The 9th edition of the Brazil Network Day (BND) took place on 3 November in the opening-day of the Maritime Technology Exhibition (EUROPORT 2015) held at the Ahoy conference centre and arena in Rotterdam. The Brazilian Embassy enjoyed the support of large corporate partners such as the Ahoy Rotterdam, KPMG, Baker McKenzie, Intertrust Netherlands, NeoGrid Netherlands and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. More than 500 participants attended the BND Plenary Session as well as the subsequent Business Network Cocktail. BND has became a Brazilian flagship event in The Netherlands since its first edition in 2011. The Embassy is fully committed to continuing organising the BND, searching for new partnerships and allied partners in order to promote high value events, by bringing Brazilian and Dutch speakers together in discussions on current issues, encouraging networking amongst companies and business people interested in Brazil. Four economy class tickets to Brazil were raffled during the event courtesy of KLM. The next edition is due to be hosted by the Province of North Brabant and the State of Minas Gerais on 29 March 2016 at the Chassé Theater, in Breda. The Brazil Network Day (BND), is organized twice year (since 2011) by the Embassy of Brazil in The Hague. For more information: BND: www.brazilnetworkday.nl

By Elizabeth Naumczyk.   A Romanian Coffee Morning was hosted by the Ambassador of Romania to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, HE Mrs Ireny Comaroschi, for members of the International Women’s Contact The Hague.  The event was held on Friday 13 November, 2015 between 10:00-12:00 at the Embassy of Romania, in The Hague. The event was introduced by the Ambassador who first paid homage to the victims of the Bucharest nightclub fire of October, 30 and the reason for the flowers and candles outside the Embassy. She then explained that today’s coffee morning included a demonstration in the art of preparing sour dough bread, Romanian sweets as well as soap.   It shows how Romanian women think about and are connected to food and soap.   They put their soul into what they make and we can do likewise to connect more to the people in our lives. For a picture album on the Romanian Coffee event, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157660420224469 Mrs Lavinia Tănase showed us how to make sour dough bread using preferably spelt and biological flour. The sourdough starter, flour and water are the key and the recipe requires five steps of kneading, stretching and folding before it is baked.   According to Lavinia, this is the soul of bread and the simplicity of life. Different ingredients can be added to the bread such as flaxseeds, cheese, pesto, dried garlic or tomatoes, kalamata olives only, beetroot with two green onions. Mrs Ioana Voiculescu explained how to make sugar free Raw Vegan Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake. Using honey is optional.   Raw means not cooked above 42 degrees. Vegan is without milk, is gluten free, lentils free and not related to animals. Her recipe includes a crushed nut and raisin base, with a topping of raw food-grade cacao butter cooked at the correct temperature with raw dried raspberry power added.   The cake can be decorated with dried coconut, lavender (fresh or dried), rose petals, dried chicory flower (using only the dried petals) dried strawberries and cacao nibs and so on. Additionally, Mrs Patricia Radu, showed the cold process of making organic soap which involved a simple chemical reaction between caustic soda, water and fats. Once the process of saponification is over (up to 48 hours), the fats together with the caustic soda disappear. The advantage of making your own soap is that you can use plant-based oils, such as olive oil, cocoa oil, soya oil, as opposed to high animal fats and petroleum. Also no perfumes, flavours or synthetic dyes are being used in the preparation.   The entire drying process takes up to 4 weeks before you can start using it. The event was a success with the Embassy residence packed with women who enjoyed tasting the different sour dough breads with dips of grilled eggplant (Salata de Vinete) and another called Zacuscă (a grilled red pepper and eggplant spread). Gifts could also be purchased of sweets and soap. Recipes were on hand to take home.   A Romanian Coffee Morning was hosted by the Ambassador of Romania to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mrs. Ireny Comaroschi, for members of the International Women’s Contact The Hague. The event was held on Friday 13 November, 2015 between 10:00 – 12:00 at the Embassy of Romania, in The Hague.                

  On the picture Saarland’s Premier Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, German Chancellor Dr. Merkel, Luxembourg’s PM Bettel and former French PM Ayrault – Picture by saarland.de.   By Luca Bücken and Baron Henri Estramant. Stately Germany has had much to celebration lately; most prominently the 25th anniversary of German reunification after the fall of the Berlin Wall, but likewise the reunification of the Saarland to Germany after the two defeats of Germany during the global conflicts. 

