Castiglione di Garfagnana, Tuscany, Italy.By Dario Poli
The plane landed with a soft bump at Pisa airport. I disembarked and was met by a tall blond Italian friend by the name of Giovanni. His good looks, striking blue eyes and tall posture, reminded me more of an upstanding German officer, than the traditional stereotype view of an Italian.
He greeted me warmly confirming the various holiday arrangements he had made for my Christmas break in Tuscany. Once settled in his Alfa Romeo, with typical Italian verve, we sped rapidly out of the airport, passing the famous leaning tower and its cathedral, and headed, via an excellent motorway, into the open country, towards our final destination the popular ski-resort of Abetone, situated high in the snow- capped Apennines.
To reach the resort we had to traverse through the wonderful rocky countryside of Garfagnana. Crossed by the river Serchio, Garfagnana stretches out amongst rugged hills and richly wooded valleys.
Though I was familiar with this region of Tuscany, Giovanni opened my eyes to the many varied local Christmas traditions, whilst driving at enormous speed, one hand casually on the steering wheel, the other, pointing out places of special historical interest to his petrified passenger. He navigated the car with consummate skill, racing along the much narrower winding roads as we headed towards Upper Garfagnana and the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Apuane Alps, alluringly visible in the distance.
Near Borgo Mozzano, we saw the spectacular Maddalena Bridge known as the Devil’s bridge because of its peculiar arch shape. In the middle valley of the river Serchio, nature offered us a superb show, as the road runs along the river for awhile amongst chestnut groves and lush green valleys which abound, even in winter. We stopped for an expresso, at Bagni di Lucca, a secluded paradise surrounded by hills and woods known as the “Land of princes and poets,” due to its popularity with local and foreign poets. Including Byron, Lamartine, Heine and Shelly who came for inspiration and to enjoy the thermal-waters in well run “health giving” establishments.
Re-invigorated by the coffee, it was time to move on. Giovanni was determined to reach the ancient fortress town of Castelnouvo by the afternoon. Passing through many picturesque villages, I was finally deposited at a small hotel in the town and my dashing driver left me, with instructions to be ready for collection early next morning, which was Christmas Eve.
Giovanni arrived on the dot, and took me on a winding drive up the mountain and after one hour, he stopped at a lake, then led me on a hike up a steep hill towards a small unnamed hamlet of about 40 houses, perched like an eagles nest on a plateau high above us
It was built in Roman times and was occupied by poor farmers until 1950, when they abandoned their homes, in the Italian exodus to find prosperity in the United States. Now all were empty. Locked and preserved in a time capsule undisturbed by the touch of man.
We climbed steadily upwards along a narrow muddy well-worn pathway in the forest for about half an hour, breathing the intoxicating perfume of fresh pine and sucking in the biting pure mountain air, with the first falling snow flakes lightly caressing our cheeks. Out of breath and gasping, we gratefully found ourselves standing on a narrow plateau about 200 meters wide in front of an ancient church of medieval design
Two large fierce-looking mules had observed our intrusion into their world. With considerable resentment they jointly insisted in directing their attentions on the impudent strangers by making a beeline rapidly towards us, their intentions unmistakably hostile. Just before impact they were stopped in their tracks by a piercing whistle. There stood the figure of Silvio, our saviour.
Giovanni’s childhood friend was solidly impressive in a rough checked shirt and a rope holding up his corduroy trousers and wearing thick boots. Of medium height, he had fair wavy hair, ruddy complexion and steely grey penetrating eyes. His handshake, firm but gentle, was his calling card.
I sensed immediately that this was a man in every sense of the word. Built by nature, blessed with an abundance of good health. Wiry and physically strong, a morally incorruptible individual, with genuine spirituality exuding from every pore in his body.
He grabbed the ropes, held and restrained the two excited mules. One particularly aggressive mule with his eyes on me, clearly intended to kick my backside as hard as he could, turning and twisting in every way, to deliver the blow. With Silvio still firmly holding them, they finally calmed down and he amiably conversed, with us about the old times and mutual friends.
I asked him about local Christmas customs, and he told me about the little town of Castiglione, where at twilight, a man whose identity is known only to the priest, enters the vestry and is closed inside the wardrobe. After mass, the congregation leaves the church in procession and find the penitent (the same man who had been closed in the wardrobe) at the door dressed like Jesus Christ. The man leads the procession through the streets of the village wearing a hood to prevent anyone from recognizing him and carrying a cross. At the end of the procession the penitent is closed again inside the wardrobe and emerges unseen only late at night.
He invited us to enter the ninth century Church, of which he was the keeper. He released the mules and drove them away from the nervous visitors, then with a large metal key unlocked and pushed open wide the huge creaking doors.
