On the picture Commissioner Věra Jourová, and Eurojust President, Michelle Coninsx. Two years after her first visit in June 2015, Commissioner Věra Jourová, the Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, and a high-level delegation from the Commission, returned to Eurojust to meet with the College Presidency and the College of National Members for insight into its operational work, specifically in the areas of terrorism, cybercrime, illegal immigrant smuggling and cooperation with third States, and to meet with staff members. Commissioner Jourová set out her priorities in the field of criminal law, including the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). She has received positive feedback from Member States on the work of Eurojust. Two strong pillars, Eurojust and the EPPO, working together, is the Commission’s goal. The presentations given by the President and National Members illustrated the coordinating role of Eurojust in the recent terrorism cases and in some large and complex cybercrime cases and provided insight into how Eurojust cooperates with specialised practitioners’ networks, Europol and third States. One of the Liaison Prosecutors hosted at Eurojust explained what their presence at Eurojust entails, including casework and participation in practitioners’ network meetings. Two milestones in 2017 are the move to the new Eurojust premises and the reorganisation of the Administration to ensure day-to-day support to operational work. Commissioner Jourova said, ‘I am happy to visit Eurojust today. Its role in guaranteeing smooth and efficient judicial cooperation in criminal matters is crucial for Europe’s security. I praise Eurojust for achieving high marks in the three ‘r’s: reputation, respect and results. With the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Eurojust will become an even more important partner in the fight against terrorist threats or other crimes such as drug and human trafficking.’ President Michelle Coninsx said, ‘Cross-border cooperation, speed and trust are essential. Eurojust is a bridge-maker among Member States, practitioners’ networks, JHA agencies and third States in the fight against serious and organised cross-border crime and terrorism. We were delighted to meet with Commissioner Jourová to discuss our operational work in supporting and coordinating cases in a timely and result-driven manner.’    

On the picture Ambassador Shulgin with the members of the Krasny Oktjabr history reenactment group. On May 9, 2017 a commemoration ceremony to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the Victory over the nazi Germany in the Second World War took place at the “Rusthof” cemetery in Leusden (the province of Utrecht). The event was organised by the Embassy of Russia in close cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands and the local authorities of Leusden and Amersfoort. A valuable assistance was provided by the “Russisch Ereveld” Foundation, which takes care of the graves of Soviet servicemen buried there. “Today we honour the memory of 865 men and women lying here at the “Russisch Ereveld”, who died abroad defending their Motherland. Among them are Russians, Byelorussians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Armenians and many other nationalities, since the names of many buried still remain unknown” – Ambassador of Russia, H.E. Mr Alexander Shulgin said in his opening speech.

“We commemorate the 6 million Jews, who were murdered in the Nazi concentration camps. We commemorate the servicemen of our Western allies, whose representatives are with us today” – he added. Mr Shulgin also explained why the countries of the former USSR celebrate the victory day on May, 9. This change of dates occurred “due to the fact that the German Instrument of Surrender was signed late in the evening of May, 8 when it was already May, 9 in Moscow” – the Ambassador noted. During the official part of the ceremony wreaths were laid by Heads and representatives of diplomatic missions, including the diplomatic missions of former Soviet republics, the US, the UK, Germany and Israel, the Dutch Foreign Ministry, the local governments of Leusden and Amersfoort, and NGOs. Ambassador Shulgin and the other representatives also paid the tribute to the Allies at the “Cross of Sacrifice” Monument and to the Dutch soldiers at the “Dutch Monument”.

The Ceremony itself was not limited to the official part. Several hundred people came to participate and bring flowers to the “Russisch Ereveld”. Besides ordinary civilians there were the veterans, the clergy and the military. Representatives of the orthodox clergy performed a short religious service “for the peace of the souls” of the buried. Additionally, an annual international action “The Immortal Regiment” was organised by Russian compatriots. About 150 Russians and former Soviet citizens living in the Netherlands took part in it this year. The participants marched to the Monument at the “Russisch Ereveld” and honoured the memory of the 865 people buried there. The “Immortal Regiment” emerged as a civil society initiative and has been organised in Russia every May 9 since 2012. People whose relatives fought and died in the Great Patriotic War print out their pictures and march with them along the streets. Sometimes participants wear replicas of Soviet soldier uniforms of 1941-1945. The movement is getting increased support among Russian compatriots and other former Soviet citizens around the globe.

