Traslados

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Traslados
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. Chapter one Por Silvia  Korenblum. Las familias en tránsito son aquellas que migran de ciudad o de país, por un período de tiempo determinado. En la antigüedad, la migración era una epopeya: los pueblos nómadas llegaban de un lugar a otro midiendo cada paso en la distancia caminada, sintiendo el cambio de un clima a otro, experimentando la aventura de los ríos recorridos, de las montañas escaladas, de las cuestas bajadas. El tiempo entre la salida y la llegada, generalmente extenso, hacía que uno tuviera la real dimensión del espacio y del camino recorrido. En la actualidad, por el contrario, pasamos de un clima a otro, cambiamos de huso horario, de una geografía a otra, del invierno más helado al verano más caluroso, sin ese tiempo acorde que permitía “hacerse a la idea” de la antigüedad. La globalización ha cambiado muchas cosas, y entre ellas el mundo se ha convertido en algo más abarcable y más pequeño. El avance de la tecnología de las telecomunicaciones, que conecta en tiempo real a dos personas que se encuentran en distintos puntos del globo, los medios de comunicaciones y la internet nos permiten conocer, desde nuestra casa, lo que sucede en el rincón opuesto del mundo.
“El libro “Traslados , la mudanza internacional y su impacto familiar” Fue concebido para explicar y tratar de ayudar con los problemas de las familias de los diplomáticos en los sucesivos traslados, tanto en las salidas al exterior como en los regresos. Para esto se vale del relato de historias de quienes pasaron por la experienciacon los distintos puntos de vista de las funcionarias, los funcionarios, sus parejas y sus hijos. Es un trabajo en donde se plantean las ventajas y las desventajas del proceso.Se incluye el analisis de temas tales como la adaptacion, el shock culturl, el duelo por la lejania de la familia extensa y el retorno, entre otros.”,  Silvia Korenblum.
Finalmente, los medios de transporte, principalmente el avión, nos permite movernos con total facilidad entre distintos países. El ser humano, que antes era capaz sólo de caminar, ahora puede navegar y volar y conectarse con un  “clic”. Uno de los rasgos más importantes de la globalización está dado por la transnacionalización de las empresas y los capitales, por la ausencia de fronteras en cada vez más actividades y quehaceres. Ello incide en un aumento muy importante de las familias que, principalmente por motivos de trabajo, se vuelven familias en tránsito. Es decir, las migraciones temporarias son cada vez más frecuentes, y hay cada vez más gente que hace o ha hecho una o varias migraciones transitorias en su vida. Los que específicamente saben que tienen este tipo de trabajo desde el principio son los diplomáticos. En estos casos la migración internacional ya no es una situación de vida excepcional, sino que se convierte en una forma de existencia. Es por definición una carrera que implica a la familia y a su característica de expatriado siempre en forma transitoria. Es una migración con un boleto de vuelta, lo que quiere decir que el país en el cual se va a vivir, es de paso. Muchas veces no se sabe por cuánto tiempo, pero la idea de “vuelta” es una referencia que se conoce desde el principio. En el mejor de los casos, uno puede saber hasta cuándo estará en ese país, como puede suceder con los estudiantes, o los que tienen un contrato con un límite establecido, como algunos ejecutivos o los diplomáticos de ciertos países. Pero, lo más probable, es no tener una fecha segura de regreso al país de origen o de traslado a un tercer país, ya que algunos migrantes transitorios o “transmigrantes” vuelven a su país de origen, pero otros van a un país nuevo. Este ticket de regreso está siempre presente. Es lo que le indica a esa familia que su estancia es “por un tiempo”, aunque este sea extremadamente variable, justamente porque el avance de la globalización puede estrechar los tiempos de manera, en algunos casos, hasta insólitas. La característica