H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangaldesh to the Netherlands. On 15 April 2017, a diverse group of approximately five-hundred persons responded favorably to a call of the Embassy of the Republic of Bangladesh to come and celebrate this year’s feast of lent, the UNESCO recognized Mangal Shovajatra (new year) at Bangladesh House. For additional Hester Dijkstra’pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157682875800765

Locals and expatriate Bangladeshis have highlighted the theme of the celebration i.e. Culture for Peace through the Peace Rally. The performance of local and guest artists enthralled the audience where Deputy Mayor of the Hague Mr. Rabin Baldewsing, Foreign Ministry officials, Ambassadors of India, Sri-lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Yemen were in the audience. In addition to local NRBs in the Netherlands, Bangladeshis from Belgium, Sweden, Germany, UK among others, also participated in this mega celebration. The residence of Bangladesh Ambassador known as Bangladesh House in Wassenaar was beautifully decorated with motifs, balloons, festoons, posters, banners to beam an aura of Bengali culture befitting the day.

All Bangladeshis on this spring morning adorned themselves indistinct colorful Bengali dress while ladies drew mehendi tattoos and children roamed with paints in their faces. Mr. Rabin Baldewsing, Deputy Mayor of The Hague highly appreciated the initiatives of the Embassy of Bangladesh. In his speech Deputy Mayor stressed on the necessity of diversity and inclusion.

Ambassador of Bangladesh in the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal introduced the celebration as the most universal and secular festivals of Bangladesh. He referred to the recognition of Mangal Shovajatra by UNESCO and termed it as a big achievement. Ambassador Belal urged the non-resident Bangladeshis to follow the best practices of the developed world and introduce in Bangladesh for making a prosperous Bangladesh. In the cultural programme, performance of the children was appreciated by all. Performance of the expatriate Bangladeshi artists has made the audience spell-bound. Performance of the local band Trimatrik drew lot of appreciation from the audience. As usual the crowd especially children with colorful dress and painted faces did not miss the opportunity to dance with the music.

Local vendors put up stalls to serve Bangladeshi cakes and other cuisine to the visiting participants. Lunch, stuffed with Baishaki menu, was served to all the audience. Sweets of different kinds, cakes, pithas etc. were also served to the guests.

As the significant presence of the Dutch society in traditional Bangla dress was an attraction, everybody chanted the slogan of solidarity and peace throughout the day.    

On the picture Mr. Robert Kingman,  Acting USA Deputy Chief of Mission and  Mr. Jons van Dooren, President of SHAK. By John Dunkelgrün. Yearly on the 19th of April the U.S. Embassy jointly with OAR (Overseas Americans Remember) host a reception at the Residence to mark Dutch-American Friendship Day. This special day was established in 1982 by a special law HJ 410 which was passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President Reagan. The initiative for this law was taken by “Americans Overseas Remember” and the law was drafted on the kitchen table of the indefatigable Roberta Enschede, who also initiated events like the “ Presidents Breakfast” in the Kurhaus, the Martin Luther King Dinner and the special Thanksgiving Service in the Pieterskerk, in Leiden.

Why is there a Dutch-American Friendship Day? This was explained by Mrs. Enschede and by Mr. Robert Kingman,  Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, who stood in for Mr. Crowley, who was unwell. Warren, an ASH senior read the text of the law. The Netherlands is not only the country with the longest diplomatic ties to The United States, but it was also the first one to recognise the new republic. John Adams was the first ambassador to The Dutch Republic in 1782 and the house he bought in The Hague was the very first Embassy the U.S. owned. It is tradition that on this day the U.S. Embassy hands a certificate of appreciation to a person or organisation that has significantly promoted Dutch-American Friendship. This year the honour went to the “Foundation of the Commemoration of the American Christmas 1944” (SHAK). In the bitterly cold winter of 1944 American troops from various units of the 9th Army were bivouaced near the Southern city of Maastricht. Brothers of the Immaculate Conception Order wanted to make the men, who were mostly very young, feel at home.

They organised a Christmas Mass with coffee and doughnuts. In order to make the service safe and without interruptions by air raid alarms, the service was held in a deep cave, called the Schark. After the service, the soldiers wrote their names in charcoal of the walls of this cave. Shortly thereafter most of them were sent to the Ardennes to join the Battle of the Bulge. Many never made it home. Mr. Jons van Dooren, President of SHAK gave a moving speech in which he explained that the Foundation organises a yearly commemorative Christmas Mass and makes a major effort to locate and inform the families of the soldiers who were present in 1944. For more information you may go to www.shak.org The reception was an animated affair with some 150 Dutch, American and Dutch-American participants.

