On 3 November 2017, the Japanese government announced the foreign recipients of the 2017 Autumn Conferment Decorations. Two Dutch citizens will receive a decoration for their contribution to the promotion of Dutch-Japanese relations. Dr.  J.A. (Joop) Stam, Professor Emeritus of Erasmus University Rotterdam and University of Twente, will receive the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. This is in recognition of his significant contribution to developing Japanese studies and promoting better understanding of Japan in the Netherlands. Mr. C.J. (Cor) Nolten, a former staff member of the Embassy of Japan in the Netherlands, will receive the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Silver Rays. With this decoration the Japanese Government recognises his significant contribution to the Embassy of Japan in the Netherlands.  

                      On the picture HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, former German President Christian Wulff, HM Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, HM Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. By Henri Estramant. 26 October 2017, Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand: One year after the enlightenment of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) of Thailand, cremation and funerary rituals for the erstwhile longest reigning monarch were complete at the Grand Palace, after five days of national mourning and ceremonies to celebrate the late king’s life. Presiding over the Buddhist ceremonies and the cremation was his only son and successor, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (Rama X). Subsequently the ashes of King Rama IX were transferred by the Sovereign to a Buddhist temple holding the mortal remains of members of the Chakri Dynasty. Whereas his bones remain in a separate urn at a private hall inside the Grand Palace. 

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was 88 years old at the time of his enlightenment, and reigned for over 70 years. According to tradition the spirit of the Hindu deity Rama inhabits the reigning Thai monarch’s body. The cremation paves the way for King Vajiralongkorn’s coronation.    The funeral ceremonies were attended by royalty, heads of state and government as well as their representatives from around the globe. From the Benelux countries, HM Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, HM Queen Mathilde of the Belgians and HRH The Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg attended. Germany was represented by former President Christian Wulff and France by erstwhile Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.  For further information: Funeral cremation’s official website:  http://kingrama9.net/en/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWhz1Qs2pPY        

H.E. Saywan Barzani. Ambassador of Iraq. By Roy Lie A Tjam The names Nineveh and Jonah, are inextricably linked. An impressive exposition on the ancient city of Nineveh has been inaugurated at The National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden featuring more than 250 articrafts from the city of Nineveh. The collection including reliefs, statues, clay tablets, and cylinder seals. Of particular interest are the large reliefs from the city palaces and the reconstruction of one of the rooms in the palace of King Sennacherib. The exhibition archeological treasures came from more than 25 lenders. Among them renowned institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art N.Y., British Museum, Louvre Museum Paris and the National Museum of Iraq, Bagdad. Approximately 2,700 years ago, Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire and the largest city in the world. The city was ruled by King Sennacherib and other Kings, all wielded great power. Pictures are a courtesy of the National Museum of Antiquities of Leiden, for additional images on the opening open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157690097068446

The exhibition is sponsored by the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in the Netherlands and supported by several national and international organizations.

The official opening of the Ninveh Exposition took place on October 19th in the presence of H.E Jet Bussenmaker, Dutch Minister for Education Culture and Science who performed the official opening. In her inaugural address, Bussenmaker cited the opening lines of the Bible book Jonah, saying: The word of God came to Joʹnah the son of A·mitʹtai, saying: “Get up, go to Ninʹe·veh+ the great city, and proclaim judgment against her, for their wickedness has come to my attention.” 3 But Joʹnah got up to run away from God to Tarʹshish; he went down to Jopʹpa and found a ship going to Tarʹshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarʹshish, away from God. Other speakers at the inaugural ceremony were Mr. Wim Weijland Director of the National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden, a video recorded message by Ms Irira Bokova, DG of UNESCO was screened. Subsequently, the welcome remarks by the Ambassador of Iraq H.E. Saywan Barzani followed. Note a part of Barzani’s welcome remarks:

Guests from all over the world, Allow me first to thank all of you for making this happens. Special thank goes to both: Mr. Wim Weijland and Ms. Anna de Wit of National Museum of Antiquities and their team, Nineveh, Heart of an Ancient Empire has brought us together to celebrate the opening of this Exhibition.

The collaboration of many museums and institution from different parts of the world makes it a success to let everyone have a chance to see, at the same time, the beauty and power of Nineveh and Mesopotamia. Iraq has deep richness in artefacts that are still to be discovered with more than 12,000 registered archaeological sites. Nineveh is not a new name, we all might hear of it when we were younger, its name and/or people have been mentioned in both the Bible and Quran; a great city preserved the past, the past of great ancient empire. Today as we celebrate this important event, Iraq is about to have its land freed from ISIS (IS) totally. IS tried to destroy the whole Mesopotamian civilization in the region, the destruction to historical sites caused by IS should make us more vigilant, united and cooperative than ever. Iraq is grateful for the efforts of international community aiming to preserve the cultural heritage in Iraq, among them, the UN Resolution A/69/L.71 in May 2015, strict monitoring system of many UN member-states against smuggling artefacts and returning them back to its country of origin, UNESCO engagement is of value in this venue, not to mention the role of the host country, The Netherlands, Prince Claus Fund is a great example in this field. Our collective efforts need to have a deep sense of serious and historic responsibility to protect the value of cultural heritage, the heritage that kept the memory of past civilization alive through many centuries. Many inventions of our modern time have roots in past civilizations; let us spare no effort to preserve the cultural heritage that does not belong only to Iraq but to the whole humanity. How great to present the next generations with the gift of enjoying, feeling, seeing and nourishing their memory with the beauty of these artefacts! Allow me at the end to thank you once again for your valuable presence here with us today, my special thanks to the organizers, it is an honour to congratulate the Dutch government and people for the new government soon to be announced, and now let us all welcome the speech of H.E. Bussemaker Minister of Culture, Education and Science who might have the last chance appearing in public as a Minister of Culture due to the new Cabinet. The exhibition Nineveh is under the patronage of UNESCO. and runs from 20 October 2017 until 25 March 2018.    

