Open Day The Hague

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Open Day The Hague
On the picture the hall of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). By Antonia Barthel, Lyudmila Palamar, Carlotta Duken.
The Hague has earned its reputation as the City of Peace and Justice through the multitude of international organizations located in the city. Yet, few people have had the chance to take a look behind the scenes and talk to people involved in the every day life of these institutions.
Within the context of the Just Peace Festival, celebrating the UN-declared International Day of Peace, this year’s The Hague International Open took place on Sunday, September 25th.
After prior registration, many international organizations invited people to learn more about their role in defending justice, peace and human rights. Guided tours, access to exhibitions and facilities of the organizations allowed people to get an insight into the working of these institutions.
This year again a plethora of organizations participated in the International Open Day:
•Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
•The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
•The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT)
•The International Criminal Court (ICC)
•Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)
•The International Court of Justice (ICJ)
•The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
•Peace Palace Library
•Europe House – European Commission (EC) and European Parliament
•OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (OSCE-HCNM)
•Eurojust
•UNICEF
•The International Development Law Organization
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The International Criminal Court (ICC).
The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened its doors to approximately 700 visitors. Since it was established in 2002, the ICC has been taking part in the open day, allowing visitors a once in a lifetime peek into the workings of the ICC.
The ICC, governed by the Rome Statute, is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes to the international community. In 2015, the ICC moved into the building designed by the Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen who won the international competition in 2010.
The Building reflects the transparent work of the ICC and is designed to fit perfectly within the landscape. Security measures are incorporated in the structure of the building. Dunes were created to hide the outside walls protecting the building on the one hand and creating a structure that includes the building in the nature and its surrounding.
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In addition to a tour of the ICC, visitors could enjoy an exhibition about the establishment of the ICC as well as the art donated to the ICC by member countries such as a beautiful mosaic from Tunisia or a Korean drum.
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With the first conference being held in 1893, the The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) presents one of the oldest institutions in The Hague. Its mission is to work on the progressive unification of the rules of private international law and to resolve differences between countries’ distinct legal systems.
Today, the HCCH counts 81 members and 145 non-member states who form part of the Conference and have signed several Conventions. The countries meet every four years in a plenary session. Besides the permanent bureau in The Hague, there are regional offices in Hong Kong and Argentina.
For the open day, the Attaché, Thomas John, introduced HCCH to the visitors in a short presentation, explained its historical origin and current workings. Subsequently, questions could be asked by visitors and the presentation was followed by a welcoming get-together with drinks, snacks and a life jazz band in the foyer of HCCH.
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This year the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) took the International Open Day beyond geographical borders and commenced the annual event with its first ever virtual tour. OPCW Spokesperson Deepti Choubey, guided social media users around the organization’s headquarters, emphasized the relevance of the OPCW’s mission and invited people from all over the world to participate in the Open Day next year. The informative tour was streamed live, however it can be still viewed on the official Facebook page of the organization. img_6042
Throughout the day more than 700 people visited the Headquarters of the OPCW, in The Hague, to learn about the Nobel Prize winning organization and participate in a broad range of activities, including engaging presentations, demonstrations of real inspectors’ equipment and Mini Film Festival.
Some breath-taking documentaries from the FIRES series were screened during the film festival, which became one of the highlights of this year’s programme.
Visitors of the Open Day were also invited to contribute to the mission of the OPCW by raising global awareness about the relevance of the threat of chemical weapons. More than 100 people shared theirs statements on social media and became OPCW Chemical Heroes.
——- Photography by Carlotta Duken.    