Dutch Argentinian wines importers during the Malbec International Day 2017. By A. Rangarajan. Nearly 160 years ago Argentineans embraced a French grape variety and made it their own. Today the Malbec is an inseparable part of the Argentinean heritage. Malbec adapted well to the climate and soil of Argentina. Today one can find thriving, hardy Malbecs all over Argentina, each with its own distinct personality and charm. The grape and the wine bearing this name has now come of age, as part of Argentina’s food landscape. For additional picture, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157680756530871 Since 2011, in the month of April, Argentina celebrates World Malbec Day with much gaiety. It is also the moment when trade missions of Argentina’s embassies worldwide get busy trying to support its wine industry and help enlarge their commercial profile across the globe. In keeping with that endeavour, this year on the 10th of April Argentina’s embassy to the Netherlands organised the Malbec Day celebrations in Rotterdam in the Gauchos restaurant. The theme was, ‘Malbec, the Heart of Argentina’.

It brought together a wide variety of people involved in the Wine trade together and it all started with a wine tasting session. Martin Rijxman of the Dutch wine enthusiasts group Wijngilde Midden Holland had many positive things to say about the Malbec. He called it a very structured wine and a great food companion, depending on the course one was having. Ernst Bik, the wines departmental manager of the large Dutch food stores chain, Sligro too felt that there is great potential for Malbec in the Dutch market. Though European wines still dominate the market, the Malbec slice could grow, he pointed out. Jose Belgerette, wine grower, whose wineyards in Argentina produced Organic wines- Solandes, was cautious and confident as he was pleasing, on the mark Argentinean organic wines could make in the Dutch market. He was producing some distinct tasting wine.

Martin Cabado a match maker between European wine traders and Argentinean wine producers pointed to the price factors that are still coming in the way of a greater share for Malbec in Europe. Inflation locally and currency instabilities do play a role, he pointed out. Fransbert Schermer who conducted the master class pointed to the innovations like concrete eggs that are increasingly being adopted by Argentinean wine makers as part of a new commitment to professionalism in Argentina’s wine industry. There was a mini barbeque session in the lawns of Gauchos lake side where guests could taste the food accompaniment of various Malbec wines and the day ended with a Tango dance performance which the guests enjoyed. H.E. Hector Horacio Salvador, Ambassador of Argentina hosted the Malbec World Day in the Netherlands. —— Photography courtesy of the Embassy of Argentina in The Hague.    

Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja during the ceremony. 

Galungan- Kuningan celebration at the Indonesian ambassadors residence

By Anton Lutter. Ambassador H.E. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja hosted the Balinese celebration of Galungan- Kuningan at his residence last saturday. The ambassador himself from Bali, participated in the hindu prayer ceremony which was attended by balinese from all over Europe. The ancient tradition of Galungan- Kuningan symbolizes the victory of dharma over adharma, or good against evil. Afterwards a variety of cultural actvities where performed at the garden of the residence. This included traditional dance and gamelan music from Bali aswell as an acting performance. The day was considered a huge success by the attendants who also enjoyed the Balinese dishes specially prepared for this celebration. Photography by A. Lutter.

Pictured H.E. Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Khulaifi, Ambassador of Qatar.   By Henri Estramant. State of Qatar to the EU: HE Ambassador Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Sulaiman Al Khulaifi presented credentials as head of mission to the EU on Friday, 7 April 2017, to President Donald Tusk. Previous to this ambassadorship, he was head of mission of Qatar to Germany and non-resident to Lithuania. http://www.qatarembassy.be

Republic of Chile to the EU: HE Ambassador Raúl Fernández Daza was accredited on 7 April 2017. Previously he held an ambassadorship to Haiti. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raúl_Fernández_Daza    /    http://chile.gob.cl/belgica/en/  

Mongolia to the EU: HE Ambassador Od Och before coming to Brussels was permanent representative of his homeland to the UN in New York. http://theubpost.mn/2016/11/18/new-mongolian-ambassadors-appointed/  

Republic of El Salvador to the EU: HE Ambassador Julia Vallatoro Tario holds for the very first time an ambassadorship. Previously she was Chargée d’affaires a.i. in Brussels with the rank of Minister-Counsellor; a diplomatic rank she also held at the Salvadoran mission in Vienna accredited to Austria, the UN organisations with seat in Vienna and other further accredited to Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania.   