del migrante transitorio es que no puede echar raíces, el expatriado en tránsito sabe que se va a ir. No debe tirar anclas. Uno de los problemas más importantes que surge en estas familias se refiere a la organización del quehacer de sus integrantes. Cada uno de ellos tiene sus propias características, sus propias necesidades, atraviesa diferentes etapas de sus ciclos vitales, por lo que el papel que desempeñará cada uno será distinto al de los demás, de acuerdo a sus intereses personales y el lugar que le toca ocupar en la familia. Las mudanzas, en sí mismas, son un fuerte factor estresógeno y las familias migrantes están expuestas a adaptaciones y sobre adaptaciones que no son fáciles, ni tan glamorosas como pueden ser vistas desde afuera. En efecto, es normal que alguien que escucha que una familia se muda a otro país por un tiempo determinado o indeterminado, en condiciones económicas buenas o muy buenas, sienta, con toda candidez, que se trata de una gran aventura, excitante y atrayente, que no puede contener ningún componente negativo. Esta creencia se extiende a los mismos protagonistas. ¿Cómo van tener problemas si la vida que tienen es privilegiada? Por lo tanto, aquí se da una paradoja que se asemeja a “la jaula de oro”. En esta jaula de oro, cada integrante de la familia se ubicará de distinta forma en el devenir que el traslado implique. El cónyuge (la mujer por lo general, aunque no exclusivamente como se verá más adelante) y los hijos acompañarán la decisión, haciendo que toda la familia asuma el desafío El cambio en un individuo tendrá repercusiones inevitables en su grupo de referencia y en su familia. Están las familias que se quedan en su país de origen y hay otras que acompañan. Ambas situaciones no son sin consecuencias para el “actor”, como tampoco lo son para sus acompañantes. Es por ello que las familias en tránsito son diferentes de aquellas que no lo son. Han pasado y pasan por situaciones que las hacen distintas a la gran mayoría de las familias que no han pasado por esas experiencias. Gran parte de la gente afectada por esta realidad tiende a minimizar o negar este hecho. Así, se le resta importancia a los esfuerzos que se realizan para reacomodarse y adaptarse a las nuevas situaciones, y dejar lo que hasta entonces era su hogar, su país, lo cotidiano, con el fin de transformar el nuevo lugar, hasta allí perfectamente desconocido, en el hogar, el país y lo cotidiano. Este dato de la realidad, si se niega, minimiza o si se silencia, volverá actuado, en forma de síntoma, en todos o en alguno de los miembros de la familia, en cuyo caso se investirá como paciente índice. Este paciente índice absorberá la calidad de “visitante” (el extraño), mientras que el resto de la familia será “local”. La familia tendrá la sensación de que se adapta rápido, y que la adaptación es “fácil”, que el país es fácil, mientras que el que será “difícil” es ese integrante de la familia al que le cuesta (el adolescente, el niñito difícil, la mujer histérica). La situación no será lo difícil, sino el miembro de esa familia que absorberá toda la dificultad, haciéndose cargo del problema en general.
Silvia Korenblum, autora de Traslados.
Ángeles era una niña de 5 años, hija de diplomáticos uruguayos, la mayor de tres hermanitos. Los tres habían nacido en Francia y al ser trasladados nuevamente al Uruguay, los padres –muy preocupados en no causarle angustias– decidieron no decirle nada del cambio. Así, llegaron a Uruguay como si no pasara nada, nadie hablaba de lo que habían dejado, ni de lo que les estaba costando readaptarse: otra vez la convivencia con la familia extensa, la nueva realidad del país, etcétera. Todos estaban como si nada, pero Ángeles desarrolló una alopecia severa, su pelo se comenzó a caer, se quedó sin raíces. En este caso, en donde estaba el silencio de los padres, la cabellera de Ángeles hablaba. Cuando los padres, finalmente, pudieron hablar del esfuerzo de adaptación, de la tristeza de dejar a los amigos y lo conocido, no sólo entre ellos sino también con su hija, la alopecia cedió.

