Commemorative Lecture in honor of Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914). Thursday, June 16^th, 2016 Great Hall of Justice, Peace Palace, The Hague. By Elizabeth Naumczyk. On the evening of Thursday, June 16^th, 2015 the Peace Palace Library organised a Commemorative Lecture for the public titled Beyond Die Waffen Nieder! Bertha von Suttner as a philosopher, futurist and friend of humanity in honour of Bertha von Suttner. This occurred at the end of the third annual Bertha von Suttner Master Class summer school held at the Peace Palace on the 14-15^th June, 2016. The lecture was held in the Great Hall of Justice of the International Court of Justice. For additional pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157669942436542  

Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914) was an Austrian author and peace activist and one of the most prominent members of the international peace movement in the 19^th century. In 1905, she became the first female recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and also played an important role in the coming into existence of the Peace Palace. As part of its 2013 centenary, the Dutch Carnegie Foundation, the owner of the Peace Palace, acknowledged her contribution by granting her two busts.   She became the first woman in history to be honoured with a bust inside the Peace Palace. The program was introduced by Candice Alihusain LL.M, Coordinator of the Reading Room of the Peace Palace Library. Since 2014 the Peace Palace Library, the Bertha von Suttner Project and Central Michigan University (USA) organize an annual Master Class and Commemoration Lecture to draw attention to the contributions of women to international law. The Bertha von Suttner Project was co-founded with Dr Hope Elizabeth May, an attorney and Professor of Philosophy, Central Michigan University (USA) with Candice Alihusian of the Peace Palace Library.   May,  has also created a website to promote the publications of Bertha von Suttner and English translations. http://www.berthavonsuttner.com/index.html The Commemorative Lecture continues the theme of this year’s Master Class focussing on the first every English translation of Bertha von Suttner’s 1912 essay, ‘Die Barbarisierung Der Luft’ (‘The Barbarization of the Sky’).  The English translation led by Hope Elizabeth May, will be released in the summer of 2016 and will be available at the Peace Palace Library. “This publication marks the 20th anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s historic 1996 Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons. In 2016, the Court will build on this jurisprudence [in the Marshall Island vs. UK case] as it considers whether the failure of the nuclear weapon states to enter into multilateral negotiations aimed at nuclear disarmament violates the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT obliges signatories to enter into multilateral negotiations aimed at nuclear disarmament.” https://www.vredespaleis.nl/masterclass-14-15-juni/?lang=en

Professor May then spoke to her topic Awakening the will to thoughtfulness: Bertha von Suttner’s ‘Barbarization of the Sky’. She emphasised the word “thoughtfulness” which in her view involved thinking and intelligent doing or action referring to Prudentia, one of the four virtues. “Prudence is the ability to implement this ‘World Force’, Higher Insight, Truth (Veritas) into action. We may also call it the Will to Thoughtfulness.” Bertha von Suttner also believed that “Humanity develops upward”, and “we are called to hasten the development of a higher and more fortunate type of human being”. May explained the four multi-coloured stained-glass windows in the Great Hall of Justice titled The Evolution of the Peace Ideal, by Scottish artist Douglas Strachan, the official gift of the British Commonwealth to the Peace Palace in The Hague. This theme is portrayed in four phases: the Primitive age, the Age of Conquest, the Modern Age and the Fulfilment of the Peace Ideal which represent an evolution of hearts and minds. That in 1913 was awakening a will to thoughtfulness.

She spoke about The Peace Flag, the motto, Pro Concordia Labor, “I work for peace”, which was designed in 1897 by Countess Cora di Brazzà. The colours of yellow, purple and white were chosen so that it would not be confused with any other national flags. Di Brazzà also created the Universal Peace Badge and developed the Seven Rules of Harmony. May made reference to the 1996 Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons and the current state of international law which involves principles of proportionality and necessity. If the harm is necessary, it is legal, so long as the harm is balanced in accordance with a good enough objective. “Nuclear weapons are not inherently disproportionate’ according to the Statement of the United States, filed in this Advisory Opinion. Her view is that humankind will evolve and the importance we place on honour and sovereignty will change. She ended by quoting Suttner on the ‘Change in the ‘Calculus of Benefits’, due to Change in the Baseline Metric’ from Das Maschinenzeitalter (1889) ‘Hatred and enmity were replaced with the steadily spreading of a softer morality…’. She ended saying we all have a duty to do something and we all know what to do in our sphere, that is “thoughtfulness”.

