H. E. Brett Mason, Ambassador of Australia. When the politicians fail and the diplomats can’t find an answer and the light of peace is blown out – it is young men like those buried all around us this morning who too often make the ultimate sacrifice. Young men, such as Pilot Officer Sampson of the RNZAF, who died in May 1943, aged 22 and beside him, Flight Sergeant Speechley of the RAAF, who died in July 1943, aged just 20. Both sought to liberate this beautiful country during the Second World War. Their deaths are tragic. But the greater tragedy would be to forget. The scriptures tell us (Ecclesiasticus 44:9) that; “there are some who have no memorial, who have perished as though they had not lived.” Well, no soldier is forgotten in Australia or New Zealand. All their names are etched in our memorials and their sacrifice in our hearts. Just like those two young men – who died in our cause and whom we will never forget. -Excerpt from the ANZAC Day 2016 speech by H.E. Dr Brett Mason ANZAC Day is an important day in the Australian calendar. It commemorates all Australian and New Zealand troops killed in war and also honours returned servicemen and women. The date of April 25 is the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs), on the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915. They landed there with the aim to capture the Dardanelles, an important strategic location, from the Turks. As the campaign started at dawn, ANZAC Day commemorations are often held at dawn. Gallipoli was only one part of the significant contribution and sacrifice ANZACs made in the Great War.

ANZAC Day 2016 was commemorated in The Hague ceremony at Westduin Cemetery.   This ceremony was led by Father Sjaak de Boer from the Church of Our Saviour. With readings given by: H.E. Dr Brett Mason, Ambassador of Australia; H.E. Ms Janet Lowe, Ambassador of New Zealand; H.E. Mr Sadık Arslan, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey; Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Tsamis, Australian Defence Force and Thomas Binns, Australian student. After the ceremony the attendees moved to the Ambassador’s residence for a gunfire breakfast. So called because of the Gunfire Coffee (coffee with a splash of rum), drank by the soldiers of Gallipoli as a form of Dutch courage. Lest we forget. Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours…You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well. -Quotation from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 1934 As read by H.E. Mr Sadık Arslan, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey. Fotography by Carlijn Hermans.  

Dr. Atsushi Sano. By Roy Lie A Tjam. The 150th Ph.D. defence graduate at Institute of Social Studies (ISS) is a milestone worth celebrating. Ph.D. researchers are the backbone of ISS, so on the 21st of April 2016, the historical moment was commemorated. One hundred and fifty Ph.D. research projects mean one hundred and fifty personal stories and experiences, a feat that cannot go unnoticed. The Institute of Social Studies is an international research institute located in The Hague but is a part of the Erasmus University Rotterdam that specialises in the field of development studies. It was established in 1952, where it was the first of its kind in Europe, at present there are over 100 Ph.D. researchers, with these researchers mostly coming from developing countries with emerging economies. The 150th Ph.D. defence graduate was Dr. Atsushi Sano who specialised on the topic of Victimhood and Agency in the Sex Trade. His thesis on experiences and perceptions of teenage girls in rural West Java investigated the entry of adolescent girls from rural West Java (Indonesia) into commercial sex work, with a focus on their experiences and perceptions of the forms of injustice they are exposed to. Sano’s desire to research this topic further stemmed from when he observed young girls selling beverages in a Jakarta’s sex district in 2001.For various reasons, it took him 10 years to complete. Dr. Atsushi Sano’s research revealed that procurement of young women for sex establishments in Jakarta is run and sustained by informal but well-established sex-trade recruiting networks with connections in both rural Indramayu. Fellow Ph.D. colleagues and invitees also attended the historical 150th Ph.D. public defense and this particular segment of the sex sector in Jakarta. The study also finds disturbing evidence of the results of well-intended counter-trafficking interventions implemented by both international- and Indonesian organizations. Institutions in general should primarily listen to what the victim has to say rather than executing what politicians deem fit or following presumptions of international donor agencies. Examiner Dr. Karin Arts highlighted how she would have liked to see more about human rights in the thesis. Interestingly, after analysing the remarks by the young women involved in commercial sex works suggest that their involvement is to an extent, related to the betterment of their parents and family’s economical situation. Dr. Atsushi Sano’s  daughter Ms.  Haruka  Sano and his father Mr. Masayoshi Sano and mother Mrs. Yoshiko Sano, came all the way from his native Japan to witness his ceremony. Fellow Ph.D. colleagues and invitees also attended the historical 150th Ph.D. public defense. A reception concluded the solemn ceremony.