Launch of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency

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Launch of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency
Kapitan Andreevo, 6 October 2016 Today the European Border and Coast Guard Agency is being officially launched, less than a year after it was first proposed by the Commission. The launch event takes place at the Kapitan Andreevo Border Checkpoint at the Bulgarian external border with Turkey and includes a presentation of the vehicles, equipment and teams of the new Agency, as well as a press conference attended by Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Bulgaria Rumiana Bachvarova, State Secretary of the Interior Ministry of the Slovak Republic Denisa Sakova, Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Fabrice Leggeri, EU interior ministers and other senior officials. Building on the foundations of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency will closely monitor the EU’s external borders and work together with Member States to identify and address any potential security threats to the EU’s external borders. Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said: “Today is a milestone in the history of European border management. From now onwards, the external EU border of one Member State is the external border of all Member States – both legally and operationally. In less than one year we have established a fully-fledged European Border and Coast Guard system, turning into reality the principles of shared responsibility and solidarity among the Member States and the Union. This is exactly the European response that we need for the security and migration challenges of the 21st century.” Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, holder of the rotating Presidency of the Council, said: “By launching the European Border and Coast Guard, we are creating a new reality at our external borders. This is a tangible outcome of the joint commitment agreed in the Bratislava Roadmap, as well as a practical display of unity among Member States. It will help us to get back to Schengen. The Presidency is determined to help further strengthen the European Border and Coast Guard, as well as translate other commitments from the Roadmap into action.” Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Fabrice Leggeri, said: “This is a historic moment and I am very proud to see Frontex become the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. The new Agency is stronger and better equipped to tackle migration and security challenges at Europe’s external borders. Its mandate has wider scope and new powers that will allow it to act effectively. The Agency will conduct stress tests at the external borders to identify vulnerabilities before a crisis hits. It will now also be able to offer operational support to neighbouring non-EU countries who ask for assistance at their border and share intelligence on cross-border criminal activities with national authorities and European agencies in support of criminal investigations.  It also has a key role at Europe’s maritime borders through its new coast guard functions.” Under the new mandate, the Agency’s role and activities have been significantly expanded. The Agency’s permanent staff will be more than doubled and the Agency will be able to purchase its own equipment and deploy them in border operations at short notice. A rapid reserve pool of at least 1,500 border guards and a technical equipment pool will be put at the disposal of the Agency – meaning there will no longer be shortages of staff or equipment for Agency operations. The European Border and Coast Guard will now ensure the implementation of Union standards of border management through periodic risk analysis and mandatory vulnerability assessments. The European Border and Coast Guard will provide a missing link in strengthening Europe’s external borders, so that people can continue to live and move freely within the European Union – helping to meet Europe’s commitment to get back to the normal functioning of the Schengen area and the lifting of temporary internal border controls by the end of the year, as set out in the Commission’s Back to Schengen Roadmap on 4 March.

Van Cleef & Arpels’ Noah’s Ark Jewellery Exhibition

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Van Cleef & Arpels’ Noah’s Ark Jewellery Exhibition
Paris, HĂ´tel d’Évreux, 2-26 September 2016: Across from Van Cleef & Arpels’ boutique at 20, Place VendĂ´me at Paris, the high jewellery house unveiled a public exhibition at the HĂ´tel d’Évreux entitled L’Arche de NoĂ© racontĂ©e par Van Cleef & Arpels (Noah’s Ark as told by Van Cleef & Arpels), a collection that paid homage to the animal realm aboard the mythical Noah’s Ark. Brought to life through a collection featuring animal couple brooches, the offering weaves together the Parisian house’s heritage relationship with nature, craftsmanship, and precious stones. him-shahbanou-farah-of-iran-and-designer-robert-wilson-picture-by-farahpahlavi-org One of the exhibition most prominent visitors was Her Imperial Majesty The Dowager Empress of Iran, Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi, who whilst in office was an avid customer of Van Cleef & Arpels. In fact, the latter jewellery house designed and produced her imperial crown back in 1967. Van Cleef & Arpels tapped celebrated American set designer Robert Wilson to create a scenographic backdrop where visitors were able to explore the high jewellery amid a re-imagined vision of the vessel. Upon entering the venue, guests were plunged into a multi-sensory experience, and images of the animal kingdom in pairs. For further information: Van Cleef & Arpels: http://www.vancleefarpels.com/ww/en/la-maison/icons/legends-of-van-cleef—Arpels/l_arche-de-noe-racontee-par-van-cleef—arpels-exhibition–paris.html?55click=Highlight      