The second speaker was Dr Laurie Cohen, Professor of History, Universiy of Innsbruck, Austria who spoke on ‘Demanding peace versus humanizing war: a Bertha von Suttner – Henri Dunant debate in the age of nuclear security?”   She examined the question: is the absolute pacifism of Bertha von Suttner and the humanitarian work of Dunant reconcilable “pacifist” philosophies? Henry Dunant founded the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), after witnessing the aftermath of the bloody Battle of Solferino in 1859. Dunant’s emphasis was on making armed struggles as humane as possible, through international agreements that offered principles for the national branches of the Red Cross, which in turn provided actual relief to the wounded. This idea evolved from the first meeting in August 1864 and known as the First Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field to the now famous Four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their 1977 Protocols, which together constitute a significant portion of international humanitarian law and the modern law of armed conflict. Bertha von Suttner thought humanitarian aid arguably helped to validate war by softening its horrors. In a collection of essays written in 1908 and entitled “Stimmen und Gestalten” (Voices and Forms) , she suggests that “the Red Cross serves institutionally as a slowly moving intermediary stage or temporary phenomenon (Übergangserscheinung) between war and peace”. Despite this, she considered Dunant a friend a pacifist for his outreach to influential people in society in the cause of peace. Suttner’s “Barbarization of the sky” warned how modern weaponry, such as airplanes, would increase horrifically the numbers of dead and wounded. The leap to nuclear warfare was provided by H.G. Wells with his science fiction novels The War in the Air (1908) and The World Set Free (1914) in which he anticipated and named the atomic bomb and how humans facilitated its use in extermination.   Cohen then went onto to tie the activism of Bertha von Sutter motivated by moral outrage, with that of the activism of the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, established in 1981 in Berkshire, England who were motivated by fear, both legitimate incentives for getting active. The continued protests and dialogue with the US Air Force against the placement of nuclear weapons in their backyards led to their removal a decade later. “In 1987 a US-Soviet Treaty was signed, allowing for the removal of the Pershing II and SS-20 missiles from Europe (done in 1991) and the USAF left Greenham in 1992.” She concluded her lecture by referring to the third middle ground approach of deterrence held by Alfred Nobel “And yet, there are still those who think deterrence is the path to peace. One of those is Alfred Nobel, who reportedly sketched out a rocket.” The final speaker was Dr Regina Braker, Professor of German, University of Eastern Oregon, USA ‘Bertha von Suttner’s Feminist Pacifist Conviction amidst Militarist Skepticism: the 1905 Nobel Peace Prize’.  In the 1870s Bertha von Suttner became a close friend of Alfred Nobel, and they corresponded for years on the subject of peace until his death in 1896. It is believed that she was a major influence in his decision to include peace as a prize among those prizes provided in his will. Braker outlined in detail Bertha von Suttner’s peace movement activity and the support she received from many people who argued she deserved the 1905 Nobel Peace Prize on merit for her qualifications, engagement and publications and not because of her influence on Alfred Nobel and that he would have wanted her to receive the peace prize. She was nominated for this prize since 1901. In 1901 Baron Clemens von Pirquet wanted the Norwegian Nobel Committee to bestow an honorary peace award on Czar Nikolai II of Russia for his initiative that resulted in the 1899 Hague Peace Conference. He also wanted the divide the prize money between several worthy peace workers, including von Suttner. The 1901 Peace Prize was awarded to Jean Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy. In the Official Website of the Nobel Prize it says “Suttner was the author of the novel “Die Waffen nieder” (Lay Down Your Arms), the most important anti-war novel of the period. She was the founder and president of the Austrian Peace Society (1891), and she contributed to the foundation of the Permanent International Peace Bureau (1891). Suttner was nominated for her contribution to the international peace movement.” http://www.nobelprize.org At the 1899 Hague Peace Conference she summarized the core ideas of the peace movement and in 1904 went on a United States tour attending a universal peace congress in Boston and meeting President Theordore Roosevelt. People who supported her were themselves recipients of the Nobel Prize. The Norwegian poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910), recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature for 1903,  was a Member of the Nobel Committee when he introduced her to receive her laureate on April 18, 1906. Frédéric Passy (1822-1912), co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 1901. So too, Alfred Hermann Fried (1864-1921) who shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Tobias Asser in 1911. He was an Austrian Jewish pacifist and co-founder of the German peace movement. In 1892 he and von Suttner published an international peace magazine after the title of her book Die Waffen nieder which was succeeded by Die Friedenswarte (The Peace Watch) still being published today. Paul-Henri-Benjamin Balluet d’Estournelles, Baron de Constant de Rebecque (1852-1924), was a French diplomat and politician, advocate of international arbitration and winner of the 1909 Nobel Prize for Peace. Henri La Fontaine (1854-1943), a Belgian socialist, international lawyer and president of the International Peace Bureau received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1913. She had the support of women like the English Quaker pacifist Ellen Robinson who argued for women laureates and the importance of their work despite the limitations placed on them by society, and a supportive letter from the Norwegian women, who, at that time, were not recognized as nominators.   Despite her being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905 she was treated dismissively by the press who believed she obtained it because of her friendship with Nobel and her need of financial support. The Netherlands also has The Wateler Peace Prize. Mr J.G.D. Wateler, a Dutch banker, died in 1927 and bequeathed his estate for this purpose to the Dutch Parliament who in turn left it to the Carnegie Foundation to choose the recipient. The prize is awarded alternatively to Dutch and non Dutch persons or organizations. The prize has been awarded annually since 1931 and from 2004 biennually. The evening concluded with a reception in the splendid surroundings outside the Great Hall of Justice.          

