H. E. Simonetta Sommaruga and Willem Alexander King of the Netherlands. Photography by Martijn Beekman. His Majesty King Willem Alexander and PM received Swiss President His Majesty The King and Prime Minister Mark Rutte received Her Excellency Ms. Simonetta Sommaruga, President of the Swiss Confederation, on Monday 23 November. The King welcomed President Sommaruga at the beginning of the afternoon at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague and later in the afternoon in the Torentje. They discussed bilateral relations and current issues on the European agenda, including migration. The reason for the visit is the upcoming EU presidency of the Netherlands. It is common for the Swiss Federal President to travel to countries that hold the EU presidency.

  By Duke Michael of Mecklenburg. The last of a series of four vernissages at the Embassy Art Exhibition took place on Wednesday 4 November at Gallery Patries van Dorst in Wassenaar. The main welcome speech was delivered by the Mayor of Wassenaar. The Embassies of Armenia, El Salvador, Estonia, Italy, and Venezuela offered a delightful taste of their respective cultures, not only through wonderful artworks but also by way of a delicious variety of national food and drink. The exhibition’s many contributing artists paid a visit to the gallery, some travelling from their home countries just for the occasion. Ambassadors proudly showcased their nations’ exhibits – among them were the Head of Missions of Argentina, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Iran, Kenya, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia, to name but a few. For a photo album on the Embassy Art Exhibition vernissage number IV, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157660867744971   Her Excellency Ms. Dziunik Aghajanian,  ambassador of Armenia, addressed the first speech during the vernissage. “Two Armenian artists came all the way from our country to present their different styles, colours, spirits, mentalities, ways of understanding art and share them with you,” said ambassador Aghajanian. Furthermore, she stated “…sharing the different art from different countries, bringing it and sharing the language (of art) (…) and trespassing all the differences and difficulties that we have nowadays…” The ambassador hoped that the art presented “would be more uniting than dividing and it was uniting as all participants celebrated together world art and its beauty”, explained Her Excellency.

Minister Counsellor Agustin Vasquez Gomez said on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Aida Luz Santos de Escobar of El Salvador that “The Hague is not only the place of peace and justice, but also the place of culture.” The representative of El Salvador noted that the exhibition was a wonderful opportunity to showcase a nation’s culture, and share it with Dutch society. The Embassy of El Salvador brought its artist directly from San Salvador, including the brilliant Mr. Rodolfo Vierro.

Next, the Ambassador of Estonia, H.E. Mr. Peep Jahilo said: “I am very proud to introduce the Estonian painter Kurmaraus,” who made a beautiful contribution to the exhibition. The Ambassador of Italy, H.E. Mr. Francesco Azzarello introduced three artists: Mr. Vincenzo D’Innella Capano, Mr. Armando Paya, author of a number of books, and Mr. Flavio Gemma. Their artistic lamps added a refined and innovative touch to the exhibition.

The closing speech came from Mr. Jose Bucarello, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of Venezuela, who introduced the work of the celebrated Venezuelan master and most influential exponent of Venezuelan impressionism, Armando Reverón (1889–1954). The works of Armando Reverón were transported from Venezuela to the Netherlands specially for the exhibition. The first annual Embassy Art Exhibition offered a unique experience for The Hague’s diplomatic community and wider Dutch society. Eighteen countries provided a multitude of stunning pieces, created by more than 50 artists, and the exhibition was enjoyed by scores of visiting during the four weeks it was open. Diplomat Magazine, together with Gallery Patries van Dorst, received compliments from guests and participating embassies, and looks forward to next year’s exhibition.

 

 On the picture H. E.  Eduardo Ibarrola Nicolin at the opening of the exhibition at Pulchri. Text and pictures by John Dunkelgrün. Finally the work of Sergio Hernández has come to The Netherlands. Oaxaca in Mexico’s Southwest is one of the main artistic centers of the country with many outstanding painters and sculptors. Hernández, a Oaxaqueño by birth, follows in the footsteps of Rufino Tamayo and Francisco Toledo. When I had my gallery, I showed his contemporaries Alejandro Santiago and Guillermo Olguin, and would have loved to show Sergio Hernández, but sadly failed to connect with him. Born in 1957, his family moved to Mexico City in search of work. At first there was no money for schooling, so he scribbled and drew in notebooks while doing all sorts of odd jobs. Later he managed to get professional training first at the National School for the plastic Arts and later graduated from the National School of painting, Sculpture and engraving “La Esmeralda”. With the money from his first solo shows he travels to Paris, where he lived for a year and was influenced by the European avant-garde. However, he remained true to his roots. After his return to Oaxaca he worked in many different techniques expressing indigenous images, legends and beliefs in contemporary styles using color in a true symbiosis with form. Of late, his work has become more abstract and he works a lot with woodcuts (there are several splendid examples at the Pulchri show) . He has exhibited all over Mexico, in the U.S. and Germany and has work in more than half a dozen major museums. Ambassador Eduardo Ibarolla was visibly proud to introduce the work of Sergio Hernández at the opening of an exposition in the Pulchri building on the Lange Voorhout 15 on November 22nd. The exhibition will be there for a month and is really worth seeing.        

