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.
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Photography by A. Lutter.
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.
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/72157683717235302H.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.
On the 8th of June, the law firm Burenhosted 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.
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.
The Question of the Malvinas Islands: The international community renews its support for the resumption of negotiations on sovereignty
The General Assembly of the Organization of American States and the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization reiterated their call for the resumption of negotiations in order to find a peaceful solution to the Question of the Malvinas Islands.
Last 21 June, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) adopted by acclamation a new Declaration on the Question of the Malvinas Islands. In this Declaration, the OAS reaffirmed that the Question of the Malvinas Islands is a matter of enduring hemispheric concern and reiterated the need for the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom to resume, as soon as possible, negotiations on the sovereignty dispute, in order to find a peaceful solution to this protracted controversy.
The OAS Member States also expressed their satisfaction at the reaffirmation of the will of the Argentine Government to continue exploring all possible avenues towards a peaceful settlement of the dispute and its constructive approach towards the inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands.
Foreign Minister, Jorge Faurie headed the Argentine delegation and, in his address, reasserted Argentina’s claim for the full exercise of its legitimate sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Georgia, and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas, and reaffirmed the Argentine Government’s firm will to resume negotiations with the United Kingdom in order to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute, respecting the way of life of the inhabitants of the Islands and in accordance with the Argentine Constitution and United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 2065 (XX).
Embassy of Colombia to the Netherlands participate at the United Nations Public Service Forum
La Haya (jun. 23/17).The Embassy of Colombia to the Netherlands participated at the United Nations Public Service Forum: “The Future is now- Accelerating Public Service Innovation for the 2030 Agenda”, and was present at the Awards ceremony held on 22 and 23 June in The Hague.
The aim of the United Nations Forum was to inform and inspire public servants from all around the world, as well as to offer real practical solutions that help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The United Nations Public Service Award is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of worldwide public institutions leads towards a more effective and responsible public administration.
During the ceremony, The “Contraloría General de Medellín” was awarded in the “Promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in the public service” category, and the Cundinamarca Government won in the “Innovation and excellence in delivering health services” category. Colombia was the only country from all participant states that received two awards, which recognized the innovative ideas of Colombian public servants.
H.E. Ambassador Juan José Quintana was present at the Awards ceremony and congratulated the Colombian delegation, composed by public servants from the Civil Service Administrative Office and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
On the picture Mr Mark Verheul, Chief of Protocol, City of The Hague.
Last Friday 14, Saturday 15 and Sunday 16th of July, Musicon and Grote Markt presented the 8th edition of this internationally orientated music festival in Popdistrict, the musical heart of The Hague.
Every year the festival is a success, due to its formula of a laid back vibe combined with new musical discoveries from all corners of the world. Summertime Festival is free of charge and takes place on a vintage merry-go-round stage at the Grote Markt square. One of the perks: all music can be enjoyed from the terrace, but of course people got up and danced.
For wonderful Hester Disjstra’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157684249309444
The line up ranged from free jazz, fado & cumbia to classical music, dreamy indiepop, funk and cross-overs between styles. This year’s programme had some big names like the extra large jazz/funk band The New Cool Collective, multivocal rock songs by Bells of Youth and jazz impro icons Han Bennink and Guus Janssen.
People danced to the music of the red hot cumbia of Mamihlapinatapai and klezmer/balkan party band L’chaim. But the festival also showcased new classical talent from the Prinses Christina Concours and collaborations between popular artists from The Hague’s vibrant international jazz scene.
The Festival aims to reveal a beautiful but often hidden aspect of the city: the blooming community of international musicians.
To show this cultural abundance and to get the audience acquainted with these musicians, who have roots in numerous countries, is the ambition of the festival.
This results in a line up that is quite different from the usual pop and rock acts and makes Summertime a special treat.
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. 
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.
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. 
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.
The line up ranged from free jazz, fado & cumbia to classical music, dreamy indiepop, funk and cross-overs between styles. This year’s programme had some big names like the extra large jazz/funk band The New Cool Collective, multivocal rock songs by Bells of Youth and jazz impro icons Han Bennink and Guus Janssen.
People danced to the music of the red hot cumbia of Mamihlapinatapai and klezmer/balkan party band L’chaim. But the festival also showcased new classical talent from the Prinses Christina Concours and collaborations between popular artists from The Hague’s vibrant international jazz scene.
The Festival aims to reveal a beautiful but often hidden aspect of the city: the blooming community of international musicians.
To show this cultural abundance and to get the audience acquainted with these musicians, who have roots in numerous countries, is the ambition of the festival. 
This results in a line up that is quite different from the usual pop and rock acts and makes Summertime a special treat.