Once inside, I was met with the pungent smell of incense and as my eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness, I was able to pick out a white marble altar directly in front of me fully prepared for a Christmas Mass. The interior had been left exactly as it was, as the final celebration of Christmas.
There were a number of ornate pillars supporting the wooden beamed roof, and beneath them were several rows of wooden benches for the villagers to occupy during past services. Near one of the pillars a large beautiful crib had been built to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus and was totally illuminated like a stage spotlight, by a penetrating shaft of light emanating from a round stained-glass window above. With the exception of light coming from the entrance, the rest of the church was in almost total darkness
Giovanni and Silvio standing silently beside the crib, made the sign of the cross and prayed, whilst I leaned against a pillar, observing the unusual scene with interest.
The silence was broken by the echoing sound of hooves clip clopping on the stone floor.
The two mules, followed by Silvio’s brown hunting dog, entered the church and calmly ambled down the isle, then stood silently and respectfully in front of the crib.
The men deep in their meditations were not at all disturbed by the arrival of worshipers from the animal kingdom. The touching and quite amazing scene of two men, two mules, and a dog, gazing silently and reverently in homage at the crib, appeared to be the most natural occurrence in the world. Had I not seen this event with my own eyes, I would never have given this story any credence.
Leaving the church Giovanni and I said our good-byes and in silence turned towards the path, engrossed in our own private thoughts. Before descending, I turned and saw Silvio; his dog and the two mules, watching us depart framed by the magnificent mountains behind them.
Mentally thanking each one of them, for sharing with me, a little of their living time and giving me a rare glimpse of innocence. I waved to them with a lump in my throat, sadly knowing that I would never see them again.
The fascinating imagery of that special Christmas Eve holiday will be forever indelibly engraved in my memory and my heart.
Copyright Dario Poli December 2003
By Jhr. Mr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Justice (Judge) in the (Dutch) Court of Appeal and Special Adviser International Affairs, appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen of The Hague
Since the 29th of May 2015 New World Campus has established itself in The Hague. Although the new NGO only opened its doors only 6 months ago, the organisation is already hosting several events on a weekly basis in cooperation with young start-ups and innovative organisations. New World Campus acts as a mechanism which aims to connect investors, international organisations, government institutions and smaller organisations.
New World Campus is located in the former Postcheque- en Girodienst building at Spaarneplein, five minutes away from train station Den Haag HS. The building offers company spaces, start-up spaces and flex spaces, all located under one roof in order to stimulate cooperation and new alliances between new establishments, NGOs and innovative organisations. New World Campus is also home of the ‘Wicked Problems Plaza’: an area where multilateral problems are being discussed and which serves as a place where knowledge is being exchanged between several experts and stakeholders. ‘The Wicked Problems Plaza’ works closely together with the Partnership Resource Centre of Erasmus University. Examples of wicked problems are climate change related issues or the fashion industry.
As an innovative and sustainable organisation, New World Campus focusses on five main themes: water & sanitarian, ICT, sustainable construction, energy and agriculture and food security. By using the principles of open innovation, co-creation and effective research and development, the organisation hopes to bring stakeholders together. Although many organisations consider Amsterdam the place to be when it comes to innovation and young start-ups, the choice was made for The Hague. According to New World Campus, The Hague is considered a good place for international and sustainable networks and initiatives. The City of Peace and Justice combines international knowledge of water, governance and development with 140 NGOs and more than 20 IGOs. The building at Spaarneplein should become a ‘Home of Sustainability’ in The Hague, where local sustainability issues find answers.
The goals set by New World Campus are promising for the international community in The Hague. Serving as a meeting place and an strengthening of the profile of The Hague as international city, New World Campus may be able to stimulate innovation and sustainability on a global scale.
By H.E. Asein Isaev, Ambassador of Kyrgyz Republic.
Kyrgyzstan is a country of majestic mountains, pristine nature, rich culture and hospitable people. Kyrgyzstan is the land of boundless opportunities with rich natural resources and great potential.
Only for 24 years of independence, Kyrgyzstan managed to achieve the democratization of social and political life, liberalization of doing business conditions, foreign trade activities, membership in international organizations and unions.
Kyrgyzstan has provided to the entrepreneurs freedom of trade, opened up the opportunities for the development of production and access to international markets, as well as to its internal market.
Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan has advantages among CIS countries in terms of investment attractiveness on a number of factors, as implementation of a program of market reforms and macroeconomic stabilization, active works on the privatization of telecommunications, energy and transport sectors, full-fledged free trade regime, free money exchange system and unrestricted movement of capital, liberal investment regime, where all sectors of economy are open to investors, free economic zones that provide favorable conditions for business.