On the Picture H. E. Dr. Ilze Rūse. By Roy Lie A Tjam. H.E. Dr. Ilze Rūse, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia in the Netherlands, welcomed guests to the Latvian Embassy to celebrate the nation’s 97th Independence Day. In her remarks, the Ambassador noted that it is not customary to deliver a speech on Independence Day, but that in the aftermath of the heinous attacks in Paris, there was good reason to deviate from tradition. She made a compelling call for unity. For additional Kim Vermaat’s pictures on Latvia National Day 2015, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157660767843567  

  The Ambassador is new to the Netherlands, and this is the first year that the country’s Independence Day has been celebrated at the prestigious premises of the Embassy in Koninginnegracht, The Hague. Ambassador Rūse said she enjoys the bilateral and multilateral opportunities The Hague has to offer, and observed that official diplomatic ties between Latvia and the Netherlands have existed for 95 years. Historical ties go back some 800 years, and a small exhibition has been erected in the embassy to mark the strong and enduring relationship between the two countries. Especially noteworthy in this exhibition is an image of Amalia, who is related to the Dutch Royal family. It is a little-known fact that over the years, Latvia has built more than 120 ships for the Netherlands. 60% of Latvia is covered by forest, and the nation thus has an abundant supply of high quality pinewood.

  Latvia held the EU Presidency for the first half of 2015, and is looking forward the Netherlands taking up the presidency in 2016. Ambassador Rūse concluded by reiterating her call for unity and solidarity in this time of tragedy and bereavement.

 

By John Kennedy Stewart. Contributing from London, UK. Diplomat Magazine, the first diplomatic publication in the history of the Netherlands, is now in its third year. Officially launched on 19 June 2003 by a group of diplomats accredited to the Netherlands, the publication continues to grow fast. The website attracts more than 60,000 hits per month, and the bi-annual printed edition is widely read in the Netherlands and beyond. The magazine is the second largest online diplomatic publication in Europe, and the fastest-growing of its kind in the world.

Indeed, Diplomat Magazine’s global reach continues to strengthen – press correspondents are now stationed in Brussels covering the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg, in North America, the UK, as well as Latin America. This rapid expansion has been made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of volunteer staff, diplomatic spouses, and loyal supporters, alongside the multitude of career diplomats who contribute the bulk of the magazine’s articles. The head of mission of Nicaragua, H.E. Dr. Carlos Argüello Gómez, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, wrote in a recent editorial that Diplomat Magazine is now “the main working media tool for local diplomats” in the Netherlands. Diplomat Magazine has also featured in the Dutch press. The AD Haagsche Courant, a well-known publication in the Netherlands, recently ran an article on one of the magazine’s famed monthly Diplomats’ Meet & Greet events at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel in The Hague. Click on the link to open the article: http://http://issuu.com      