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.

The Hague Roundtable on Climate & Security

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The Hague Roundtable on Climate & Security
On the picture, Roundtable hosted by the Embassy of Australia. April 2017. The Roundtables are an ongoing initiative started in 2015 – created and organized by Matt Luna of the Institute for Environmental Security. The overall goal is to get different countries and stakeholders to share information and strategies (including initiating new strategies) on addressing climate risks to natural resource availability, food security, migration, disaster response, and stability of fragile states. The Roundtables are also an opportunity for local dialogue with a global reach to support international climate and security initiatives such as the Planetary Security Conference and the UN COP meetings. International cooperation on water-related climate change impacts was the theme of the fifth Hague Roundtable on Climate & Security. More than 40 representatives of embassies and non-governmental institutes shared strategies on key water issues at the meeting hosted by the Ambassador of Australia to the Netherlands, H.E. Dr Brett Mason. Threats and opportunities were examined from various perspectives with the aim of building capacities to address challenges such as sea level rise, climate induced immigration, droughts, natural disasters and water-related conflicts.
Roundtable hosted by the Embassy of Canada. October 2016.
Admiral Chris Barrie (ret.) of the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change (GMACCC)  provided insights on climate/water adaptation actions vs. needs by Skype from Australia. Admiral Barrie pointed out needed planning for potential large-scale regional migration due to sea level rise, while noting the EU’s global role in climate and security. In presentations, Mr. Jan Busstra, Head of Unit on Water Policy at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, opened an information exchange on initiatives such as the UN/World Bank High Level Panel on Water that comprises 11 Heads of State. It was stated that local actions of ‘informal structures’ (like the Roundtable) can support positive outcomes within ‘formal structures’ such as global programmes and conferences. Also, representatives from Deltares highlighted multi-stakeholder programmes of the institute on water resource security and conflict, as well as specifics on ground water engineering for fresh water and related adaptation in small island states.
H.E. Petar Vico, Ambassador of Serbia, Mr Istiaque Ahmed, First Secretary, Embassy of Bangladesh Mr. Abdelkader Abidine, Deputy Ambassador of Morocco; Mr. Bechir Langar, Deputy Ambassador of Tunisia; and Ms. Indra McCormick, Deputy Ambassador of Australia.
For additional pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157684900168991 A Planetary Security Initiative update provided a preview of action focus in areas including Mali, Lake Chad and Iraq at the December 2017 conference.  Ongoing programmes from COP 22 Marrakech and the 2017 COP 23 – being organised by Fiji in Bonn, Germany – were mentioned as opportunities to carry forward ideas developed at the Roundtable. The success of the recent SunGlacier solar-powered water generation mission in Mali and year-one progress of the Microbial Desalination (MIDES) project for lower energy desalination were featured innovation updates. Roundtable participants shared information in presentations and in open discussions with the goal of building opportunities for regional and international cooperation. Initiatives including water diplomacy, disaster response, water management technology, and broadening the climate humanitarian role of military units were examined as potential areas of joint efforts. Multi-stakeholder actions for peaceful climate adaptation are increasingly needed to meet emerging risks.
H.E. Dr Brett Mason, Ambassador of Australia leading the table.
Roundtable participants at the Residence of the Australian Ambassador in The Hague : Among the countries represented were Australia, Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Serbia, Sudan, Tunisia, the United States. Organizations represented: Asser Institute; Civil Military Interaction Command, Royal Netherlands Army; Ranger Campus; Clingendael Institute, Deltares; Diplomat Magazine; Hague Centre for Strategic Studies; IHE Delft Institute for Water Education; Institute for Environmental Security; International Water Association; Leiden University/the International Centre for Counterterrorism (ICCT); World Resources Institute.
From left: Dr. Nagi Iskander Awad Masoud Agricultural Attaché, Embassy of Sudan; Mr. Wouter Veening, Chairman/President of the Institute for Environmental Security; Ms. Indra McCormick, Deputy Ambassador of Australia; and Mr Istiaque Ahmed, First Secretary, Embassy of Bangladesh.
Moderators: Matt Luna and Wouter Veening, Institute for Environmental Security The Australian Ambassador, H.E. Dr Brett Mason explained: “The unifying theme of today’s Roundtable discussion is water. In particular, the relationship between water crises and conflict on the one hand, and good water management and security on the other. In Australia, water plays an important, indeed defining, role. We are the driest inhabited continent in the world and prone to highly variable and extreme weather. Flood, drought and fire have long been part of our national story. The expertise and knowledge we have developed in managing water is something we have in common with the Netherlands. Last November, the Dutch King and Queen visited Brisbane, and launched the Smart Scanner for Water Resilient Cities, an interactive tool to explore the effects of various flood mitigation measures. We also share a commitment to improving water management with a view to ensuring that every person in the world gets access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation. And, importantly for today’s forum, we share a concern about the risks to peace and security created by a failure to provide functional water supply and sanitation systems, as well as the security risks posed by extreme weather events, including water scarcity. That’s why Australia’s PM Turnbull has, along with the Netherlands’ PM Rutte, became a member of the UN’s High Level Panel on Water. So far, the focus of our cooperation has been in Myanmar where we are helping to develop a sound water resources management system focused on the Ayeyarwady basin. The Ayeyarwady delta was devastated in the worst natural disaster in Myanmar’s recorded history, cyclone Nargis, in 2008. Early cooperation has been focused on exchange of information and data, and capacity building for local institutions that manage the basin. In the management of shared water resources, systems for sharing hydrological data can be integral for building constructive civilian-government relations – a key building block for peace and security. When it comes to the impacts of climate change, we know it will primarily affect the water cycle. And the UN has projected that, by 2030, almost half of the world’s population will face severe water stress. The focus for Australia’s work in this area is the Indo-Pacific. In our neighborhood, the security implications of sea-level rise caused by climate change are very real. We are increasingly sensitive to the need for our development assistance to integrate climate considerations with decade-long time frames that deal with the slow-onset impacts of sea-level rise such as salt water intrusion, inundation and increasingly severe floods. With our support, our vulnerable neighbours are undertaking sea-level rise modelling and long-term economic and development planning. As well as factoring slow-onset impacts into our development assistance, we are also helping our neighbours address acute climate impacts. We have invested heavily in climate resilience across the Pacific where, together with partner governments, we are working to climate-proof new investments and to strengthen disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response.
Mr Istiaque Ahmed, First Secretary, Embassy of Bangladesh; and on right is Mr. Abdelkader Abidine, Deputy Ambassador of Morocco.
The relationship between security and climate change is complex to understand, and complex to address. But this cannot be an excuse for inaction. Australia is focused on doing what we can – together with those around this table working on analysis, policies, research, implementation, funding and advocacy – before it is too late.” Istiaque Ahmed, First Secretary,  from the Embassy of Bangladesh highlighted the vulnerability of his country to the climate change pointing out that Bangladesh is hardly responsible for the cause. He  reiterated Bangladesh’s strong commitment to the mitigation and adaptation. Mr. Ahmed informed the meeting about the water conference in Bangladesh hosted at the end of July. He thanked the Institute for Environmental security for organizing the event.   ——— For more information on joining The Hague Roundtable initiative, contact Matt Luna, Roundtable creator and organiser at mluna@envirosecurity.org (Photos by Jurga Martinavičienė, IES Researcher)