Mining, manufacturing, tourism and processing industry sectors are more attractive for investments. There are numerous large mining and processing enterprises operating in the Kyrgyz Republic. In the meantime, according to international experts, with a relatively small area and good geological exploration, mineral resource potential is used poorly.
According to international financial institutions, mining sector in Kyrgyzstan annually could generate revenue of more than one billion US dollars and become the locomotive of the entire economy of the country.
Kyrgyzstan is one of the leading places among CIS countries on the potential of renewable energy. The most suitable way for the development and practical use of renewable energy in Kyrgyzstan are development of electric power supply using energy of small watercourses, solar photovoltaic and wind power stations.
Experts estimate the overall potential of renewable energy is about 840 million tons of oil equivalent per year, while actually used about only 0.2% of them. At present, Kyrgyzstan is the only one Central Asian republic where scientific research and development in this area brought to industrial production.
Processing industry in recent years has become increasingly important, as agriculture is the main source of income for the majority of the population living in rural areas.
Kyrgyzstan since ancient times has been in the Central Asian civilization and it is an important hub in terms of international, diplomatic and cultural communications between the East and the West. Moreover, Kyrgyzstan imbibed the cultural achievements of the East and the West, occupying a prime geographical location on the trade routes.
Currently, Kyrgyzstan is becoming more attractive for fans of extreme sports, eco-tourism, hiking and bike tours, as well as for people interested in the history and the present day countries located on the Silk Road. Kyrgyzstan has unique natural resources, historical and cultural sites of global significance, as well as the necessary conditions for the development of international tourism.
Kyrgyzstan has introduced a visa regime for 61 countries, which also implies openness to investors. All sectors of the economy are open without restriction to the implementation of investment projects and created a very liberal terms for investors.
The Embassy of the Kyrgyzstan to the Netherlands welcomes you to the Kyrgyz Republic and will have a pleasure to guide you in the ocean of investment opportunities.
For information: http://www.kyrgyz-embassy.be/
On the picture Mr. Pablo Fajardo Mendoza.Text and pictures by Liudmyla Palamar.
Hague Talks has already become an integral part of the public sphere of The Hague. One of a number of reasons behind such success is relevance of the organized discussions. For instance, The Hague Talks on whether ecocide should be classified as a 5th international crime against peace was undoubtedly relevant this week, when the 14th Assembly of State Parties to the International Criminal Court took place in The Hague.
Ecocide is a relatively new term that means destruction of the natural environment, especially when willfully done. There are still discussions on what type or scale an environmental crime has to be in order to be classified as ecocide. However, there is something almost all environmental activists and experts completely agree with – ecocide is a serious crime one cannot get away with. Speakers, who were invited for The Hague Talks on ecocide, definitely share this opinion and were pleased to discuss it with the general public of The Hague.
Mr. Humberto Piaguaje
The evening talks were opened with an inspiring speech of Humberto Piaguaje, Chief of Ecuador’s Secoya indigenous tribe, who explained how deeply indigenous people are connected with jungles and how deeply they suffer, because other are exploiting the nature.
Pablo Fajardo Mendoza, Attorney and recipient of the Goldman Prize and CNN Heroes Award, and Daniela Palacios, international dispute resolution lawyer, made the audience familiar with legal aspects of the topic as well as provided a set of arguments why it is time to add ecocide to the list of crimes against peace and, thus, empower ICC to have jurisdiction over it. A final speaker’s Michael Baumgartner from Greenpeace Switzerland creative performance was followed with a Q&A session.
One can find it unreasonable that environmental crimes have become a subject of such intense discussions in legal field recently, because laws on this matter already exist and nothing has changed since they were developed. However, according to the Wednesday talks’ speakers, the shameful reality is that the existing laws work in favor of big corporations, who pay affordable fines for polluting environment, but do not stop doing it. As Michael Baumgartner stated, it is the reason why ecocide has to be classified as criminal offense to enable courts to prosecute individuals for committing crimes against environment.
So, every CEO would think twice whether to make a business decision that can cause destruction of the environment.
Attentats à Paris: remarques concernant la résolution 2249 du Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies. Par Nicolas Boeglin (*).
La notion de “légitime défense” en vue de justifier des opérations militaires prises en réponse à des actes d´entités non étatiques rappelle étrangement la référence à la “légitime défense” des Etats-Unis suite aux attentats du 11 septembre 2001: “légitime défense préventive”, “combattants illégaux”, ou encore usage du terme d´”agression” pour qualifier un acte terroriste ou de “guerre” pour qualifier la lutte contre le terrorisme, firent partie de la panoplie d´arguments fort discutables – et discutés – utilisés par les Etats-Unis pour justifier juridiquement leurs opérations suite au 11 septembre 2001 (Note 1).