By Roy Lie A Tjam. The Embassy of Romania in The Hague has organized a superb Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse(“Ie”) at the Chancellery on 29 June 2017. The event was in cooperation with the Romanian national air carrier TAROM, and NetSib Foundation in Deventer. An exclusive event indeed, special guest at the event was Mrs. Andrea Ciortea, a Romanian cultural expert and a founding member of the movement “La Blouse Roumaine” who was flown in for the celebration of Universal Day of the Romanian BlouseIe/Ie. She delivered a lecture entitled “The spirit and celebration of the “IA “ = the Romania Blouse. When it comes to Romanian culture, Andrea Ciortea is certainly an authority with over 15 years of experience.

H.E. Brandusa Predescu Ambassador of Romania cordially welcomed her guests. The program included the screening of the video Romania Blouse in Motion, a video projection of the dance show Hora, inspired by the large variety of traditional dance. music and rituals of the Romania culture. Furthermore, a lecture by the independent Romania choreograph based in the Netherlands Mr, Cornellu Ganea.The Hora dance show is one of his productions. Ambassador Brandusa Predescu applauded the two artists and sponsors for their contribution. The 2017 celebration of Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse(“Ie”) in The Hague, was a delight, attended by Ambassadors, friends of Romania and the Romanian diaspora. — The event in The Hague was organized by the Romanian Embassy in cooperation with the romanian airline company TAROM and IA Sibiu and with the support from NetSib Foundation and the Municipality of Deventer. ——- Photography by  Viorica Cernica.

On the picture ICC Prosecutor addresses Informal Ministerial Network for the ICC in the margins of 72^nd session of the UNGA. ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, participates in the 72^nd session of the UN General Assembly: “Backing the ICC is to support humanity’s progress towards a more just world” The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”), Mrs Fatou Bensouda, participated in the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (“UNGA”) recently held at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States.  With  over 190 Heads of State and Ministerial led delegations present, the Prosecutor’s participation presented a unique, efficient and cost-effective opportunity to engage and advance the work of her Office, strengthen support and further mainstream the mandate of the ICC at this annual UN platform. When close to two decades ago, 120 countries voted to adopt the Rome Statute – the Court’s founding treaty – they did so recognising that atrocity crimes “threaten the peace, security and well-being in the world” and that these serious crimes of concern to the international community must not go unpunished.  “To this end, since its inception, the ICC has been undertaking its crucial independent and impartial mandate with the support and cooperation of its States Parties and full respect for the primacy of national jurisdictions.  My team and I participated at the 72nd session of the UNGA in that spirit – to highlight the work of my Office in investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes and to build on the existing political and diplomatic support”, Prosecutor Bensouda stated. In the margins of the UNGA, Prosecutor Bensouda held bilateral meetings with H.E. Mr Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of Central African Republic; H.E. Mr Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo; H.E. Mr Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; H.E. Mr  Alassane Ouattara, President of  Côte d’Ivoire; H.E. Mr Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon; H.E. Mr Adam Barrow, President of The Gambia; H.E. Mr. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; H.E. Mr Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of Mauritania; H.E. Mr Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj, Prime Minister of Government of National Accord, Libya; H.E. Mr Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran; H.E. Mr Ayman al-Safadi, Foreign Minister of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; H.E. Mr Riyad al-Maliki, Foreign Minister of Palestine and H.E. Mr Zeid bin Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. After that the Prosecutor addressed the annual meeting of the Informal Ministerial Network for the ICC, comprising a network of over 30 Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice from around the world, an initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein, H.E. Ms Aurelia Frick.  At the event, hosted by the Permanent Missions of Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the UN, Prosecutor Bensouda expressed her appreciation for the chorus of statements in support of her Office and the Court, reaffirming her Office’s “resolve to fight impunity for atrocity crimes.”  She underscored that: “backing the ICC is to support humanity’s progress towards a more just world.” On the same day, the Prosecutor participated in high level discussions on the “Responsibility to protect cultural heritage from terrorism and mass atrocities”, convened by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN, the European Union, UNESCO, UNODC, and the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.  The Prosecutor joined H.E. Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO; H.E. Ms Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; H.E. Mr Angelino Alfano, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, among others, in condemning the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage and, call for action. The Prosecutor advocated for a multifaceted approach to confront this challenge, emphasising the importance of a judicial response to hold perpetrators accountable. In this context, she referenced the ICC case concerning Mr Al Mahdi. She also elaborated on her Office’s ongoing policy work on the protection of cultural heritage within the framework of the Rome Statute.