On the picture Mr. Luk Lemmens, Alderman for culture in the Province of Antwerpen, Mr.  Walter Rycquart, head of the Province of Antwerpen Department of Culture and H.E. Mr. Chris Hoornaert, Ambassador of Belgium.    By Roy Lie A Tjam. On 22 April 2017, the fifth edition of Art at The Residence was launched at the beautiful mansion of Belgian Ambassador with contemporary art from the Province of Antwerp on display. The theme of the exhibition is Antwerpen.NL The Art at The Residence is a program of the Embassy of Belgium in The Hague. It’s objective is to promote Belgian art and culture by means of exhibitions. Through art, the audiences gain a sense of the quality, scope, and diversity of the Belgian art and culture. H.E. Mr.Chris Hoornaert Ambassador of Belgium and Mr. Luk Lemmens alderman for culture in the Province of Antwerpen jointly delivered the welcome remarks. At the same time Mr.Walter Ryequart, head of the Province of Antwerpen Department of Culture,  introduced the Antwerpen.NL exposition.

A musical interlude by the Terra Nova Collective directed by Mr. Vlad Weverbergh was part of the program.

There was a huge turnout, guests from Belgium, the Netherlands including some Ambassadors and a former Minister. The artworks are on display on the ground- and first floor of the residence.                 .   .  

By Linda Zin. On Tuesday 9th May 2017, ASEAN Ladies Circle (ALC) The Hague together with their ASEAN Ambassadors have gone on a cycling trip around Den Haag. ALC, The Hague President, Mdm Linda Zin and its committee members co organized this activity with Diplomat Magazine and The Hague Bridge as part of the 50th ASEAN Anniversary celebration. For additional Marian van Noort’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157683743931855 The activity was joined by 30 members from the Embassy of Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It was a fun and sunny outing to cycle around The Hague and learned the city’s iconic attractions and its hidden gems.  

On the picture Queen Maxima, President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, King Willem-Alexander and  Ms Mercedes Peñas Domingo. On Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 May, the president of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, will be in the Netherlands for a working visit. The president will be accompanied on the trip by the First Lady, Ms Mercedes Peñas Domingo. The purpose of the visit is to further strengthen bilateral ties between the Netherlands and Costa Rica, with a particular focus on economic relations. Some of the main issues on the agenda are logistics (including maritime logistics), sustainable agriculture, and energy and climate. The president will be accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Agriculture, along with an economic delegation.

On Wednesday 10 May, President Solís will visit the ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. That evening, Prime Minister Mark Rutte will host the president at the Catshuis for a working dinner. The theme of the dinner will be logistics and sustainable economic cooperation. Other dinner guests will include Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for the Environment Sharon Dijksma and representatives of the Dutch business community and knowledge institutions.

On Thursday morning, President Solís will be welcomed to the Senate by the presidents of the two houses of parliament, Ms Ankie Broekers-Knol (Senate) and Ms Khadija Arib (House of Representatives). In the afternoon King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will have an audience with the president and Ms Peñas at Noordeinde Palace. Following that, the King and Queen will host a lunch for the president and his partner. On Thursday the president will visit a number of locations, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), and he will deliver a lecture on climate change and inclusive development for the University of Amsterdam at the Agnietenkapel.