En ce qui concerne la notion de « légitime défense préventive», on se doit de rappeler que le premier Etat à s´y référer de façon officielle fut Israël en 1981 lors de l´attaque réalisée par la chasse israélienne sur le réacteur nucléaire d´Osirak en Iraq (Note 2). Au mois de mars 2008, un autre allié des Etats Unis, la Colombie, s´y référa également pour justifier son action militaire commando en Equateur.
Dr. Nicolas Boeglin.
Dans le cas des attentats de Paris du 13 novembre, la qualification d´”acte de guerre” et d´”agression contre notre pays” par les autorités en France semble annoncer des temps difficiles pour certains principes de base du droit international.
On notera au passage que la définition d´ « agression » adoptée par les Etats parties à la Cour Pénale Internationale (CPI) en 2010 à Kampala (soit neuf ans après le 11/S) exclut des actes commis par des entités non étatiques agissant indépendamment d´un Etat: nous renvoyons le lecteur au texte de la dite définition (à laquelle les délégués de la France ont pris part lors de son élaboration avec les représentants de 120 Etats Parties au Statut de Rome).
Concernant la résolution 2249 du Conseil de Sécurité, le représentant de France a également souligné dans son intervention précitée (voir texte complet) que : «Cette résolution encadre notre action dans le cadre du droit international et dans le respect de la Charte des Nations Unies qui est notre bien commun, qui est notre trésor commun. Il offre aussi une garantie de lutte efficace contre le terrorisme transnational ». Si il est vrai que tout spécialiste du droit international se sentira heureux de savoir qu´un Etat considère la Charte des Nations Unies comme un véritable « trésor commun », l´observateur doit faire remarquer que les références à la Charte inclues dans la texte de la résolution 2249 sont le fruit de démarches faites par la Russie: il s´agit d´un détail qui n´a pas semblé intéresser outre mesure les commentateurs.
Dans le communiqué précité des Nations Unies, on lit que ”M. Churkin s’est cependant félicité de ce que des amendements apportés à la demande de sa délégation, notamment les références à la Charte des Nations Unies, figurent désormais dans le texte”. Sur cette autre site concernant les travaux du Conseil de Sécurité, une note relative aux modifications apportées au texte original présenté par la France, précise que la Russie s´est montrée particulièrement insistante sur ce point précis: “Russia insisted that a reference to the UN Charter be inserted and France agreed. It seems most Council members agree that a reference to the UN Charter inserted in this particular operative paragraph can be construed as a reference to article 51 on self-defence, as well as to the principle of state sovereignty”.
On recommande de lire le dispositif 5 du texte de la résolution 2249 tel qu´adopté, et de l´imaginer un court instant sans aucune mention de « notre trésor commun ». Dans un article paru sur cette même résolution dans Le Monde, on y lit que: “Concrètement, la résolution 2249 ne donne pas d’autorisation légale à agir militairement en Syrie et en Irak, puisqu’elle n’est pas placée sous le chapitre VII de la Charte des Nations Unies qui prévoit l’usage de la force. Mais le langage employé dans le texte, qui stipule que « toutes les mesures nécessaires » sont permises pour combattre l’EI, laisse la place à l’interprétation, selon les diplomates français».
Comme on le sait, le flou juridique peut s´avérer parfois extrêmement utile, notamment lorsque les règles sont claires. Il nous semble opportun de rappeler que l´usage de la force est prohibé par la Charte des Nations Unies et que seules sont considérées conformes à la Charte les actions militaires menées dans le cadre du Chapitre VII de la Charte, qui inclut la légitime défense. Des spécialistes qui ces jours derniers se sont penchés sur la confusion créée par la résolution 2249 (2015) ont d´ailleurs choisi d´intituler leur article de la manière suivante : «The Constructive Ambiguity of the Security Council’s ISIS Resolution » (Note 3).
Les opérations militaires sur le territoire de la Syrie consistant à bombarder les positions de Daech par la France, les Etats-Unis, le Royaume-Uni, l´Australie, le Canada et d´autres membres de la “Coalition contre ISIS” (lancée par les Etats-Unis en septembre 2014 et qui réunit 60 Etats selon la liste officielle dressée par le Département d´Etat) (Note 4) posent un certain nombre de problèmes juridiques, dans la mesure ou le consentement de la Syrie fait défaut, tout comme une autorisation du Conseil de Sécurité.
Dans le cas de l´Iraq, une lettre du 20 septembre 2014 au Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies (voir texte ), précise que: “C’est la raison pour laquelle, conformément au droit international et aux accords bilatéraux et multilatéraux pertinents et tout en veillant au plein respect de notre souveraineté nationale et de notre constitution, nous avons demandé expressément aux États-Unis d’entreprendre une action internationale et de frapper les sites de l’État islamique et ses bastions militaires, l’objectif étant de contrer les menaces constantes auxquelles l’Iraq s’expose, de protéger ses habitants et de permettre à la longue aux forces armées iraquiennes de reprendre le contrôle des frontières nationales“. Dans le cas des opérations militaires de la Russie en Syrie, celles-ci bénéficient du consentement de ce dernier Etat.