The Return of Good Policies for Bad Reasons, Populism and Industrial Policy

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The Return of Good Policies for Bad Reasons, Populism and Industrial Policy
By Amanda Janoo. “Throughout the most of human evolution both progress as well as its horizontal transmission was extremely slow, occasional and tedious a process. Well into the classic period of Alexander the Macedonian and his glorious Alexandrian library, the speed of our knowledge transfers – however moderate, analogue and conservative – was still always surpassing snaillike cycles of our breakthroughs. When our sporadic breakthroughs finally turned to be faster than the velocity of their infrequent transmissions – that very event marked a point of our departure. Simply, our civilizations started to significantly differentiate from each other in their respective techno-agrarian, politico-military, ethno-religious and ideological, and economic setups. In the eve of grand discoveries, the faster cycles of technological breakthroughs, patents and discoveries than their own transfers, primarily occurred on the Old continent. That occurancy, with all its reorganizational effects, radically reconfigured societies – to the point of polarizing world onto the two: leaders and followers” – noted prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic in his luminary book Europe, 100 years later. Will we ever close our technological and spiritual gap, physically and psychologically? Following lines are an interesting take on the topic. *          *          *          *          *          * The world is at a unique moment.  People are disillusioned with the status quo. We are on the brink of a paradigm shift that could transform our political and economic realities. Industrial policy has a unique opportunity to re-assert itself as an alternative way of managing an economy that is responsive to the desires and aspirations of society. Industrial policy experts must be careful, however, not to pander to the fascist winds brewing as this could spell demise for the discipline and the world. For decades, countries have operated under the assumption that there is no alternative to market fundamentalism. Described by many as “neoliberalism,” market fundamentalism calls for a one-size-fits-all approach to economic policy. All countries, but particularly developing countries, were told to abide by the three sacred tenants: liberalize, privatize and deregulate. In this context, industrial policy was actively discouraged if not straight-up prohibited. However, the tide seems to be changing. We have recently seen populist uprisings in the two countries that were the chief architects of neoliberalism, the United States and United Kingdom, with people and politicians actively disavowing the free market consensus of the proceeding decades. This explicit flirtation with economic protectionism by these ideological giants, presents an opportunity for developing countries to openly question free trade and experiment with alternative economic policy approaches that are more in line with their societal priorities and objectives. The danger is however, that the world will emulate the scapegoating, separatist and authoritarian rhetoric being articulated by the likes of Donald Trump and Marie Le Pen to legitimize the use of more interventionalist economic policies. Reminiscent of Karl Polanyi’s description of the “double-movement” in the inter-war period, we are witnessing a yearning for social and political instruments to temper the inequality, instability and degradation wrought by decades of market fundamentalist policies. Industrial policy experts, having a deep understanding of the failings of an unruly free market system, are in an ideal position to advice governments disillusioned with Chicago School policy prescriptions. As space opens for new economic approaches, industrial policy can position itself as a more “hands on” and socially-responsive form of economic management. The danger is that industrial policy inherently implies a more powerful role of government in economic affairs, and therefore can just as easily be used to support authoritarian ambitions. At the time of writing in the post-war period, Polanyi saw the “double-movement” manifesting in Europe in two extreme forms: Fascism and Socialism. In looking at the recent US elections we could easily see how the two populist candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders fit into these polar categorizations. Both candidates appealed to economic protectionism but for very different reasons. Trump criticized free trade in order to further an aggressive foreign policy agenda and assert US dominance. While Sanders called for protectionist measures to help reduce social inequality and re-industrialize the economy. The clear danger here is that the same protectionist policies could be employed for either political agenda but if industrial policy becomes aligned with the fascist movements underway it will ultimately be discredited forever. At this pivotal junction in history, industrial policy experts must not become drunk with the prospect of re-legitimation and bolster political movements that propagate messages of conspiracist scapegoating and cultural superiority. We must use industrial policy to support our global community to stand together as they critically reflect on the failures of market fundamentalism. It is time to creatively envision new forms of economic organization that can deliver on societies desire for greater dignity and security. The old economic consensus is out. The question is whether industrial policy can articulate a persuasive alternative that re-empowers governments to mold and direct their economies without instigating a trade war that will bring more harm than good. ———– (Early version of this text appeared in the UNIDO magazine Making It ) About the author: Amanda Janoo, is an Alternative Economic Policy Adviser to governments and development organizations. Graduate from Cambridge University with an MPhil in Development Studies, Amanda worked at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) supporting government’s with evidence-based industrial policy design for inclusive and sustainable growth. Her research focus is on the relationship between international trade and employment generation. She has worked throughout Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa promoting greater economic self-determination and empowerment.  