On 11 May 2017, H.E. Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, visited the International Criminal Court (ICC) to meet with the President of the Court, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, and the ICC Registrar Herman von Hebel. President Fernández expressed the Court’s gratitude for the visit of President Solís Rivera and his country’s strong and long-lasting support for the ICC, recalling that “Costa Rica plays an active role in raising awareness of the Court in Latin America, including by hosting a regional seminar on cooperation with the ICC in July 2015.” The President added that “the support and cooperation of States is truly central for the ICC to effectively deliver justice to victims of grave crimes.” ‘I wish to congratulate the magistrates, authorities and officials of the International Criminal Court for their careful and continuous work, which has brought this tribunal in a few years after its inception, to operate in a full and professional way’ President Solís Rivera stated during the visit. ‘But in order to consolidate the Court and offer the victims of the most heinous crimes an effective access to justice, it is up to the States Parties to strengthen our efforts to achieve universality and guarantee its financial sustainability. Costa Rica pledges its full support to these efforts.’ The visit of President Solís Rivera to the ICC highlights Costa Rica’s support to the Court and the joint efforts deployed in the fight against the impunity of the perpetrators of the most serious crimes that affect the international community as a whole.     

                            By John Dunkelgrün. On May 9th many European countries celebrate Europe Day, the day on which in 1950 the French Minister Robert Schuman signed a plan for a supranational European organisation. It started with an agreement between France and Germany to have joint management of all  their coal and steel production. Other European countries were invited to join . Six countries, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg and the Netherlands formed the European Community for coal and steel (EGKS). This in time would develop into the European Union. It has resulted in the longest period in history during which Europeans lived in peace and prosperity. In the midst of all the tensions and problems of recent years it is good to remember this fact

In The Hague this was celebrated in the “Europa Huis”, next to the The Hague Historical Museum. It was organised by the European Commission and the European Parliament in the Hague, both of which have their offices there. The hosts were Mr. Peter Bekx, who leads the Representation of the European Union in The Netherlands, Mr. Eduard Slootweg, in charge of the European Parliament Information Bureau here, and his wife, Ms Kleice Gonzaga Carneiro in a stunning kobalt blue dress. Mr. Bekx opened the afternoon briefly commemorating the achievements of the EU. He stressed that as culture is as important as economics the guests would be treated to a recital of songs by different European composers who, fittingly, composed these Lieder in a European country other than their own! 

The singer, Ms. Caroline Spanjaard, is a very versatile  Dutch soprano who in about half an hour presented a musical tour of ten European countries with compositions spanning nine centuries. She has performed as a soloist in the most demanding Requiems and Passions, in many Lieder concerts and as an opera singer. She was most beautifully accompanied on the piano by Ms. Alison Black from Britain. Ms Black, who now lives in Holland has an impressive career as an accompanist to soloists and choirs. She also plays the organ in several churches. It was a pity that the quality of the piano was no match for her virtuosity. All European member states were represented as well as most members of the G20 and other important international partners. Most noteworthy was the presence of the British ambassador who quite literally gave “acte de présence”. Britain may be in a Brexit procedure, but is still and will always be a European nation, geographically as well as culturally.    

By Roy Lie A Tjam. Freedom Day is an annual celebration of Mzansi – South Africa’s first non-racial and post-apartheid democratic elections of 1994. Today it’s a National Public Holiday in South Africa. This year, H.E. President Jacob Zuma has led the 23 years of National Freedom Day celebrations in Manguzi in KwaZulu-Natal. Senior government officials, including Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, attended the event. South Africa has established 3\three functional arms of the state; the executive, legislature and the judiciary which work to enable South Africans to enjoy their rights which are enshrined in the constitution. April 26th 2017, on the heels of the 20th anniversary celebration of the OPCW , H.E. Bruce Koloane Ambassador of South Africa in The Hague, gathered with fellow Ambassadors, representatives of the different(international) communities and the diaspora at the Marriot Hotel The Hague. The occasion was to celebrate Freedom Day 2017. The atmosphere was merry. Attendees not only appreciated the screened documentary showcasing South Africa’s beauty, but also the fabulous South African cuisine, assumedly prepared by a master chef. In his welcome remarks, Koloane made mention of the decades-long positive bilateral relationship between the two sovereign states. He referred to the very recent visit of Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders to South Africa. Minister Koenders sees many opportunities for closer economic cooperation in particular, in areas such as water management and agriculture. Furthermore, Ambassador Bruce Koloane availed himself of the opportunity to express his country’s gratitude vis-à-vis the scores of Dutch individuals for relentlessly supporting South Africa’s freedom battle.