cannot hide the reality that France has not enough means for being a dominant player in the Gulf. Even if it succeeded in solving Hariri’s case, France lost much of the historic role it could have played in Lebanon and we do not think it could easily recover that role.
As for the European Union, Emmanuel Macron is one of the few European leaders to say things frankly: “Today, Europe functions badly, sometimes even very badly… and Brexit is just another expression of this phenomenon”. Nevertheless, his initiatives, including the one concerning the common defense, need a strong and stable partnership with Germany. For the time being, Angela Merkel tries to overcome the difficulties faced by forging a governing coalition and the possible alliance with Martin Schultz’s social-democrats, who back the reform agenda contemplated by France, could be a favourable factor for president Macron.
Another area of important opportunities is Russia and here we recall president Macron’s clear and open position upon president Putin’s first visit to Paris. The French president did not assess completely yet the possibilities and still does not want to cooperate with Moscow, something that could be useful for the EU’s diplomacy in Ukraine and particularly for a post-conflict solution in Syria.
In most of the situations, France does not possess the means for determining alone the international developments yet it has the capacity and experience of using the international developments to back its interests and president Macron seems well prepared for such an exercise. But the present international diplomacy has difficult to predict evolutions and we do not know to what extent Macron can and will want to adapt himself to such evolutions.
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About the author: Corneliu Pivariu, former first deputy for military intelligence (two stars general) in the Romanian MoD, retired 2003. Member of IISS – London, alumni of Harvard – Kennedy School Executive Education and others international organizations. Founder of INGEPO Consulting, and bimonthly Bulletin, Geostrategic Pulse”. Main areas of expertise – geopolitics, intelligence and security.——————-Photographer: Ionus Paraschiv.
The Embassy of the Republic of Poland, the Historyland Museum and St. Maximilian’s Center in Harmęże will present the exhibition “Photographic Plates of Memory Labyrinths” from January14th until February 13th.
The exhibition will be opened by the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Mr Marcin Czepelak and the Mayor of Hellevoetsluis, Ms. Milene Junius.Wystawa 11
The author of the exhibition, Marian Kołodziej, was a Polish artist, theatre and movie scenographer. He was a prisoner of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz – Birkenau since the first day of its existence (camp number 432).
Wystawa 14
For nearly 50 years of his life he was silent about his war time experience and did not include it in his work. However, at the beginning of the 90’s, as a result of a severe illness, he decided to follow the words of the great Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert who once wrote: “You have not survived simply to live. You have little time, a testimony must be given.”
Consequently, he created a series of drawings about his personal experiences in the concentration camp. Through his words-paintings which form the photographic plates of memory, the author leads us into a labyrinth of experiences related to the hell of Auschwitz.
This year the film club activities are dedicated to the 100 Anniversary of Czechoslovakia. Skeleton on Horseback is based on the play by Karel Capek , the Czech Ambassador in the Netherlands, Her Excellency Jana Reinišová will give an introduction together with Capek-translator Ms Irma Pieper.
Wednesday January 10th / Film starts at 18:30
16:30 | Czech Center | GM, Westersingel 9, 3014 GM, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Hugo Haas | Czechoslovakia | 1937 | Drama, Fantasy | 103 min. | Czech with English subtitles
US Soldiers honor WWII tradition with Christmas Eve in the caves of MaastrichtSoldiers from the U.S. Army participated in the annual mass honoring the Christmas Eve Mass celebrated by American soldiers in 1944. For the second year, USA Charge d’affaires Mr Shawn Crowley and his wife Sabine represented the United States Mission.December 24th, 1944, the Dutch Brothers of the Immaculate Conception organized a Christmas Eve Mass in the Schark Cave, close to the St. Pieter’s Mountain in Maastricht.Between 250 and 280 mostly young American soldiers, who were based in Maastricht and surrounding areas, attended this special Christmas celebration in the small cave.WWII soldiers signing their names in charcoal on the cave wall of ‘De Schark’ at the 1944 Christmas eve mass in Maastricht, Netherlands. Photo: The foundation of the Commemoration of the American Celebration 1944 (S.H.A.K. 1944)This was an emotional Christmas celebration for many young men who knew they were headed to the Battle of the Bulge in the near future. The Schark Cave was a place of brief refuge in wartime as Brothers and civilians came together in solidarity.After the Mass these young soldiers signed their signatures in charcoal on the cave wall (see photo). The Dutch foundation “Commemoration of the American Christmas Celebration 1944” (SHAK 1944) organizes this annual commemoration each Christmas Eve to honor the event.
Venetian carnival with Ciconia Consort and Rick Stotijn
From January 18 as Ciconia Consort will present the concert program Venetian Carnival with bassist Rick Stotijn. The string orchestra conducted by Dick Gasteren brings works by Rota, Bottesini, Stravinsky and the Dutch premiere of Pantalon und Columbine after W. A. Mozart.
Venetian Carnival starts on Thursday, January 18 at Parkstad Limburg Theaters Heerlen, further seen in the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tivoli / Vredenburg Utrecht Oude Blasius Church in Delden.
The finest musical imagination of the Venetian Carnival is perhaps composed by Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889). He wrote the spectacular Gran Duo Concertante for violin and double bass. Guest Player and bassist Rick Stotijn has the opportunity to plunge into the Italian lyrical, musical acrobatics that characterizes this work.
Bassist Rick Stotijn
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was in 1771 with the decadent and extravagant Venetian carnival. He visited the Commedia dell’Arte closely linked to the Italian carnival. The visit to Venice inspired him to Pantalon und Columbine composition he wrote 12 years later for the pantomime theatre.