Yuan in the IMF’s currency basket

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Yuan in the IMF’s currency basket
1 October 2016, Washington, D.C.:  the Yuan, the PRC’s currency, joined the dollar, euro, yen and British pound in the “special drawing rights” (SDR) basket that forms the IMF’s unit of account. These basket is known as “renminbi”.  Being part of the SDR basket at the IMF is quite a ways away from being a global reserve currency yet according to the IMF’s Managing Director, Christine Lagarde the “expansion reflects the ongoing evolution of the global economy and is a significant change for the IMF”.  This is the first time since the adoption of the Euro that a currency is added to the basket.  Moreover reality is being reflected as the PRC’s accounts now for 17,3 % of the global economy against the 15,8 of the USA. Ms Largarde added in the IMF’s press release that “The Renminbi’s inclusion reflects the progress made in reforming China’s monetary, foreign exchange, and financial systems, and acknowledges the advances made in liberalizing and improving the infrastructure of its financial markets. The continuation and deepening of these efforts, with appropriate safeguards, will bring about a more robust international monetary and financial system, which in turn will support the growth and stability of China and the global economy”.  For further information: On the relevance of the Yuan’s inclusion as renminbi: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000556016 IMF: https://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/rms_sdrv.aspx      

Israeli top envoys in the Benelux accredited

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Israeli top envoys in the Benelux accredited
On the picture Israel’s Ambassador to The Netherlands and the OPCW, Aviv Shir-On. Picture by Rotapool, Remko de Waal. State of Israel to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the OPCW: HE Ambassador Aviv Aharon Shir-On was accredited on Wednesday, 5 October 2016, after presenting his letters of credence to HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands at Noordeinde Palace.  His previous ambassadorship was to Austria between 2009 and 2013.   http://embassies.gov.il/hague-en/Pages/default.aspx
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Permanent Representative, Ambassador Aharon Leshno-Yaar and NATO’s SG Jens Stoltenberg – Picture by Israel in Europe.
State of Israel to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):  HE Ambassador Aharon Leshno-Yaar became Israel’s very first accredited head of mission to NATO after presenting his credentials on Friday, 16 September 2016 to Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.  Israel is not a member of the 28 nations encompassing NATO yet it has enjoyed military cooperation with the military alliance in a number of fields, and is currently a partner of the Mediterranean Dialogue; a NATO outreach programme with seven friendly nations bordering on the waterway. NATO currently has about 40 partner states, including Australia, India, Japan, Pakistan and Russia. Its partnerships include ones with European non-NATO countries, the Mediterranean basin and Persian Gulf states, which are due to be accredited for the first time as well (https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2016/05/07/israel-gets-office-at-nato/). Ambassador Leshno-Yaar will likewise be accredited to the EU.  Prior to arriving to Brussels, Ambassador Leshno-Yaar served as the Deputy Director General, Head of UN and International Organisations Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His previous ambassadorship was as Permanent of Israel to the United Nations in Geneva from 2008 until 2012.  For additional information: http://embassies.gov.il/eu/Pages/default.aspx http://embassies.gov.il/eu/Relations/Pages/Israel-NATO.aspx https://www.ft.com/content/f5d017f8-84b2-11e6-8897-2359a58ac7a5  http://embassies.gov.il/eu/NewsAndEvents/Newsletter/Pages/Israel’s-new-Ambassador-to-the-EU—NATO—Meet-Aharon-Leshno-Yaar.aspx    

