King Willem-Alexander and President Raimonds Vējonis – Picture by Presidency of Latvia. 11-12 June 2018, Riga, Republic of Latvia: At the invitation of President Raimonds Vējonis, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander paid a state visit to the Republic of Latvia. The monarch was accompanied by Foreign Minister Stef Blok.

The state visit to Latvia was followed by a state visit to the Republic of Estonia (12 and 13 June) and to the Republic of Lithuania (13 and 15 June).

The programme was focused on the long-standing historical ties between The Netherlands and Latvia, to Estonia and to Lithuania, which date back to the fourteenth century – with mutual trade peaking in the Golden Age – and on the close bilateral ties they enjoy today. The Netherlands’ relationship with all three countries today is characterised by strong partnerships in peace, security and prosperity, within the framework of the European Union and NATO in particular.

Parallel to the state visits, separate economic programmes will explore the potential for expanding economic partnerships. In Latvia the focus was on transport and logistics (including smart mobility).

The visits are taking place in the year in which Latvia and Estonia celebrate 100 years of independence, and Lithuania 100 years of regained independence. The independence celebrations and the importance of independence for the three host countries was featured on all three visits.

For further information: https://www.royal-house.nl/latest/news/2018/05/18/state-visit-to-latvia—program

President Dalia Grybauskaitė and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands – Picture by Lithuanian Presidency. 13-15 June 2018, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania: At the invitation of the President of Lithuania,  H.E. Ms.  Dalia Grybauskaitė, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands paid a state visit to the Republic of Lithuania on the evening of Wednesday 13 and on Friday 15 June 2018 accompanied by H.E. Foreign Minister Stef Blok. Parallel to the state visit, a separate economic programmes explored the potential for expanding economic partnership. In Lithuania the focus was on partnerships in energy, with Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag attending the parallel economic programme. Another theme was military cooperation within NATO. The state visit to Lithuania was suspended on Thursday 14 June, when the three countries commemorate the victims of the first mass Soviet deportations of Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians to Siberia in 1941, but resumed on Friday, 15 June. For further information: https://www.royal-house.nl/latest/news/2018/05/18/state-visit-to-lithuania—program

H.E. Mr. Jens-Otto Horslund, Ambassador for the Kingdom of Denmark and Mrs. Lisbet Horslund. By Roy Lie A Tjam. On June 5, 2018, Denmark celebrated constitution day. It’s the anniversary of the signing of the Danish constitution of 1849, which established Denmark as a constitutional monarchy. H.E. Mr. Jens-Otto Horslund, Ambassador for the Kingdom of Denmark including Greenland and the Faroe Islands. For additional Hester Dijkstra’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157698048149525

The 2018 edition of this momentous day took place on the lawns of the residence of Ambassador Jens-Otto Horslund and his spouse Mrs. Lisbet Horslund. It is Ambassador Horslund first Constitution Day celebration in the Netherlands. It is surprising to find oases that exude tranquility in the heart of the city of The Hague, but the residential lawns managed to do just that. It was a warm sunny day, and the free-flow of chilled Danish beverages quenched the thirst of the numerous attendees. Ambassadors from Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Israel, India, Costa Rica, Iran, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, South Africa, Croatia, Portugal, Mexico, Uruguay, Estonia, Germany, Austria, Georgia, the Holy Sea, and many other countries joined their colleague Jens-Otto Horslund in the celebration.

Ambassador Jens-Otto Horslund stated in his welcome remarks: “We Danes are proud of our Constitution. 170 years ago, Denmark’s first democratic constitution was adopted and entered into force a year later. Our democratic system, the division of power, human rights – core values of our country are enshrined in the constitution. The Constitution forms the basis for our lifestyle and for the development of our country which today is one of the richest, most stable and equal societies in the world.” Horslund went on, “As you know, Denmark ranks among the happiest countries in the world. We are also known for the concept “hygge” translated it means coziness (similar to the Dutch gezellig.) So, welcome to the happiest and hyggelig reception in the world. Dane knows how to have a good time. Before closing, Ambassador Jens-Otto Horslund, said the following, I will take this opportunity to thank our host country and all of you for receiving my family and myself so warmly. We tremendously wanted to come to The Hague, we are so happy to be here. Thank you all.

Allow me to thank our sponsors who have so graciously donated food beverages, music and much more. Without your donations and the hard work of my excellent Embassy staff, it would not have been possible to celebrate constitution day with such a wonderful garden party.” Ambassador Horslund concluded by inviting one and all to indulge in a range of delicious sausages, cheese, beer and wine that is unique to Denmark.

Since all have enjoyed the beautiful summer sun in the lush surroundings of the residence’s terrace and garden, the 2018 Constitutional Day garden party could, therefore, be considered a resounding success.        

H.E. Mr. Bruce Koloane, Ambassador of South Africa. By Roy Lie Atjam. Leiden, June first, 2018, The Embassy of South Africa, the Africa Studies Centre Leiden and the VrijeUniversiteit Amsterdam cohosted a lecture at the Academigebouw Leiden University. The occasion was the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. Master of Ceremonies was Prof. Jan-Bart Gewald, director Africa Study Centre Leiden.