Le 15 septembre 2015, l´Australie a lancé ses premières frappes en Syrie (voir note de The Guardian) et le 7 septembre 2015, le premier drone britannique, selon cette article paru dans le New York Times, a tué en Syrie trois suspects d´appartenir à Daech, dont deux de nationalité britannique. En ce qui concerne les frappes de la France en Syrie, les premières bombes françaises ont été lancées par ses avions le Dimanche 27 septembre 2015 (voir note parue dans Le Monde).
On est en droit de s´interroger sur le point de savoir si la France avait procédé à évaluer les risques encourus avant d´autoriser leur lancement: une réponse de Daech contre la France était prévisible. Le niveau de coordination des attentats du 13 novembre indique que si des mesures préventives ont été prises par les services de renseignements et par ceux travaillant dans le domaine de la lutte contre le terrorisme en France, elles ont eu une efficacité limitée. En ce qui concerne le Canada, dont les premières frappes en Syrie datent du mois d´avril 2015 (voir note de la BBC), ses nouvelles autorités élues ont procédé à mettre un terme aux bombardements en Syrie (ainsi qu´en Iraq) le 21 octobre dernier (voir note parue dans The Guardian).
Des auteurs canadiens se sont penchés sur la prétendue légalité de telles actions en Syrie, au regard du droit international et notamment de la jurisprudence de la Cour Internationale de Justice (CIJ), et sont parvenus à des conclusions qui, à notre avis, s´appliquent également aux bombardements réalisés par d´autres Etats en Syrie: “Aucun échappatoire n´est possible: les frappes du Canada en Syrie reposent sur des fondements juridique fragiles, ou tout du moins mouvants » / Traduction libre de l´auteur de la phrase « There is no escaping: the conclusion that Canada’s air strikes on Syria are on shaky, or at least shifting, legal ground” (Note 5).
Souvent tentés par l´originalité, les diplomates du Royaume-Uni ont expliqué pour leur part au Conseil de Sécurité que l´élimination physique de suspects d´appartenir à Daech en Iraq et en Syrie répond à l´exercice du droit de légitime défense collectif et individuel (voir texte de la lettre en date 7 septembre 2015): on attend de voir si l´élimination physique de suspects depuis un drone s´étendra également aux opérations menées sur le territoire britannique.
Concernant le fait que des citoyens français puissent être visés par certaines des frappes françaises en Syrie, comme celles qui semblent avoir eu lieu le mois dernier (voir note parue dans Le Monde), on lit dans un article récent paru dans Libération que : «Cibler spécifiquement des Français, au lieu de combattre la menace globale que représente l’Etat islamique, s’apparenterait à des exécutions extrajudiciaires». Concernant les risques de dérives de la lutte contre le terrorisme, le jour même où le Président déclarait la France “en guerre”, le Syndicat de la Magistrature indiquait (voir communiqué du 16/11/2015) que « /…/ le discours martial repris par l’exécutif et sa déclinaison juridique dans l’état d’urgence, décrété sur la base de la loi du 3 avril 1955, ne peuvent qu’inquiéter».
Ce discours martial et cette attitude ne doivent pas surprendre: le premier diplomate étranger à s´être rendu personnellement au Palais de l´Elysée suite aux attentats de Paris fut le Secrétaire d´Etat américain John Kerry, le 17 novembre; la première destination à l´étranger du Président François Hollande suite aux attentats fut la visite rendue le 24 novembre 2015 à son homologue à Washington.
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Photo de l´artícle de presse intitulé: “Attentats: la France traque un ou deux fuyards et mobilise ses allies”.Note 1: Cf. sur ce sujet TIGROUDJA H., « Quel(s) Droit(s) Applicable(s) à la « Guerre au Terrorisme » ?”, Vol. 48 Annuaire Français de Droit International (AFDI), (2002), pp. 81-102. Article complet disponible ici.
Note 2: Cf. FISCHER G., “Le bombardement par Israël d’un réacteur nucléaire irakien”, Vol. 27 AFDI (1981), pp. 147-167. Article complet disponible ici.
Note 3: Cf. AKANDE D. & MILANOVIC M., “The Constructive Ambiguity of the Security Council’s ISIS Resolution”, EJIL Talk, November 21, 2015. Note et débats entre spécialistes disponibles ici.