Republic of Burkina Faso to the EU: HE Ambassador Jacqueline Zaba-Nikiema was accredited with President Tusk on 7 April 2017. Prior to her ambassadorship in Brussels, Ms Zaba-Nikiema was Special Representative of the President of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).  http://www.ambassadeduburkina.be   /   http://www.ecowas.int/profile-of-jacqueline-zaba/ ————– Photography by European Union (EU)       

Pakistan Embassy celebrated its National Day reception at the Hilton Hotel in The Hague on 23^rd March 2017.

The Ambassador of Pakistan, Ms. Iffat Imran Gardezi delivered the following message on this occasion: ‘It was 77 years ago, that Muslim leaders from all over Indian Sub-Continent gathered in Lahore on 23 March 1940 in the annual session of All India Muslim League, and passed a resolution demanding the British Government at that time, to create a separate homeland for Muslims of sub-continent where they could live in accordance with their aspirations. In only seven years, the dream came through when Pakistan got its independence on 14 August 1947.   

Ever since our independence, Pakistan has come a long way.  Starting as a country which had little infrastructure and whose very survival was questioned by some, today’s Pakistan is one of the most vibrant economies of the world.  Located in South Asia, Pakistan is a doorway to central Asia, and West Asia.  It borders two most populous countries of the world.  We have in the last couple of years with the help and support of our Chinese friends, started China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The project when completed, will link Pakistan with the biggest market of the world through world class and state of the art infrastructure. Pakistan’s aim is to become hub of regional trade and commerce by linking Central Asia, West Asia and South Asia and bring peace and prosperity to the region. This is one of the most important pillars of Pakistan’s Foreign policy. Pakistan’s economic fundamentals continue to improve day by day. All the major International Credit Rating companies have acknowledged this fact and improved Pakistan’s credit ratings. Karachi stock exchange which was trading around 32,000 benchmark a year back, has now jumped to 49,000, a return of 57% on annual basis, which shows the increased confidence of foreign and local investors in Pakistan’s economy and its future. Pakistan’s Stock Exchange is one of the best performing stock exchanges of the world. Pakistan is also a country which has produced Nobel laureates like Dr. Abdus Salam and Malala Yousafzai.

Pakistan stands for global peace and prosperity. It is to implement this vision that Pakistan continues to be one of the leading contributors for the UN Peacekeeping operations.  Despite our limited resources, we continue to give refuge to millions of Afghans for the last four decades.  It is our vision for global peace and prosperity that Pakistani nation, the government and its armed forces have joined hands in defeating the terrorists which had entered our territory from our neighboring countries. Over 60 thousand Pakistani Armed Forces Officers and soldiers and civilians have sacrificed their lives to make the world a better and safe place to live. The government, people and Armed Forces of Pakistan are determined to take this war towards its logical end and will not succumb to any pressure.  Pakistan desires friendly relations with all its neighbors and wants to resolve all outstanding issues with our neighbours amicably. The resolution of Jammu and Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of Kashmiri people and in the light of United Nations resolutions is the key to regional security and peace. Pakistanis are a progressive nation and one example of our commitment to progressive agenda is the inclusion of women in all spheres of public life. Miss. Fatima Jinnah sister of our founding father Mohammad Ali Jannah, played a very important role in our independence struggle. All of you have also heard the name of Benazir Bhutto from Pakistan, who was the first female Prime Minister in any Muslim country in 1988. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoi, yet another Pakistani lady has won two Oscars on her world acclaimed documentaries. Females in Pakistan are serving in our armed forces and as well as our Ambassadors in various countries. Recently, Government has appointed the first female Foreign Secretary of Pakistan. Pakistan’s First Ambassador to the Netherlands, Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan, was also a lady. The government has established a separate Women’s Bank and Business Women’s Chamber to promote the female entrepreneurs and their businesses.