Ciconia Consort brings 235 years later, the Dutch premiere of this work in the original strings version reconstructed by John Holik. Pantomime player Kevin Gorcszynski brings some famous commedia dell’arte characters to life.
In addition to Mozart and Bottesini, Ciconia Consort brings during the Venetian Carnival works by Rota and Stravinsky (Appolon musagete).
Rick Stotijn (1983) is one of the leading bass players in the world. In 2013 he received the Dutch Music Prize, the highest recognition for Dutch musicians. Stotijn’s captain bass is a fellow at the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, but interpreting this role regularly with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. His first CD in 2012 of works by Bottensini received enthusiastic reviews.
Ciconia Consort was founded in 2012 and is led by Dick Gasteren. The orchestra consists of musicians with an average age of 25 years. Ciconia Consort has made over the past five years name with high-profile concerts. The orchestra regularly delves into unknown masterpieces and brings these often premieres on the Dutch concert venues. Artists and trendsetters from other disciplines are often guests of the orchestra like; Maarten van Rossem and Willem Ottespeer and musicians like Lavinia Meijer and Peter Gijsbertsen. Ciconia Consort is based in The Hague.
International Public Diplomacy Council (IPDC), a Diplomat Magazine’s partner in promoting Public Diplomacy in the Netherlands and abroad, is reaching the USA, Canada and South America in 2018.
IPDCThe IPDC is headquartered in The Hague. A new cluster has been recently launched in Ottawa, Canada. The IPDC was engineered in 2013 by four Heads of Diplomatic Missions accredited to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and diplomats. Its main mission is to enhance Public Diplomacy practice in the European Union and overseas. We are a not-for-profit cluster of dedicated Public Diplomacy practitioners, including current and former ambassadors and diplomats worldwide. Our policy helps local, regional and foreign governments in excelling on Public Diplomacy. More recently, in 2017, the IPDC has joined the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa to organize the 1st Canada’s Public Diplomacy & Ambassador of the Year Awards 2018, taking place on January 24th at the Faculty of Law. Awards has received the full support of the Deanship of the Diplomatic Corps in Canada, H.E. Ambassador Florence Chideya, as well as from nine regional (Group) of diplomatic deans in Ottawa. Organizers are honored to have Tony Graham Lexus in Ottawa as the main sponsor of the event. The 2018 Awards in the Hague and the 2019 Awards in Ottawa is already in agenda. The organization of diplomatic awards (including its related Online polls), is one of the IPDC main savoir-faire. Awards Organized by the IPDC / National or International Online diplomatic polls for Public Diplomacy & Ambassadors of the Year Awards. Albeit it might change from country to country, voters choose their favorite embassies by geographical region from an Online platform. Votes count for both diplomatic awards; Public Diplomacy & Ambassadors of the Year Awards. Voters make their choices based on any of the following assets from an embassy & ambassador: The cultural achievement, country image/branding innovation, special events and promotions, Web site or social media outreach, publications, relationship with their own expats, and the embassy interaction with the local civil society.The IPDC encourages people to vote for their own embassy but to also to do so for other regional diplomatic missions. Normally, seven winner ambassadors -divided by geographical regions- receive their awards during a diplomatic ceremony organized by the IPDC in association with a distinguished academic institution. Embassies can run their own campaign promotion by inviting any person, accredited diplomats or not, to vote Online. Exceptionally, selected individuals non members of the diplomatic corps may receive a public recognition for their extraordinary support to public diplomacy or the diplomatic corps. Online Polls for Canada’s awards 2018 remains open until January 14th, 2018 on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K6C8D82As usual, diplomats accredited to the Netherlands, in the European Union and overseas, can send their CVs to the IPDC to join as volunteer contributors. Special requests or additional information can be sent to the IPDC at:publicdiplomat@gmail.com
On 7 November, 2017 the Embassy of Hungary in the Netherlands organized a panel discussion entitled “International Law from a Visegrád Perspective” at The Hague Institute for Global Justice. The event was organized in the framework of the Hungarian presidency of the Visegrád Group with more than 130 participants attending from diplomatic missions, international courts and think tanks in The Hague.
At this panel discussion, a distinguished panel of judges from all the Visegrád countries discussed the legal traditions in Visegrád countries and their current influence on international law, as well as how the national experience of judges influences the international courts and tribunals in The Hague.
Ms. Réka Varga, Head of the International Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, moderated the event.
The first panellist, the Polish judge of the International Criminal Court, Piotr Hofmański gave an introductory speech on the influence of Central European judges and experts on the development of the international criminal justice. The Hungarian judge of the International Criminal Court, Péter Kovács shared his thoughts on the development of international law in former Soviet-influenced countries. In his statement, he gave a fine overview on how the attitude of the Visegrád countries changed towards the international law in the past decades.
Ivana Hrdličková, the Czech President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon spoke about the current challenges facing international courts. She identified the political and financial credibility as the biggest challenge. To manage this challenge transparency, efficiency and accountability are the best remedies.
From the Slovak Republic, Judge Peter Tomka working at the International Court of Justice enumerated the most influential jurists of the Visegrád countries who shaped the world of international law. He highlighted that Poland was the most active country at the Permanent Court of International Justice, the predecessor of the International Court of Justice. He emphasized that the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) was established in December 1966 upon Hungarian initiative.
The Ambassador of Hungary to the Netherlands His Excellency Mr. András Kocsis concluded the event by thanking the panellists and participants for their insightful comments and remarks.
IPDC