Pictured Lenka Meurders and  Zdenka Prochazkova.  By Roy Lie A Tjam H.E. Ms. Jana Reinisová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in The Hague, welcomed the guests and performers at the Czech Residence on June 23. It has been an evening of phenomenal piano music by the Czech pianist Lenka Meurders and violinist- singer Zdenka Prochazkova. For additional pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157667796367953

Lenka Meurders is a Czech concert pianist and private teacher living in the Netherlands. Lenka started music lessons at the age of four and a year later she began to play the piano. She studied at the Prague conservatory under J.Tuma, M. Maixnerrova, M. Rezek and J.Novotny. Several awards have been bestowed upon her, she has also participated in competitions and won many prizes.Lenka forms a duo with clarinetist Harm Meurders. As for Zdenka Prochazkova is also from the Czech Republic. She studied violin and viola at the Conservatory of Brno. Zdenka studied at L’Academie franco-tcheque de musiques de Telc and was in Vladimir Buka’s class of 2006-2007. She regularly performs with Collegium 1704, Czech ensemble Baroque and les Vents Atlantiques. Zdenka is currently studying at the vocal department of the Royal Conservatory The Hague. Zdenka and Lenka are recognized as gifted classical musicians of an upcoming generation. The concert was on the occasion of the Czech presidency of the Visegrad Group. The Visegrad Group (also known as the “Visegrad Four” or simply “V4”) reflects the efforts of the countries of the Central European region to work together in a number of fields of common interest within the all-European integration. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have always been part of a single civilization sharing cultural and intellectual values and common roots in diverse religious traditions, which they wish to preserve. The Czech Republic is the current president of the group. Lenka and Zdenka opened the evening with Chopin’s Mazurka a minor op 17 no 4. The breakdown of the program V. Novaik: Slovak songs, F. Liszt Ballade no 2b minor and A. Dvorak, Biblical songs op 99. Lenka and Zdenka concluded the scheduled program with a work by Dvorak: Biblical songs op 99 no 3, no4, no6, no8 no10.The audience burst into a standing ovation, Ambassador Jana Reinisová thanked the artist for their captivating  music. Furthermore, the Ambassador thanked the audience. Bouquets of flowers were presented to the talented young artist. A reception followed the musical performance.            

Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in Netherlands and Institute of Social Studies in The Hague commemorate 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi By Robert Kayinamura, First Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in The Hague. The Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the Netherlands continued the 22nd commemoration program  in cooperation with the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. The event on June 22, was organized under the theme ‘Fighting Genocide Denial” and was attended by more than 100 guests, including students, professors, teachers, Friends of Rwanda, Rwandan nationals living in the Netherlands and many others. In The Hague, and throughout the world, April to July marks the annual period of mourning for the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, in which more than a million people were killed. For this event, the student body of the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University, Scholars, and the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in The Netherlands have collaborated once again to remember the innocent lives lost, and show solidarity with survivors and reflect on lessons learned, for looking forward. Professor Inge Hutter, Rector of the Institute of Social Studies, said in her opening remarks that in order to remember, to unite and to renew, it is in all matters crucial to make a connection to the other. At the event, the administration committed that commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi will be held a very year at the Institute. In his remarks, Mr. Guy Beaujot, Friend of Rwanda, called on every one on “Rwanda Never Again” towards “Fighting Genocide Ideology”. He said that this year’s theme, ‘Fighting Genocide Ideology’ is not that different from last year’s but apparently it’s one that bothers and disturbs some people. He cited, Mr. Bart Stapert, defender of an alleged genocide perpetrator in a case that opposes the Dutch state against his client who appeals against his eviction to face trial in Rwanda, made a lot of fuss in court a few weeks ago”, said Beaujot. He added to say that questioning the reason for commemoration is an act of genocide denial, accusing the authorities to manipulate the commemorations is part of an inherited strategy of genocide ideology and seeing now some renowned Dutch lawyers implementing this into their defense strategies is alarming.

The audience got a small lecture from Dr. Helen Hintjens, who’s specialism is the post-genocide politics of peaceful change and refugee issues in the African Great Lakes region and Rwanda in particular, about the three fundamental forms of denial; Literal denial, interpretive denial and implicatory denial. “Genocide denial is a crime in many parts of the world, and rightly so. Lesser forms of denial, of atrocities and suffering short of genocide, also block the path to future peace”, concluded Dr. Hintjes her lecture. Christian Mundele (chairman of Ibuka Netherlands) spoke on behalf of Ibuka and this was followed by a Ms. Hetty Franzani, another Friend of Rwanda, who talked about sharing skills and changing lives. H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga concluded the program with his keynote speech and said that “today as we remember, we invite students, professors, teachers, Friends of Rwanda, Rwandans and the international community to take concrete measures to fight the genocide ideology and the genocide denial that has been going around for 21 years in some parts of this world. I would like to offer a reminder to all of us. The fact is that the ICTR Trial Chamber concluded, on 2 September 1998, that “genocide was, indeed, committed in Rwanda against the Tutsi as a group” and that the Appeals Chamber confirmed, on 16 June 2006, that it is a “fact of common knowledge” that “between 6 April and 17 July 1994, there was a genocide in Rwanda against the Tutsi ethnic group”, this should at least serve as a basis for all of us to desist any attempt to deny or trivialize facts of genocide.”