By Steven van Hoogstraten. This week was an important week for the Hague, as the City of Peace and Justice. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon visited the city for the double purpose of the celebration of 70 years International Court of Justice (ICJ) , and of the inauguration of the new premises of the International Criminal Court (ICC) . SG Ban Ki Moon made a speech at both occasions. It is interesting to read a summary of what he communicated to his audience, and what the respective presidents of the two international courts said on these occasions. At the brandnew headquarters of the ICC , built on the sand of the dunes close to Scheveningen, the Secretary General’s remarks at the official opening on 19 April were focused on the individual accountability for the greatest crimes of concern to mankind. He said   “the inauguration of the permanent premises of the ICC is a milestone of global efforts to promote and uphold human rights and the rule of law. It is in all our interest to help the Court achieve its objectives. Its success will be the legacy we leave for future generations”. For additional Kim Vermaat’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157665194736714

The Secretary General observed that both the United Nations and the ICC (an independent treaty organization) are fighting to end impunity on a global scale and to deliver enduring justice. He urged that more members of the UN would ratify and accede to the Rome Statute. What he said was echoed by the International Criminal Court’s president Judge Silvia Fernandez, who stated that “international criminal justice is intended to ensure that mass atrocities are addressed and further crimes are prevented. Indeed the credible likelihood of accountability is key to their deterrence. This mandate is relevant everywhere, even in places where international crimes may be unimaginable today… The Court has a global mandate but has not yet attained universal participation. Many of the world’s worst conflict zones are beyond its reach.More countries need to join the Rome Statute, so that the ICC is able to address all crimes in an equal manner”. One might easily repeat those last words, as the adherence to the Court ( now at a respectable 124 States Parties) is still only partial and major world forces have decided to sit on the fence for the moment.

The following day of 20 April saw his participation in the 70th birthday of the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace. The ICJ had been responsible for inviting the Secretary General of the UN to the Hague in the first place. In the Peace Palace the SG of the UN concentrated mainly on the conflicts between states. “Over the years , the International Court of Justice as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, has made a central contribution to the rule of law. It has stepped in effectively where diplomatic or political measures have failed. It has helped countries settle their disputes by peaceful means . And it has compiled a solid record of effective and impartial judgements, thereby building global trust in the Courts work and faith in the power of law”. Mr Ban Ki moon further remarked that the Members of the United Nations are turning to the Court on some their most complex matters. “The judges have repeatedly demonstrated their expertise in technically difficult and politically sensitive fields including maritime and territorial disputes.”

The president of the ICJ, Mr Ronny Abraham then stated that the need for a world court working for international peace and justice is as strong today as when the Charter was first signed in 1945 . In 70 years the face of the world has changed substantially. These changes have had an impact on the type of cases brought before it. Thus the Court has of late had occasion to hear a number of disputes concerning relatively new areas such as international environmental law. Such cases may involve the analysis of complex factual data. The Court has also heard a growing number of cases involving alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law, through which it has been able to develop its jurisprudence, at the same time taking care to consider that of the courts, tribunals and bodies which specialize in these areas, thus ensuring the coherence of international law. “At 70, the International Court of Justice has reached a serene maturity. Conscious of the importance of the mission with which it has been entrusted by Member States , it is ready to face the new challenges that might arise in the coming decade.”