The Glory of the Jewish Book

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The Glory of the Jewish Book
  By John DunkelgrĂĽn. Lovers of illuminated manuscripts are in for a rare treat. To celebrate the founding of the oldest active Jewish library in the world “Ets Haim”, the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam has assembled a small but unique exhibition of (mainly) manuscripts from the Vatican, the University of Leiden, the Israel National Library, private collections and -of course- from Ets Haim itself. For additional pictures please open the following link:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4QmEOPQ4NvlWlM4QXh3UHktTzQ
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Omer calendar, Amsterdam mid 18th century. Photo by Ardon Bar-Hama.
The name Ets Haim means “tree of life”. Ets Haim-Livraria Montesinos, to give it its full name, was started by Jews who fled the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal after 1492. Books have always been extremely important for Jews, who after the Romans destroyed their temple in Jerusalem, have been credited with developing the first “portable religion”, a religion no longer bound to a specific central edifice. With books they could take their religion, their culture and experience with them, wherever they chose or were forced to go. The old books books were copied with minute attention to detail and much love by highly trained and valued scribes and were often illuminated by master artisans. This exhibition has magnificent examples of both. The collection in this exhibition contains unique and priceless items, such as the only manuscript extant of Spinoza’s Ethica which is displayed next to the cherem, the document banning him from the Jewish community. There are prayer books from the Vatican Library, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries and a Jerusalem Talmud in Hebrew and Aramaic.
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Arba’ah Turim, Mantua 1435, coll. Biblioteca Vaticana, Rome.
The opening of the exhibition was an example of how libraries and religions can work together. Mr. Abraham Palache of the Portugese Jewish community in Amsterdam and Mr. Antoine Bodar, a well known Dutch priest and art historian, gave their inspired views on the importance of books. Mr. Palache pointed out that in reading about his 17th century forebear, Don Samuel Palache, he realised how much his cultural DNA had been passed on to him from generation to generation. It is interesting to note that Don Samuel came to the Court at The Hague as the first Ambassador of the King of Morocco! Mr. Bodar eloquently described the importance of books in a humorous anthropomorphic way. The exposition runs until January 8th 2017, for information see www.jhm.nl
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Santo Officio
   

45 years of Sino-Belgian diplomatic relations

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45 years of Sino-Belgian diplomatic relations
On the picture Dr Qu Xing and Didier Reynders. Thursday, 28 September 2018, Embassy of the PRC to the Kingdom of Belgium: The People’s Republic of China’s bilateral ambassador to Belgium, Dr. Qu Xing, hosted a traditional Chinese reception to mark 45 years of diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Belgium as well as the 67th anniversary of the foundation of the PRC. 
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Third from left to right Andre Flahaut former speaker of the chamber of representatives picture by didierreynders-be.
Special guest and key speaker was Belgium’s Vice-Premier Didier Reynders, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Former Speaker of the Federal Parliament and erstwhile Minister of Defence, AndrĂ© Flahaut as well as a plethora of Belgian officials and ambassadors accredited to Belgium were in attendance as were representative of Chinese media with bureaux in Brussels such as Xinhua, the Beijing Daily or Phoenix News. 
Ambassador Dr. Qu Xing and FM Didier Reynders - Picture by didierreynders.be
Ambassador Dr. Qu Xing and FM Didier Reynders – Picture by didierreynders.be
Officially diplomatic relations began on 25 October 1971, although the late Queen Dowager Elisabeth of Belgium paid an unofficial eye-brow raising visit to the PRC in 1961 with the support of the civilian organisation Belgium-China Association.  Between 20-28 June 2015, The VII King of the Belgians and his Queen Mathilde paid a state visit to the PRC with stopovers in Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Shenzhen. The visit was arranged one year after President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan were on a state visit in Belgium.  For further information: Allocution of HE Ambassador Dr. Qu Xing: http://be.china-embassy.org/eng/sghd/t1402770.htm Belgium-China Association: http://www.belchin.be/qui-sommes-nous/historique/ ———-  Photography by didierreynders-be.    