 Pakistan is a land which is home to two of the oldest civilizations of the world. The Indus Valley and Gandhara Civilizations. It is a country which is the founding place of Budhist Religion. For many centuries, Hinduism was the dominant religion of this region. Now, most of the citizens of Pakistan are the followers of Islam. Pakistan is also the birth place of Sikh religion. Message of Islam in Pakistan spread over the years through the work of Sufi Saints. These Sufis were the torch bearer of message of love, peace, tolerance and compassion. The followings of these Sufi Saints have immense imprint on Pakistan’s culture and its people’s outlook. We are the nation who believes and works for building bridges between various faiths and civilizations. We are a country that would stand between the clash of civilizations. Pakistan and the Netherlands enjoy friendly relations and these relations are gaining further strength day by day. Major Dutch companies have their businesses in Pakistan.  Friesland Campina, one of the leading Dairy companies of the world, has recently invested USD 450 million in Pakistan. Similarly, VimpelCom, another telecom giant, has also made significant strategic investments in Pakistan during the last one year. Vopak – Shell – Akzo-Nobel – Nutritia – Philips – and Unilever are already working in Pakistan since ages. Our bilateral trade has already crossed US 1 billion and continues to grow at a steady pace. Queen Maxima of The Netherlands, visited Pakistan last year as Special Envoy of UN Secretary General on Inclusive Finance.  People of Pakistan and The Netherlands share common human values and the desire to make this world a better place to live, besides sharing passion for the Field Hockey and Cricket. We will continue to work with our Dutch partners to further cement our ties in the days ahead. Long Live Pakistan Netherlands relationship.’

On the picture H.E. Mrs. Brânduşa Predescu,  Ambassador of Romania, H.E. Mr. Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affaires and H.E.Mr. Rumen Alexandrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria. By Roy Lie A Tjam. On the bright spring morning of April 10th 2017 the Ambassador of Romania to the Netherlands, H.E. Mrs.Bert Koenders  Brânduşa Predescu, along with H.E.Mr. Rumen Alexandrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria, organized a reception. The reception was to mark Romania and Bulgaria accession to the European Union 10 years ago. Ambassador Brânduşa Predescu, observed there was a chill in the air, despite the chill she said, it was still spring and it was going to be a joyous occasion. However, Ambassador Brânduşa Predescu, paused at the recent carnage caused by terrorist in London and Stockholm. For additional Marian van Noort’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157679350976003

The venue chosen for the festivities was Pavilion Malieveld, Laan van Europa.A resume of Ambassador Predescu, welcome remarks is here to attached. It is a pleasure to join my friend and colleague Rumen Alexandrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria in warmly welcoming you at this special event marking a decade since our two countries joined the EU. We gather here in a symbolic place in The Hague, the Laan van Europa, where lime trees have been planted by the Ambassadors of all EU Member States as an expression of their countries’ membership and commitment to Europe. For this wonderful initiative the credit and our thanks go to the wethouders of The Hague. They made it possible that we, member states have all grown roots in this lovely European city. At the same time, this is an opportunity to celebrate the friendship and partnership of our countries with the Netherlands. And we are particularly honored to express our heartfelt thanks to you, Minister Koenders, for having so graciously accepted to fit this event into your busy agenda. My country is preparing for taking over for the first time the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In 2019 – which will be 30 years after the fall of communism, Romania intends to bring its own positive, constructive and result-oriented contribution to the European construction. And a profound European approach rooted in a tradition that goes back centuries.

Romania and Romanians believe in Europe. It always has. Because of their history, because of the drama of separation, because of geo-political instinct. It believes in Europe out of necessity. But, above all, it believes in Europe out of genuine conviction. Because, dear friends, there is no other better place to be today, in spite of everything, than here, in our Europe. Let us remember that every single day. And act accordingly. End of quote. The next speaker on the bright spring morning of April 10th 2017 was the Ambassador of Bulgaria H.E Mr.Rumen Alexandrov. On January 1st, 2007, Bulgaria and Romania became Member States of the European Union. Today we mark the 10th anniversary of that momentous event and prepare for the first Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The accession to the EU made Bulgaria to become a part of the world’s biggest trade block – the Single Market of 500 million European citizens. Billions worth of EU funding have been invested in the modernization of Bulgaria’s regions and infrastructure. The stability and predictability of the EU rules and standards has created favourable conditions for a considerable increase of the foreign investments in our economy, as well as a steady progress in economic growth and jobs creation. Joining the European Union was certainly not ‘the end of the road’ for either of our countries, it was the beginning of it and we still have a long way to go. Today we, the Bulgarians are proud of our EU membership and look forward with self-confidence to the European future of our country.

Subsequently, the Netherlands Foreign Minister Mr. Bert Koenders made his remarks. He vividly recalls the pre-EU era of Romania. He was pleased to seeing Bulgarian and Romanian ships sailing into the EU port..Koenders remembers the skeptical stand of the media in those days. The media was wondering whether the two countries were in a position to make the grade, given their level of development. Here we are, 10 years later, Sofia will be taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2018 and Romania in 2019. Congratulations Romania and Bulgaria.