Prof. Mark Rutgers, Dean Faculty of Humanities, welcomed the guests on behalf of Rector Magnificus Prof. Carel Stolker. H.E. Mr. Bruce Koloane, Ambassador of South Africa to the Netherlands, gave an introduction to the centenary of Nelson Mandela. Prof Tom Lodge of Limerick University Ireland, author of the biography Mandela. A Critical Life (2006)delivered the keynote address on the leadership of Nelson Mandela (Madiba).

Prof. Tom Lodge made use of pictures to deliver his address. A brief extract of his delivery now follow . “Mandela’s leadership would combine three qualities:

• Messianic heroism • Patrimonial authority • Strategic vision. These are three dimensions of leadership that correspond with the conventional analytical distinctions between charismatic, traditional and legal-rational types of authority.

In March 1961, after the withdrawal of charges at the end of the Treason Trial, Mandela leaves the court-room in Pretoria, accompanied by Moses Kotane.

Mandela was careful – fussy even about his appearance, about what he wore and how he appeared in public. Here (photo not available) he is dressed in his role as a member of South Africa’s tiny African professional elite. His professional achievements were not merely instrumental for him in his political ascendancy, though they had a lot to do with it. He was a lawyer by training and vocation. Mandela lived by rules, codes and an etiquette of behaviour engrained in him by an ethos of honour learned both at his African childhood home, at the Anglophile schools he attended, and in the legal court civilities he learned.”

The centenary celebration of the birth of Nelson Mandela was, by all means, a tremendous success. Among the attendees were the Ambassadors of Nigeria, Tunisia, Rwanda, chargé d’affaires of Algeria, Morocco and others. A reception offered by the Embassy of South Africa, concluded the celebration. —————- Photography by  Eelkje Colmjon-African Studies Centre Leiden, Nelson Mandela 100 Anniversary.

Nicos Argyrides, Second Secretary Embassy of Cyprus, Cypriot artist Toula Liasi, Ambassador of Cyprus H.E. Mr. Elpidoforos Economou and Mr. Yiannis Toumazis, Director of the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre.     By Roy Lie Atjam. The Hague the exhibition Where have you been? was inaugurated on June 2, 2018, by the Ambassador of Cyprus H.E. Mr. Elpidoforos Economou. The exhibition consists of works by the Cypriot artist Toula Liasi and is dedicated to all Missing Persons in Cyprus. Interesting to note, Toula Liasiget’s her inspiration from music. Therefor the Dutch trombonist Jorgen van Rijen performed I was like a wow by Jacob ter Veldhuisat the inauguration.

Toula Liasi has lost her only brother during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. His corpse was traced in a mass grave in 2014. Approximately 1,000 persons are still missing in Cyprus. In his welcome remarks Ambassador Elpidoforos Economou stated the following : “I would like to extent my warmest congratulations to Toula Liasifor her art project “Where Have You Been?” dedicated to all the missing persons of Cyprus. I am confident that Toula has once again devised ways to bring to our attention, through the power of her art, all the dimensions of the most dramatic aspect of the recent history of Cyprus: the tragedy of the missing Cypriots. More than 2,000 Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been reported as missing. Approximately two thousand cases have been presented to the Committee of Missing Persons of Cyprus which operates under the auspices of the United Nations. In many cases fragments of the remains of approximately 900 missing persons have been found, identified through DNA analysis and returned to their families. The fate of the other missing persons still remains unknown. Despite the continuous efforts of the Cypriot government for more than four decades and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, Turkey is still not cooperating, to the extent necessary, in order to put an end to the tragedy of the relatives of the missing. After forty-four years, many of them passed away without knowing the fate of their beloved ones. Toula’s personal history is one of the most characteristic of the Cyprus problem. Her father, Savvas Liasi, is an emblematic personality still living in the occupied northern part, together with a few hundred other Greek Cypriots, who insist on remaining in their homes despite all the problems and hardships that they encounter in their everyday life because of the Turkish occupation. Toula ‘s mother, Maroulla, died in peace soon after she buried the remains of her son Yiannakis, who had been missing for forty years. He was found in a mass grave and identified through DNA analysis. Loaded with such a heavy burden, Toula feels the need to react. As an artist and art teacher, she uses her art to attract attention to long forgotten situations in her homeland. Although she has been living and working in The Netherlands for almost forty years, she still gets her inspiration from her village in the occupied northern part of Cyprus. Approaching different issues through artistic perspectives, the artist gives new emphasis to them. Three of her major art projects have already been dedicated to our enclaved compatriots, who have been a constant inspiration for her throughout the years. With her latest art project “Where Have You Been?”, which is dedicated to the missing persons of Cyprus, and is presented today in The Hague, Toula manages to keep alive and remind us of an open wound of modern Cypriot history, but also she significantly contributes in raising awareness on this vital humanitarian issue. I wish Toula every success for this unique art project, as well as, for all her future artistic but also very realistic endeavours. With these words I would like to invite Toula to the floor so as to introduce us to her artistic journey through a video. A video that starts where her story ends, when the remains of her beloved brother finally “are coming home” after 40 years.” End quote.