Dutch-Bangla Expo September 2016

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Dutch-Bangla Expo September 2016
On the picture His Excellency Minister of Finance Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith together with the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Netherlands, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Belal, his wife Dr Dilruba Nasrin and Mr Anwar Shawkat Afser. By Roy Lie A Tjam. The Dutch-Bangla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DBCCI), in conjunction with the Embassy of the Republic of Bangladesh in The Hague, organized the DUTCH-BANGLA EXPO 2016 (the first single country / joint trade show between the Netherlands and Bangladesh) on 28-29 September. The objective of the fair was to demonstrate Bangladesh businesses’ investment potentials, and much more, to the world – particularly in the Netherlands and the Benelux. This prestigious event took place at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority – in active collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh. For additional Kim Vermaat’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157671357843184
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Mr Anwar Shawkat Afser, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Minister of Finance Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith and Mr. Guido Landheer.
Many individuals attended the inauguration ceremony to listen to the indefatigable Bengali veteran politician, Finance Minister Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith, who was vehemently at the helm of the struggle for the liberation of Bangladesh. Representatives from the Dutch Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors from countries like Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka – just to name a few – as well as diplomats of other countries were also present. Below is the breakdown of the inaugural program:
  1. Welcome by Mr. Anwar Shawkat Afser DBCCI President (ag)
  2. H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangladesh in the Netherlands
  3. The Honorable Finance Minister Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith
  4. Mr. Guido Landheer, Deputy Director General Foreign Economic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Representing Minister Lilianne Plumen who is in Bangladesh)
  5. A vote of thanks by Mr. Shahriar Taha (DBCCI)
Bangladesh’s Finance Minister, Hon. Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith inaugurated the fair as the guest of honor. The exhibitors who were showcasing their products and services were from across various sectors including Ready Made Garment (RMG), leather, textiles, jute, water and ICT.
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His Excellency, Mr. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of Indonesia, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mr. Adam Maznavee Jaufer Sadiq , the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz Abdullah Abohaimed and Deputy Mayor of The Hague, Mr Rabin Baldewsingh.
In his invigorative keynote address, the Finance Minister Abul Maal A. Muhith commenced by stating how overwhelmed he was by what he saw. He thanked the government of the Netherlands, the Embassies and all the stakeholders for the efforts they had made. Muhith considered the trade fair to be a clear picture of the Bangladesh economy. Minister Muhith cordially invited Dutch investors and businesses to Bangladesh, as necessary conditions for the take-off of the Bangladesh economy have been created. Never before was Bangladesh so well-prepared to absorb talent, technology and investment from outside; never before was the country as investment-hungry as it is today.
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His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Belal and Minister of Finance Mr. Abul Maal A. Muhith.
A strategic geographic location in the vicinity of two major economies of the world – India and China – along with its low cost labor makes Bangladesh a potentially attractive destination for foreign direct investment. Bangladesh offers the most liberal FDI regime in South Asia, allowing 100 percent foreign equity with unrestricted exit policy, easy remittance of royalty, and repatriation of profit and incomes. Moreover, the Foreign Private Investment Act provides legal protection from nationalization an expropriation The government of Bangladesh hosts development projects that include ports development, new export processing zones, special economic zones and initiatives under “Digital Bangladesh 2021”. The Minister continued, ‘I have no doubt that the Dutch-Bangla Expo 2016 will give all potential investors from the Netherlands, as well as from the greater Benelux region, an opportunity to know, in greater depth and dimension, the investment prospects in Bangladesh. With these words, I urge all potential investors from the Netherlands to invest, in whatever form that suits you best, in this fast growing prospective market. I assure you of my personal care in making your dreams a reality. Let’s step together to shape the future of our country!.’ 20160928156 One of the take-aways of this trade fair was that the cooperation between the Netherlands and Bangladesh be taken to a more elevated level. A seminar, focusing on business and investment opportunities in Bangladesh, took place subsequent to the official closure of the fair.