Georgian royalty on diplomacy

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Georgian royalty on diplomacy

On the picture HRH Prince Davit Bagration Mukhranbatoni – Picture by Royal House of Georgia.

By Baron Henri Estramant.
Diplomat Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing HRH Prince Davit Bragationi Mukhran Batoni of Georgia, dynastic heir of the world’s oldest Christian dynasty. The Bragationi dynasty is currently of much topicality in Georgia after the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, suggested once more for the country to adopt a monarchical form of state. 
Diplomat Magazine: Your Royal Highness, you are the Head of Georgia’s Royal House, and as such recently the government of your homeland supported the bestowal of “The Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ” for HM Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Can you please tell us a bit about the granting of this honour to Her Britannic Majesty? Prince Davit of Georgia: HM the Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom accepted the gift after consulting with Her Foreign Office, and everything happened in compliance with protocolary rules, and with the support of the Georgian government. For the Bragationi dynasty, that I represent, it was a very important because the order was the first one awarded by a non-head of state in 64 years of Her Majesty’s reign, and the latter fills me with pride.
The Duke of Gloucester, HRH Prince Davit of Georgia and The Duchess of Gloucester – Picture by the Royal House of Georgia.
Diplomat Magazine: The Royal Georgian Orders include a lot of prominent members, from royalty to high ranking clerics to politicians from various countries around the globe. What type of relevance do you think such orders have for Georgia nowadays? Is the Georgian state behind you? The Order of the Eagle of Georgia was founded within an honour system by Queen Tamar the Great of Georgia (1160-1213) and  restored in 1939 by the former head of Royal House, my grandfather Prince Irakli Bagration Mukhran Batoni. It was my father Prince Giorgi Bagration Mukhran Batoni who provided the orders with new statutes. During all these decades, and then with me as Grand Master for already almost 10 years; there have been numerous personalities having been awarded ranks within the orders. The most precious being the “Grand Collar” which has been granted since 1939 only at nine occasions, including recently to HM the Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. In reference to the second part of the question, the current government, they are making a great effort and have achieved very important things for the country such as a visa liberalisation scheme for Georgian citizens traveling to the EU. It is a government that listens the needs and problems of the people, thus acts accordingly. The situation in Georgia until the year 2012, was very cumbersome, the change has been for good and this pleases me. I respect all political parties equally except those ones who have put their personal interests ahead of the nation. The state is not behind me yet I am at the disposal of the country for anything that might be necessary. Diplomat Magazine: The Bragrationi Dynasty can be traced back to the 9th century; making it older than many more well-known European royal and princely houses. How well-known do you think the Royal House is, and what is the raison d’être for a royal house in contemporary times, and above all within republican systems? The Bagrationi Dynasty is the world’s oldest Christian dynasty and the second oldest royal house just after the Imperial House of Japan. Due to the long and terrible years of communism, not only the dynasty but also Georgia have been unknown for many, almost 3 decades have passed and many people abroad are interested in Georgia, her history and of course because of 11 centuries of my ancestors’ reign. Anyone interested in my beloved country will not find difficulties to find out about the existence of our Royal House. Being able to live in Georgia is a privilege for anyone. For me even more after 86 years of exile that my family suffered, communicating with people and seeing the progress of the country in person verily satisfies me. Georgia is a great nation. Diplomat Magazine: Do you see yourself as a “private” statesman, and ambassador to your country as you are recognisable figure internationally? What role does the Royal House play in Georgian diplomacy? My family has worked hard during the years of exile, in order to make Georgia known as an ancient country and not as a former Soviet republic. The latter works continues today. Georgia is a very old country with a rich and millennial culture. It is a mistake to refer to Georgia a former Soviet republic, that it was, but not for so long period comparing with the thousands of years of independence. The Royal Orders of Georgia in this moment has international representation in 46 countries and 61 cities. For some years our representatives have been in charge to receive and welcome new ambassadors of the State of Georgia in some countries. Events and gala dinners have been organised to introduce them to a part of the societies of those countries. They have been put in contact with personalities from all walks of life, be they of business, culture, politics or military, etc. Diplomat Magazine: What are the assets that the Royal House bring to Georgia? Yourself personally? To name some since 2003, we have brought charitable aid, green programmes in various Georgian cities. We are currently working on an economic forum Inviting to Georgia a large number of companies and potential European investors for 2018.    