Nick Clegg Delivers Speech on Democracy and the EU By Joe Ray. Nick Clegg, former UK Deputy Prime Minister, delivered a lecture entitled ‘Democracy and the EU’ at the Kloosterkerk in The Hague on 19 November. The event was hosted by the Council for Public Administration as part of the organisation’s exploration of the relationship between Europe and its citizens. Mr Clegg served as Deputy Prime Minister in Britain’s first post-war coalition government from 2010 to 2015, and as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2015. He has been the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam since 2005, and was previously a Member of the European Parliament. In his speech, Mr Clegg focused on the reasons behind the EU’s current state of crisis, and what can be done to tackle some of the many problems faced by the Union today. Following a brief introduction in fluent Dutch, Mr Clegg began by outlining the perilous situation in which the EU currently finds itself: “For the first time in living memory, it is not inconceivable that the EU may unravel.” He noted that public support for the Union is at an all-time low, and that this apathy is evident right across the continent – Eurobarometer polls show clearly that “Euro scepticism is no longer solely a British phenomenon.” In Mr Clegg’s view, there are a variety of reasons behind this unprecedented collapse in public support. First, the global economic crisis has had “a debilitating effect on faith in government – at all levels.” Second, the ongoing tension in the Eurozone between creditor countries and so-called peripheral countries has failed to subside. Third, the post-war generation does not feel the same sense of “visceral emotional attachment” to European integration which, in the 1950s and 60s, bound together the founders of the Union to deliver peace and stability for a war-ravaged continent. Fourth, the migrant crisis has damaged public confidence in the EU’s ability to provide effective political leadership. Finally, there is “an acute sense of vulnerability in the wake of the horrific recent terrorist attacks.” How, then, might these issues be addressed? Mr Clegg argued that that to recover a sense of “unity, relevance, and purpose,” the EU must resolve the British question; accept the necessity of a “hub and spoke” membership model in which some states are more deeply engaged than others; have an honest debate about the need for fiscal transfers between countries; and pay heed to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s principle of ‘Europe where necessary, national where possible’. We need, said Mr Clegg, a new union of security and liberty – without it, introversion and populism will win the day. He proposed three fundamental tasks which must be accomplished if such a union is to succeed. First, properly policed and controlled external borders are necessary if internal free movement is to be safeguarded. In his view, the EU’s current border agency – FRONTEX – is under-funded, under-equipped, and simply not designed to withstand the pressures it faces today. Second, greater police and counter-terrorism cooperation is crucial, and intelligence sharing must be increased. Common measures to combat cybercrime, too, are important, and Mr Clegg praised the establishment of the European Cybercrime Centre in The Hague, although he added there is much more to be done. Third, and hardest of all, is the task of bringing stability to the Mediterranean Basin. According to Mr Clegg, this is the single most important project for European leaders – and its success or failure is a matter not of funding, but of political will. Stabilisation of the region may take years, even decades, but is absolutely pivotal to the safety, freedom, and prosperity Europe and its neighbours. Following his speech, Mr Clegg took a range of questions from the audience, and discussed in greater depth the forthcoming British referendum. The event then concluded with a reception.

By Joe Ray. H. E. Mr. Bert Koenders, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, delivered a speech in The Hague on 20 November outlining the strategy and objectives of the forthcoming Dutch EU Presidency. The sold-out event was the culmination of a two-day Pre-Presidency Conference, jointly organised by the Clingendael Institute for International Relations and the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA). TEPSA traditionally provides recommendations for the incoming Council Presidency, and guests at Leiden University Campus The Hague were given a concise summary of the Association’s recommendations for the 2016 Dutch Presidency by Professor Iain Begg, TEPSA Board Member and Professorial Research Fellow at the European Institute, London School of Economics. Mr Koenders was then welcomed to the podium. He thanked TEPSA for their proposals, adding that Europe faces many difficult challenges which can only be resolved if its Member States stick together. There is no viable alternative to European cooperation, the Minister argued. It may be costly at times, and indeed the transaction costs of getting things done in the EU have increased as the Union has expanded, yet the price of isolationism and populism is even higher. According to the Minister, the complexity of the challenges facing Europe cannot be used as an excuse for inaction – no matter how difficult they may seem. The Netherlands will play the role of an “honest broker with ambitions” during its Presidency, said Mr Koenders, remarking that he remains optimistic about the prospects for European solidarity and cooperation despite the multitude of issues with which the 2016 Dutch Presidency will be confronted. In the Minister’s view, issues such as the migration crisis, terrorism, and the environment can be successfully addressed if European countries are willing to work together. Mr Koenders went on to outline the “strategic agenda” which the Netherlands intends to pursue upon the commencement of its Presidency. This agenda has four distinct aspects, he explained. First, economic growth must be strengthened through innovation, smart regulation, and the completion of the single market in services. Second, energy and climate issues must be addressed – Mr Koenders expressed his hope that the COP21 climate conference in Paris will result in workable proposals which can be implemented at the EU level, and also highlighted the importance of energy security. Third, the EU must act more coherently and strategically as an entity if it is to have a viable global role. Finally, reforms must be made to the EU financial system, including better support for small businesses. The Minister’s speech was followed by a Q&A session and reception.