Note 4: On fera noter au lecteur, notamment latino-américain, que sur cette liste, seul figure le Panama comme Etat de l´Amérique Latine membre de la dite coalition contre ISIS.
Note 5: Cf. LESPERANCE R. J., «Canada’s Military Operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and the Law of Armed Conflict”, Vol. 10, Canadian International Lawyer (2015). Article complet disponible ici .
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Texte de la résolution 2239 (2015) adoptée le 20 novembre 2015 par le Conseil de Sécurité:Le Conseil de Sécurité, Réaffirmant ses résolutions 1267 (1999), 1368 (2001), 1373 (2001), 1618 (2005), 1624 (2005), 2083 (2012), 2129 (2013), 2133 (2014), 2161 (2014), 2170 (2014), 2178 (2014), 2195 (2014), 2199 (2015), 2214 (2015) et les déclarations pertinentes de son président, Réaffirmant les buts et principes de la Charte des Nations Unies, Réaffirmant son respect pour la souveraineté, l’intégrité territoriale, l’indépendance et l’unité de tous les États conformément aux buts et principes consacrés dans la Charte des Nations Unies, Réaffirmant que le terrorisme, sous toutes ses formes et dans toutes ses manifestations, constitue une des menaces les plus graves contre la paix et la sécurité internationales et que tous les actes de terrorisme sont criminels et injustifiables, quels qu’en soient les motivations, le moment et les auteurs, Considérant que, par son idéologie extrémiste violente, ses actes de terrorisme et les attaques violentes et généralisées qu’il continue de perpétrer systématiquement contre les civils, les atteintes flagrantes, systématiques et généralisées qu’il continue de porter aux droits de l’homme et ses violations du droit international humanitaire, notamment celles fondées sur des motifs religieux ou ethniques, son action d’éradication du patrimoine culturel et ses activités de trafic de biens culturels, mais aussi par le contrôle qu’il exerce sur une grande partie du territoire et des ressources naturelles de l’Iraq et de la Syrie et par son recrutement et la formation de combattants terroristes étrangers qui menacent toutes les régions et tous les États Membres, même ceux qui sont loin des zones de conflit, l’État islamique d’Iraq et du Levant (EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech) constitue une menace mondiale d’une gravité sans précédent contre la paix et la sécurité internationales, Rappelant que le Front el-Nosra et tous les autres individus, groupes, entreprises et entités associés à Al-Qaida constituent également une menace contre la paix et la sécurité internationales, Résolu à combattre par tous les moyens cette menace d’une gravité sans précédent contre la paix et la sécurité internationales, Prenant note des lettres datées des 25 juin et 20 septembre 2014 émanant des autorités iraquiennes, dans lesquelles elles déclarent que Daech a établi un sanctuaire hors des frontières iraquiennes, qui constitue une menace directe pour la sécurité du peuple et du territoire iraquiens, Réaffirmant que les États Membres doivent s’assurer que toute mesure prise pour lutter contre le terrorisme soit conforme à l’ensemble des obligations que leur impose le droit international, en particulier le droit international des droits de l’homme, le droit international des réfugiés et le droit international humanitaire, Déclarant de nouveau que la situation continuera de se détériorer en l’absence d’un règlement politique du conflit syrien et soulignant qu’il importe que soient appliquées les dispositions du Communiqué de Genève en date du 30 juin 2012 qui est joint en annexe à sa résolution 2118 (2013) et de la Déclaration du Groupe international d’appui pour la Syrie, en date du 14 novembre 2015, 1. Condamne sans équivoque dans les termes les plus forts les épouvantables attentats terroristes qui ont été commis par l’EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech, le 26 juin 2015 à Sousse, le 10 octobre 2015 à Ankara, le 31 octobre 2015 au-dessus du Sinaï, le 12 novembre 2015 à Beyrouth et le 13 novembre 2015 à Paris, et tous les autres attentats commis par l’EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech, y compris les prises d’otage et les assassinats, note que cette organisation a la capacité et l’intention de perpétrer d’autres attentats et considère que tous ces actes de terrorisme constituent une menace contre la paix et la sécurité; 2. Exprime ses très sincères condoléances aux victimes et à leur famille, aux peuples et aux Gouvernements de la Tunisie, de la Turquie, de la Fédération de Russie, du Liban et de la France, ainsi qu’à tous les gouvernements dont les ressortissants ont été pris pour cibles lors des attentats susmentionnés et à toutes les autres victimes du terrorisme; 3. Condamne également dans les termes les plus forts les atteintes flagrantes, systématiques et généralisées aux droits de l’homme et les violations du droit international humanitaire, ainsi que les actes barbares de destruction et de pillage du patrimoine culturel que continue de commettre l’EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech; 4. Réaffirme que ceux qui commettent des actes terroristes, des violations du droit international humanitaire ou des atteintes aux droits de l’homme, ou qui sont d’une manière ou d’une autre responsables de ces actes ou violations, doivent en répondre; 5. Demande aux États Membres qui ont la capacité de le faire de prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires, conformément au droit international, en