Formation of the government of North Rhine-Westphalia

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Formation of the government of North Rhine-Westphalia
State Premier, H.E. Armin Laschet. Picture by Olaf Kosinsky, wikiberatung.de, Licence CC BY-SA 3.0
By Jan Eustachi.
On 14 May 2017 the population of the fourth largest but most populous and economically strongest German state, North Rhine-Westphalia, voted for a government change. Armin Laschet (Christian Democrats, CDU) has become successor to Hannelore Kraft (Social Democrats, SPD) in the capacity of state premier. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has formed a coalition with the Liberal Party (FDP). The government seat is located at Düsseldorf, the state capital.
On 30 June, Laschet formed his cabinet. The Liberals were given 3 and the Christian Democrats 9 out of 12 ministerial posts. The newly created Ministry of Children, Family, Refugees and Integration of NRW will be led by the Deputy Premier Dr. Joachim Stamp, a studied political scientist.
Lutz Lienenkämper, who had been Minister of Transport in the years of 2009 and 2010, was nominated as Minister of Finance by Laschet whereas the former chair of the EPP group in the European Parliament, Herbert Reul, has taken over the Ministry of Interior. He will be supported by Jürgen Mathies, the police commissioner of the city of Cologne, as state secretary.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia will be led by the professor of economics and former deputy premier (2005-2010) Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart and the Ministry of Employment, Health and Social Affairs by Karl-Josef Laumann. Yvonne Gebauer has taken over the Ministry of School and Further Education and Ina Scharrenbach leads the Ministry of Home Affairs, Communities and Local Government, Construction and Equality.
NRW Premier Armin Laschet – Picture by Olaf Kosinsky, wikiberatung.de, Licence CC BY-SA 3.0
Peter Biesenbach will be the head of the Ministry of Justice and Hendrick Wüst the Ministry of Transport. The Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection is led by Christina Schulze Föcking and the Ministry of Culture and Science by Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen. Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner has taken over the Ministry for Federal Affairs, Europe and Media and last not but not least Klaus Kaiser has become the parliamentary state secretary in the Ministry for Culture and Science.
The new government endeavours to strengthen regional cross-border co-operations and to implement successfully a shift towards a digitalised, sustainable and prosper economy.
History shows, that the close political and economic ties with the BeNeLux-countries and the development into a common region has brought many benefits to the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Netherlands are the most important trading partner of North Rhine-Westphalia, whilst Belgium is ranked number three in imports and number four in exports.
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For further information 
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Photography North Rhine-Westphalia’s Portal.

Indonesian Embassy Showcasing Batik from Bali and Yogyakarta

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Indonesian Embassy Showcasing Batik from Bali and Yogyakarta
On the picture Indigo batik from Yogyakarta. By Anton Lutter. Batik – the technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to whole cloth – is steeped in centuries old tradition from the various islands which make up Indonesia with their own distinctive design and style. For instance Java itself is known for its varied distinctive Batik developed mainly around the different Royal Courts which, as in Europe, have been the traditional centres of cultural development. The importance of Batik has been acknowledged in october 2009 by UNESCO designating Indonesian Batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Promoting Batik in The Netherlands, the Embassy of Indonesia in cooperation with the Government of Yogyakarta Special Territory, Galeri Batik Jawa and the Heritage City of Gianyar (Bali) organised an exhibition and fashion show called ‘Indigo Batik from Yogya to the World’ and ‘Traces of Gianyar Heritage City’ showing Balinese woven fabric; both events at the Grote Kerk 25-26 of July.
Fashion from Gianyar.
The wonderful fashion show themed Natural Indigo Batik for All Season and attended by cultural lovers, textile in- and exporters from all over the country, showcased the works of four Balinese designers such as Harry Rahmat Darajat (Ai Syarif), Tjokorda Gede Abinanda Sukawati, Pande Putu Wijana, and Bintang Miraafriningrum and two designers from Yogyakarta namely Mayasari Sekarlaranti and Goet Puspa. Earlier a seminar about the usage of indigo as a way of environmental friendly and sustainable batik technik was presented by Laretna T.Adishakti and Mayasari Sekarlaranti who also explained about Yogya as the world’s batik city and the process of making the natural blue color in batik.
Dancers from Bali.
Gianyar weaving was discussed by Catrini Kubontubuh and Prof. I Wayan Dibia. In september the International Trusts Organization (INTO) and the Indonesian Heritage Trust (Badan Pelestarian Pusaka Indonesia/BPPI) will organize an international conference in Gianyar, which will bring together hundreds of persons from across the world who will explore the connection between their cultural traditions and concerns of sustainable development.
Indigo batik from Yogyakarta.
Followed again in 2018 by the second Jogja International Batik Biannual in octobre 2018. At the end of the fashion show the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Indonesia H.E. Ibnu Wahyutomo, complimented and thanked the organizers, participants and attendees for making the events of Indonesian culture a huge succes. ——- Photography by A. Lutter.