Both events were attended by HM King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands , who performed the official first act on the premises of the ICC by opening a large book with the text of the Rome Statute. This set in motion a film about the key features of the ICC. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Bert Koenders also addressed the audience at both occasions with some substantive remarks. Mayor of the Hague Jozias van Aartsen spoke at the opening of the ICC, calling the new ICC building the Peace Palace of the 21st Century. He referred to the well established iconic role of the actual Peace Palace for international peace and justice.      

The Supreme Court, The Hague. Architect KAAN Architecten. Photography by Fernando Guerra. By Roy Lie A Tjam. To celebrate the Week of Justice from 18 to 23 April, The Hague hosted a variety of events in the field of justice and international law. The International Court of Justice celebrated its 70-year-anniversary, while His Majesty King Willem-Alexander performed the official opening of the new International Criminal Court and the new premises of the Netherlands Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands has recently relocated to new premises at Korte Voorhout in The Hague, and H. M. King Willem-Alexander inaugurated the impressive building on 20 April 2016. The new six story edifice will replace the former premises on Kazernestraat and Lange Voorhout. Master of Ceremonies at the event was the Solicitor-General, Mr. Mark Wissink. The inauguration ceremony featured the Minister of Justice Mr. Ard van der Steur, Attorney-General Mr. Jan-Watse Fokkens, and the President of the Court Mr. Maartin Feters. A choir sang Saprema Curia Hooge Raad under the direction of Ms. Marcella Obermeister Shasha. As an inaugural act, H. M. King Willem-Alexander handed over a hammer to Mr. Maartin Feters, President of the Supreme Court. He also introduced the work of artist Helen Verhoeven, who was commissioned for a painting to decorate the court’s reception area. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands was established in 1838, and is the highest Dutch court in criminal, tax and civil law matters. Its jurisdiction covers the Netherlands and Caribbean part of the Kingdom, i.e. Aruba, Curacao and St Martin. The Court is a Court of Cassation, which means that it has the competence to quash or affirm rulings of lower courts, but no competence to re-examine or question the facts. The prosecutor’s office, which draws up advisory opinions, will also move to Korte Voorhout. The new building consists of two courtrooms, offices and a library.

Embassy of Malta in The Hague. Friends in Art, opening of an exhibition of drawings, graphic art and painting by Monica Spiteri  and Hanneke Wessels inaugurated by  H.E. Mr. Joseph Cole  Ambassador of the Republic of Malta. By Viviana Knorr. On Tuesday 26 April, H.E. Mr. Joseph Cole Malta’s Ambassador to the Netherlands was very pleased to inaugurate Friends in Art at Malta Embassy in The Hague. The Maltese Embassy will be hosting Friends in Art, an art exhibition of about 20 drawings, graphic art, and paintings by Maltese artist Monica Spiteri, and 35 mixed media artworks by Dutch artist Hanneke Wessels. The exhibition will be open to the public between the 28th of April and the 6th of May. For additional pictures by Marian van Noort, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157667496974791

“Art ties people together and refuses to let them go”, were H.E. Mr. Joseph Cole’s words to highlight the friendship bond of the two artists. Friends in Art is a special joint exhibition framing and celebrating the artists’ mutual and long-standing friendship which goes back to Valleta 1999, where Spireti was having her first personal exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts. Wessels also had the opportunity to host an exhibition of her works at the same museum a few years later, that since, sparked the creative friendship. Born in 1952, Monica Spiteri studied modelling, woodcarving, watercolour, batik techniques and ceramics under renown art instructors. Besides various participations in collective exhibitions, Monica Spiteri is also recipient to numerous awards for her realistic dreamy Maltese city landscapes, among them: the Silver Palette and the Grollo D’Ora. “In my graphic art, paintings and drawings, the central theme is the human figure”, says artist Hanneke Wessels born in 1947, whose portraits of women’s emotions aren’t obvious to the bare eye yet palpable and poignant. Wessels’s source of inspiration is Malta, its history and ancient mysticism hidden in the remains of the country’s temples and museums. Entrance to Valleta painting by Spiteri, and Woman With Big Eyes by Wessels, were their two works of art among the rest to be chosen each one by the artists, as those representing in this exhibition their friendship’s bond.