particulier à la Charte des Nations Unies, au droit international des droits de l’homme, au droit international des réfugiés et au droit international humanitaire, sur le territoire se trouvant sous le contrôle de l’EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech, en Syrie et en Irak, de redoubler d’efforts et de coordonner leur action en vue de prévenir et de mettre un terme aux actes de terrorisme commis en particulier par l’EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech, ainsi que par le Front el-Nosra et tous les autres individus, groupes, entreprises et entités associés à Al-Qaida, ainsi que les autres groupes terroristes qui ont été désignés comme tels par le Conseil de sécurité de l’Organisation des Nations Unies et qui pourraient par la suite être considérés comme tels par le Groupe international d’appui pour la Syrie avec l’approbation du Conseil de sécurité, conformément à la Déclaration du Groupe en date du 14 novembre, et d’éliminer le sanctuaire qu’ils ont créé sur une grande partie des territoires de l’Iraq et de la Syrie; 6. Engage les États Membres à intensifier leurs efforts pour endiguer le flux de combattants terroristes étrangers qui se rendent en Iraq et en Syrie et empêcher et éliminer le financement du terrorisme, et prie instamment tous les États Membres de continuer d’appliquer intégralement les résolutions susmentionnées; 7. Exprime son intention d’actualiser rapidement la liste du Comité des sanctions créé par la résolution 1267 afin qu’elle tienne mieux compte de la menace que représente l’EIIL, également connu sous le nom de Daech; 8. Décide de rester saisi de la question.(*) Professeur de Droit International Public, Faculté de Droit, Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR). Contact: nboeglin (a)gmail.com
By Elizabeth Naumczyk .The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters was held 3rd-6th November 2015 in The Hague, The Netherlands.
The Conference Centre World Forum was the venue where 1,000 participants form 115 countries converged to unite, “connect and act” with the ultimate goal to address how to work towards eliminating violence against women and girls, which is a human rights violation.
This is a top priority of the United Nations work endorsed by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 adopted by the 193 member states of the UN during the annual General Assembly (25 September 2015). Goal 5 is about Achieving gender equality and empower all women and girls and includes 5.2 eliminating all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
The programme covered 5 plenary sessions:
Economic independence of women survivors
Sustainable financing and advocacy
Transboundary violence against women, international exchange and cooperation
Continents: What is going on? Strengthening global and regional networks
Innovative approaches to eliminating violence against women and to supporting survivors
For a photo album on the 3rd World Conference on Women Shelters, please click here:https://www.flickr.com/photos/137448118@N06/albums
Moderated by Jacobine Geel and Audith Hunkar the attendees heard inspiring keynote speakers as Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Hina Jilani (Pakistani women’s rights activist & lawyer) and Dr Mugweke (The man who mends women). Queen Maxima spoke at the first plenary session emphasizing the value of economic independence in rebuilding independent lives for survivors of violence. Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark spoke at the 4th plenary session. Through The Mary Foundation she works to help women and children who are victims of violence.
Interspersed throughout the programme were the voices, not of victims, but survivors of domestic violence and child abuse who courageously reiterated their personal stories to send a message that women need to speak out if change is to occur.
It highlighted that it is a global issue affecting not only victims, but families and communities and results in social, economic and productivity costs. It is also a crime against humanity during armed conflict when rape is used as a weapon of war or for human trafficking. Judge Joyce Aluoch, First Vice-President of the International Criminal Court spoke on video about the availability of redress in The Rome Statute.
We heard the moving stories of Iffat Gill (Founder & CEO ChunriChoupall), Linor Abargil (Brave Miss World), Rosie Batty’s story on film from Australia, Therese Evers (author and Teacher policing sexual violence at Police Academy. Nijmegen Area, Netherlands), Emma Murphy from Dublin, Ireland, attended who drew attention to her plight by posting a video on Facebook, Ashley Judd (actor, author, activist and humanitarian)
All these women overcame their circumstances and built on their negative experience to become role models working for a positive outcome in assisting other women to gain strength and overcome their situation. Women together is power.
The Veiled Monologues directed by Adelheid Roosen provided a powerful theatrical performance as did the films Hidden Violence and Then What which also included the story of Hameeda Lukke’s abuse as a child and the shocking film Singing in the Dark by Matthieu Goedhart illustrating the cycle of abuse within a family of several generations.
Women need opportunities to rebuild their lives. Education and paid work is vital to make women independent and stronger. The Rabobank Foundation and Uber talked about their impact on economic empowerment of women.