Tunisian Cooking and Cocktail Show

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Tunisian Cooking and Cocktail Show
H.E. Elyes Ghariani, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia. By Roy Lie A Tjam. The Embassy of Tunisia together with the Tunisian Tourist Office organized a splendid Tunisian cooking and cocktail show at the Wittenberg Castle in Wassenaar on, 6 July 2017. The Internationally renowned Tunisian top chefs Wafik Belaid and Haykel Ben Zayda guaranteed a culinary enjoyment of top level. All the while H.E. Elyes Ghariani, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia, gave a briefing on the current situation in the country. Ghariani stressed the impact of the travel ban on the economy and also the sector recovery after the elimination of the negative advice in many European countries. Additionally, Mohamed Attia, Director of the Tunisian Tourist Office in the Netherlands, delivered his remarks on the current tourist situation in Tunisia. A representative of the ANVR shed some light on the situation surrounding the travel ban now plaquing Tunisia. Ambassador Elyes Ghariani noted, ‘let me start by telling you how delighted I am to welcome all of you to the Tunisian Cooking and Cocktail Show. I will be brief especially since we are here for an “eat and greet” gathering. I just wanted you to get a glimpse of the context of the present show and of course of the Tunisian cuisine. As the summer season has begun, the Tunisian people have been blessed with the holy Month of Ramadan until June. Tourists traveling to Tunisia have been blessed with a lot of sun. I recall having checked the forecast to find out that we have a 20-Celsius degree difference between Tunis and The Hague in this particular month. So I reckon it’s high time to get packing. We are also blessed because we are witnessing clear signs of steady returns of tourists to Tunisia since the beginning of this year thanks to the normalization of the security situation in the country. The normalization has been confirmed by the lifting of the travel ban by most European countries including Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Island. Particularly growing numbers of tourists are witnessed to be coming from France and Germany. We expect also many of our Algerian brothers and sisters as is the case every summer as well as from various countries across the five continents. Our target remains to reach back the normal figures of 7 million tourists visiting yearly Tunisia, as at the times before the 2011 Revolution. Tunisia might mainly be renowned to some of you for its weather and beautiful beaches. In fact, it is a land of three-thousand years long civilization. Land of peace and authenticity, Tunisia is undoubtedly the most endearing destination. Thanks to its particularly rich history, as well as its warm hospitality, which has succeeded in seducing the travelers of the whole world for centuries. From the coast to the desert through the deep valleys, it offers an incredible geographic, cultural, natural, patrimonial, historical and human richness. Tunisia is a destination of constant astonishment and interest. Tunisia possesses a cultural heritage among the richest of the Mediterranean sea with amongst others a surprising number of archaeological sites inherited from multiple civilizations. From the shores of the Mediterranean sea to the gate of the desert, thermal baths, temples, amphitheaters, but also mosques, harbors, museums, churches, synagogues, mausoleums, and medinas, not to mention the famous mosaics … succeed each other and compete with beauty. Some of these sites are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Carthage, the Punic City of Kerkouane and its necropolis, the amphitheater of El Jem, the Medina of Sousse, Kairouan and Tunis, Dougga and the Ichkeul National Park. All these marvels remind us how Tunisia is rich in history and influence, with a historical cultural heritage which is closely linked with ancestral traditions. But today let us talk food before we move on to experimenting those exotic culinary gourmets made by our Chefs Wafik and Haykal especially who have traveled all the way from Tunisia to treat you. The Tunisian-style food is quite distinctive. The cuisine reflects the country’s rich and varied history, blending a Berber, Roman, Arabic, Phoenician, Turkish and French influences. Overall, it could be labeled as a mix of Mediterranean dishes and distinctive Berber traditions with bold and earthy spices. For instance, the Berbers gave us couscous as much as that was inherited by our North African neighbors Algeria and Morocco. However, couscous in Tunisia has a distinct nature as the grain is highly seasoned rather than steamed plain. It is often spiked with Harissa, a paste-like condiment or what I would call the Tunisian label of Chili red hot peppers, which own various tastes depending on their growing temperatures. So if you are up for the fight-or-flight syndrome, this occasion is fit-for-purpose. Harissa is customarily mixed and toned down with olive oil since we inherited and have grown a numbers of olive trees, including the biggest olive tree field in the World. I cannot overlook Tunisian wines, the big star of which is “Magon”. This red wine is cultivated in Mornag, in the northeastern part of the country. This region honors the Carthaginian Magon, the worshiped Master of agronomy, who cultivated his grapes near the village of Majus in the south of Carthage and certain rules of whom are nowadays still used.’ Among the guests present during the event were several Ambassadors, officials from the Dutch Government, the business(travel) community and members of the Tunisian community. The guests were also given an update on the tourist situation as well as a sampling of the sumptuous Tunisian cuisine. In spite the rain Tunisian cooking and cocktail show could be classified as a tremendous success.