UN Day 2016, Miguel Estrella in the Peace Palace

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UN Day 2016, Miguel Estrella in the Peace Palace
By Steven van Hoogstraten, Member of the Comite d’Initiatives. This years’ celebration of the UN Day, 24 October 2016, will be marked by a solo performance of the well known argentine pianist Miguel Angel Estrella in the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace. Miguel Estrella is the founder of the “Orchestra pour la Paix” which visited the Hague in December 2014 for a tour of 2 concerts. Now Miguel Estrella will play “seul-en-scene” for a mixed audience of diplomats, international judges, other dignitaries and young students and even refugees. His first concert on the Sunday 23 October will be a public event and it will take place in the Eglise Wallone at Noordeinde at 14.30 hours . Tickets can be obtained at the doors of the Church one hour in advance at 10,- euro a piece. The background of Miguel Estrella , borne in 1936 and a long time human rights activist , is to a large degree determined by the period that he was in captivity during the reign of the argentine Junta. He was badly treated by this dictatorship, during the prison years his hands were ruined. Later he was a refugee in France, and – after the restoration of democracy in Argentina – he became his country’s ambassador to UNESCO in Paris (2003-2015) . But he is first and foremost a highly talented piano player who was originally formed at the conservatoire of Buenos Aires. The concert is organized by a Comite d’Initiatives which comprises inter alia Human Rights prof. (em.) Theo van Boven, STL Head of Defence Office Francois Roux and his spouse Evelyne , ICJ Registrar Philippe Couvreur and the ambassador of Argentina Hector Horacio Salvador. The City of the Hague offers valuable support, and the coordination of the event is in the hands of the Carnegie Foundation, Erik de Baedts. Miguel Estrella comes to life in the following quote from the Nouvel Observateur, the French weekly “ Estrella n’est pas chaleureux, il est brĂ»lant. Il dĂ©borde d’amour , ne concoit pas de relation humaine qui ne soit amour. On peut puiser en lui comme une fortune sans limite: il continuera de donner de lui meme, de sa musique, de son temps, de son eloquence…” Both the concerts in the Peace Palace and in the Eglise Wallone will be unique experiences, with music from Wolfgang A Mozart ( Rondo en Re majeur) and Franz Liszt ( Sonate en si mineur) on the menu.

U.S. Blockade against Cuba, When will it End?

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U.S. Blockade against Cuba, When will it End?
On the picture Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla. There has never been in modern history a system of coercive, unilateral measures from one country against another that has lasted as long as the one imposed by the government of the United States of America against Cuba since the early 1960s. At that time, the U.S. government could not accept that a group of Cuban men and women led a radical revolution that ended their neocolonial domination that violated the sovereignty and independence of a country that was proud of its origins. The United States started to use all kinds of strategies to overthrow the triumphant Revolution: the economic, commercial and financial war was one of them. It created a complex situation for the Cuban economy, which has had to face all kind of difficulties and looks for the most innovative ways to move forward. In all these years, the Cuban people have suffered the impact of the U.S. blockade and have suffered immeasurable human and material losses. The blockade, in one way or another, affects multiple aspects of the life of Cuban citizens. It has been proved that the blockade is the main hurdle in Cuba’s development and the economic damage caused during almost six decades of implementation amounts to USD$ 753,688 billion, if we consider the devaluation of the dollar against the gold. Even though Cuba and the United States reestablished diplomatic relations in the summer of 2015 and despite all the modifications introduced in the implementation of the blockade by the government of President Barack Obama and his calling on the Congress to lift it, there are several key elements of this policy that remain in force, thus hindering the advances towards the normalization of the relations between the two countries. Contradictorily to what has been done, the prosecution to the international financial transactions to Cuba has increased under Obama’s administration and the retaliations against sovereign States and companies worldwide that maintain trade relations with Cuba have also escalated significantly. Recently, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, presented to the international press the report on the Resolution 70/5 of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA), in which he offered up-to-date information on the losses caused to Cuba by the unilateral siege established by Washington. It is expected that, as every year, this report will be voted in the multilateral forum, at the end of October. The U.S. blockade against Cuba violated the International Law and it is a massive, blatant and systematic violation of the human rights of the people in the Caribbean country that must end immediately, without conditions or pressure of any kind. In 2015, 191 member States voted against that policy that seeks to exterminate an entire people. The blockade was only supported by two countries: the United States and Israel.
The U.S. "no" vote is shown with the results of the vote on the annual draft resolution calling for an end to the U.S.-led five-decade embargo against the Caribbean nation, in the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015. The resolution condemning the U.S. embargo against Cuba has won overwhelming approval, with only the United States and Israel voting against it. Tuesday's vote had the highest ever number of countries voting to condemn the embargo — 191. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The U.S. “no” vote is shown with the results of the vote on the annual draft resolution calling for an end to the U.S.-led five-decade embargo against the Caribbean nation, in the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015. The resolution condemning the U.S. embargo against Cuba has won overwhelming approval, with only the United States and Israel voting against it. Tuesday’s vote had the highest ever number of countries voting to condemn the embargo — 191. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Cuba and its people trust they will continue to count on the support of the international community and their rightful demand to end the economic, financial and commercial blockade that has been unfairly and unilaterally imposed by the government of the United States of America.    
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