“Rwanda commemorates genocide for the 22nd time, the world celebrates the 71st anniversary of the United Nations charter, in which 194 members pledge “never again” and have committed to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treatiarues and other sources of international law can be maintained. Among these treaties are those that have moved the prosecution of genocide, from being an option to being a duty. In this regard, Rwanda reminds countries of their international law obligation of prosecuting these genocide suspects or handing them over to Rwanda to face Justice”, Ambassador Karabaranga continued. “Every year we recognize the bravery of RPF’s men and women led then by President Paul Kagame who rescued the few survivors we have today. On this day of remembrance we thank them for their sacrifices and bravely during that horrible period. They are our heroes and the next generation have to take example to them.” H.E. Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga concluded and thanked the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University for organizing this annual event in cooperation with the Embassy. Join Rwanda in Kwibuka activities by leaving a message of remembrance on www.kwibuka.rw. Follow @KwibukaRwanda for updated information on Kwibuka22.    

By Roy Lie A Tjam. Africa Day 2016 came and went it was recently celebrated at the Marriott Hotel The Hague; H.E. Odette Meleno, Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors in the Netherlands and her colleagues Ambassadors welcomed the guest in style. A total of well over 400 persons attended the function. Africa Day, is the day Africa celebrates the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity in Addis Ababa on May 25th, 1963. The theme of this year’s celebration is “2016: African Year of Human Rights, with a Special Focus on the Rights of Women” For additional Carlotta Duken’s pictures, please open the following link:https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157669664174462 H.E. Dean Meleno held a vibrant speech on the achievement, aspirations, and challenges of the continent. Some extracts of her speech are sited hereunder. On behalf of the Africa Group of Ambassadors, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this wonderful 2016 commemoration of Africa Day in The Hague. I am happy to see, taste, smell and feel Africa today. “I would like to thank the Organizing Committee for the hard work in putting this event in motion. This year, there is much to celebrate because there is a sense of hope and optimism across Africa. As you are aware, Africa Day is annually celebrated on May 25th throughout the world to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, in 1963. The theme of this year’s celebration is “2016: African Year of Human Rights, with a Special Focus on the Rights of Women”. It reinforces among others, the need for gender equality and women’s rights. Removing barriers that impede women from fully enjoying their human rights will empower the African continent. With the creation of the Organization of African Unity in 1963, African leaders made a commitment to work together towards a brighter future for the whole of the continent. It is, therefore, our responsibility to continue that pledge and see to it that the future of Africa remains brighter. The foundation for this must be our ability to respect and treat everyone equally, especially the vulnerable ones. Attaining equality between women and men and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women are fundamental human rights and United Nations values. It has always been said… and I will not be the last to say it: Women’s Rights are Human Rights. It must be said that so far, a great deal has been accomplished by the peoples of Africa to secure Africa’s rightful place on the world stage despite considerable challenges. Our commemoration of Africa Day also acknowledges the progress that we, as Africans, have made, while reflecting upon the common challenges we face in a global environment. Every 25th May, African citizens from all around the world celebrate with traditional clothes, songs, music, and dances. What better way to reclaim the African identity of our countries and peoples? Today will not be different. It must not be different because Africa Day presents an opportunity for all Africans to reconnect and recommit themselves in support of all government interventions to develop a better Africa and a better world. In this regard, I would like to mention the fact that the 14th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development will both be held in Africa, in Nairobi, this year. Africa Day also reminds Africans of the historical importance of banding together against common challenges, whether those be economic, social, armed conflicts, climate change, poverty, human rights, women’s rights and gender equality, or terrorism. On this day, Africa Day, let us pause to reflect on what it means to be a human being, and an African. It is only then that we can be able to answer the question whether we are on the right path towards the dawn of a new day for Africa, and her people in the domain of human rights, women’s rights and gender equality. We must also sustain the understanding that our own progress and prosperity are dependent on the progress and prosperity of our neighbors and other African countries. To achieve progress and prosperity, we Africans must be free from human exploitation such as slavery, child abuse, sexual abuse, child labor, gender inequality, bad traditional practices like female genital mutilation, poverty and lack of basic education…just to name a few. We all have a responsibility to defend human freedom and human life at a time when we need to be shining lights for Africa.” Africa Day 2016 celebration has been a tremendous success; all are intently looking toward the 2017 celebrations. Photography by Carlotta Duken.