In Brussels, the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU headed by Ambassador Reinhard Silberberg called upon the inhabitants of Brussels to celebrate the XXV anniversary of German Reunification on Thursday, 1 October 2015, with a spectacular sound, light and video show given at the Arcade du Cinquantenaire in the park with the same name.  The same evening Ambassador Silberberg likewise hosted a diplomatic reception for EU officials, representatives of the Bundesländer to the EU as well as other permanent representatives.

The day after on 2 October 2015 his bilateral colleague, HE Ambassador Rüdiger Lüdeking, hosted a reception at the representation of the Bundesland Saxe-Anhalt but with focus on Bremen this year. On the same day the German head of mission to Luxemburg, HE Ambassador Christine Gläser also threw a prominent reception held at the Cercle Cité at Luxembourg City. Amongst the most prominent attendees was HE M Pierre Bley, until recently Marshall of the Grand Ducal Court. 

  Later on 23 October 2015, the German Bundesland of Saarland celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Saarland vote. In the Saar referendum of 23 October 1955, Saarlanders rejected the proposed europeanisation of the state by means of the ‘Saar Statute’. Following the rejection of the statute, Franco-German negotiations resulted in the political affiliation of the Saarland to the Federal Republic of Germany on 1 January 1957. In 1959 the economic inclusion of the Saarland followed. Prior to the vote the Saarland had been under French administration, limited political autonomy and the inclusion in an economic union with France. Next to the 60th anniversary of the Saarland vote, the Bundesland commemorated another key moment of its history. On 13 January 1935, 80 years ago, the people of Saarland voted by a majority to reunite with the German Reich after it had been administered by France following Imperial Germany’s defeat in the Great War.  During the ceremonial act at the state theatre German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed in her speech the extraordinary symbolism of Saarland for Europe, and referred to the Bundesland as European role model. The festivities were furthermore attended by Luxembourgian Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, former French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault or top German athlete and badminton star Marc Zwiebler who is based in Saarbrücken, capital of the Saarland.  The current Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to The Netherlands, HE Herr Franz Josef Kemp, was born in the Saarland.  The State of Saarland maintains a representation in Brussels vis-à-vis the EU, headed by Commissioner for European Affairs Mrs Helma Kuhn-Theis, to promote its regional interests in the different decision making process of the European Union. Its local director is Mr Stefan Feiler.   For more information: Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU and the Political and Security Committee (HE Ambassador Reinhard SILBERGERG): www.bruessel-eu.diplo.de/Vertretung/bruessel__eu/de/02-St_C3_A4V/02-01-Botschafter__Stv/St_C3_A4ndigerVertreter.html www.facebook.com/germanyintheeu/videos/ www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc_uqOXGGoA Embassy of Germany to Belgium: www.bruessel.diplo.de Embassy of Germany to Luxembourg: www.luxemburg.diplo.de/ Bundesland Saarland: www.saarland.de/SID-FB978325-A60444A4/damals-heute.htm   Representation of the Saarland to the EU (Director Stefan Feiler): www.saarland.de/1896.htm      

By Joe Ray. A lively and convivial atmosphere marked the latest Diplomats Meet & Greet, jointly hosted on 5 November by Diplomat Magazine, the Embassy of the Republic of El Salvador, and the Carlton Ambassador Hotel, in collaboration with Diplomatic Card and Jaguar. For a photo album on El Salvador Diplomats Meet & Greet, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157660456551758   The many guests in attendance were warmly received by H.E. Ms. Aida Luz Santos de Escobar, Ambassador of El Salvador to The Netherlands, and Mr. Agustin Vasquez Gomez, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of El Salvador in The Hague.

In her welcoming remarks, H.E. Ms. Santos de Escobar shared with attendees an overview of her ongoing work and objectives as the country’s Head of Mission to the Netherlands. She also took the opportunity to formally present El Salvador’s newly appointed Honorary Consul to the Netherlands, Ms. Sonia Meijer, a respected and popular figure in The Hague.

The event provided an ideal opportunity for guests to become better acquainted with the Central American nation’s culture, investment opportunities, and current projects – including bilateral education initiatives with Dutch universities, and various development schemes.

The Carlton’s function room hummed with activity as diplomats conversed with distinguished individuals from The Hague’s international community, representatives of international organisations, and professionals from the commercial and artistic sectors among others.

The Embassy of El Salvador and all involved are to be congratulated on a highly successful and informative evening.