90th Anniversary of the Founding People’s Liberation Army of China

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90th Anniversary of the Founding People’s Liberation Army of China
                            Senior Colonel  Hai Wei, Military, Navy and Air attaché to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. Photography Roy Strik / For Diplomat Magazine.  By Roy Lie A Tjam. The Military, Navy and Air attache, Senior Colonel  Hai Wei hosted a reception to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army of China, which falls on August 1. The People’s Liberation Army is among the world’s largest standing armies, and it’s taking on a greater role in International Diplomacy. For additional Roy Strik’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157683717235302
H.E. Mr Ken Wu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in the Netherlands.
The reception was held at the auditorium of the Embassy on Thursday 27th July 2017. A video about the history of the People’s Liberation Army of China and a photo exhibition entitled Journey of Glory on the development of the PLA were displayed at the reception.
H.E. Ambassador Ken Wu and spouse
In his welcome address, H.E. Ambassador Ken Wu  introduced Chinese military’s active involvement in UN peace-keeping missions, counter-piracy missions, disaster-relieving missions and various military operations. Ambassador Wu Ken, spoke highly of the relationship between China and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is his firm conviction, the steady bilateral relationship will be perpetuated. Senior Colonel  Hai Wei in his address reviewed the achievements of the People’s Liberation Army in the past 90 years. He hinted at the ongoing reforms in the army. Wei relates, the PLA is moving towards becoming a first-class military entity in the world. About 250 guests, including high-level military officers and delegates in the Netherlands, attended the reception.

Buren Seminar of Diplomats in The Hague

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Buren Seminar of Diplomats in The Hague
                            On the 8th of June, the law firm Buren hosted a seminar for embassies at the Crown Plaza in The Hague. Numerous heads of mission and representatives of embassies attended the session. Founded in 1898, Buren is a well-established, internationally operating law firm with offices in The Hague, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Beijing and Shanghai. The firm has more than 70 attorneys, notaries and international tax advisors providing a full range of services to domestic and international clients who conduct business nationally and globally. Located prominently in The Hague’s diplomatic quarter, Buren has established long-term relationships with a large number of diplomatic missions and international institutions. In order to cater the needs of its diplomatic clients and their referrals, Buren has established a dedicated Diplomat Desk. Staffed by professionals of different nationalities, speaking seven different languages, the Diplomat Desk acts as a one-stop-shop for any legal needs diplomatic clients and their referrals may have. The objective of the seminar was to inform embassies on a number of common legal topics they may encounter. The seminar was opened and led by Buren’s senior partner Mr. Steven van der Waal, who gave an introduction on Buren and provided some inside-information about working and living in the Netherlands. The first speaker, Dr. Machiko Kanetake, focused on diplomatic law and more in particular on matters of jurisdiction and immunities. Dr. Kanetake is assistant-professor in diplomatic law at Utrecht University. Her presentation provided an overview of this field of law and an update on relevant case-law. Mrs. Suzan van de Kam presented labour law issues that embassies may come across when hiring local staff. The presentation outlined the life-time of an employment relation, from recruitment through sick leaves, dismissal and pension. Matters of Dutch real estate law were presented by Mr. Jonathan Gal, who focused on the acquisition of property and on rental agreements, as well as on typical features of Dutch contract law. The presentations were followed by a number of questions from the audience, mostly relating to labour law and rental agreements. Buren informed to follow-up on this seminar after summer with more subject-concentrated gatherings. Overall seminars are organized on an annual basis. But the attendants were cordially invited to contact Buren for any specific legal questions they might have in the meantime. The seminar was followed by an informal get-together, which enabled a further exchange of experiences and thoughts in the various fields of law.

Cameroonian Embassy Hosts Diplomatic Reception

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Cameroonian Embassy Hosts Diplomatic Reception
H.E.  Odette Melono, Ambassador of Cameroon to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Cameroonian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Her Excellency Mrs. Odette Melono recently hosted a Diplomatic reception in the Netherlands to commemorate Cameroon’s 45th National Day. The reception took place on May 22, 2017 at the Marriott Hotel in The Hague. The guests list was made up of several international Ambassadors and Diplomats representing Diplomatic missions in the Netherlands; Dutch business personalities and representatives of NGO’s trading with Cameroon; Dutch Government officials; as well as a number of invited Cameroonians. The reception which lasted from 17:00 – 19:00 pm was characterized by a word of welcome by H.E Mrs. Melono; meet and greet sessions and spiced with a rich buffet of a long list of typically Cameroonian dishes. According to the Cameroonian Embassy, the presence of guests from other nations was an appreciated show of support for the nation of Cameroon. In this light H.E Ambassador Odette Melono has expressed thanks to all individuals and representatives of diplomatic missions and organizations that came.
Among guests, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia H.E. Abdulaziz Abohaimed, H.E. Iffat Imran Gardezi, Ambassador of Pakistan and the Ambassador of The Sudan H.E. Rahma Salih Elobieb.
The reception marked Cameroon’s 45th edition of her National day which is celebrated on the 20th of May annually. It was celebrated with a beautiful Cake designed with all the official colours of Cameroon.  
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