In Nepal widows are ostracized and 80% have no education and have to depend on their family. This issue is not expressed in any human rights declaration. Youth need to be taught about the importance of healthy equal relationships and all throughout the Conference it was reiterated that men need to be involved in the solution with stronger representation.
Australia is also leading in this field as explained by Michaelia Cash, Minister for Women, Minister for Employment, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Public Service. A national understanding arose after the death of Luke Batty mobilizing the Australian Government to introduce a national plan to reduce violence against women.
This resulted in a national phone line, a mobile app DAISY which includes a quick exit button, recognition in all States of domestic violence orders and the White Ribbon campaign to engage community, including men. Australia also leads with creating a safe workplace. Trade unions were on board to pave the way for industrial legislation to include paid domestic violence leave and the protection of women’s jobs.
The Netherlands Police are working in innovative ways with women shelters to assist survivors in their protection, recovery and investigations and organisations such as CoMensha works with the government to make improvements.
The increasing use of the internet as a tool to perpetrate violence against women and girls is a growing concern. Social media can be used as a tool for good to campaign against violence. By learning how to control the setting of apps it can work against perpetrators who use this medium to harass women. Apps can be used in creative ways, such as to document evidence. Resources can be found on the U.S. National Network to End Domestic Violence www.nnedv.org Safety in mind has been behind the UBER app for riders and driver-partners.
A Data Count was presented to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark which highlighted the work of shelters visible. In the Call to Action handed by the Chair Bandana Rana to Martin van Rijn, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters calls upon all of us to increase our efforts. While many countries have made considerable progress in introducing legislation and institutionalizing policy frameworks implementation, monitoring and accountability are weak, slow or lacking according to the former former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo. We need an internationally standalone binding Convention and much needed funding could be redirected from military spending. “Hold perpetrators to account and to provide services to assist perpetrators to transform their behaviour and become peer educators” are some of the key recommendations.
The Dutch Government and five different ministries as well as The Municipality of The Hague, helped to make this Conference possible supported by public and corporate sponsors. The location of the headquarters of the Global Network for Women’s Shelters has recently been established in The Hague.
You can watch the highlights of the 3rd world conference of women’s shelters here:
Violence against women is still widespread and is perhaps the greatest crime against humanity of all time. During the conference we contribute to the elimination of this violence by learning from each other, sharing new insights and field-testing them, and reinforcing the position of women’s shelters and the national and international networks around them.
Let’s Act and Unite is the message of 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters The Hague, 6 November 2015 – The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters was held 3rd-6th November 2015 in The Hague, The Netherlands. With 1,000 participants from 115 countries and inspiring keynote speakers as Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Hina Jilani, Dr. Mugweke and Ashley Judd it was a fruitful meeting with an ambitious outcome. All attendees from advocates and activists to care workers in the field are ready to put an end to violence against women and children. “Let’s do this together! Let’s Unite, Connect and Act to reach the all-important goal and end violence against women!” This was the outcome of four days of intensive working and talking together, while building bridges and strengthening bonds. At the conference, over 1,000 visitors from over 100 countries shared knowledge and translated agreements into targeted actions.
The conference sent out a pledge to all people to think about how we can contribute – as individuals, as communities, as governments, as businesses, as religious institutions. Violence against women has a profound effect on the victims themselves, but it affects families and communities also, resulting in enormous social, economic and productivity costs. It really is a matter that touches us all. Special attention was paid to the vulnerable position of women and girls in armed conflict. It is of the utmost importance to protect women and girls from rape as weapon of war. The post trauma effects of strangulation are wide ranging and not understood by society.
In the Call to Action handed by the chair Bandana Rana to Martin van Rijn, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters calls upon all sectors of society to act to prevent impunity from accountability. Conventions and legislation needs to be ratified, implemented and their effectiveness monitored. Paper victories are not enough we all need to be advocates for change to happen.
This could range from actively penalizing child marriages by governments to taking a stand against sexual harassment at the workplace by businesses.
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and has been proclaimed a top priority of the United Nation’s, which is endorsed at the highest level by Secretary–General Ban Ki-moon. The UN aims at gender equality by 2030. An ambitious plan, but as far as all attendees of the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters are concerned, it is as realistic as it is necessary. At the moment still one in every three women faces violence because of their gender at least once in their lives.
You can watch the highlights of the 3rd world conference of women’s shelters here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14di-qaCIUPictures by the WCWS.
Year 2016 is a jubilee year for Lithuanian-Flemish relations.By H. E. Gediminas Varvuolis, Ambassador of Lithuania to Belgium & Luxembourg. Photography by Kristina Jasaityte.
Flanders and Lithuania will celebrate next year their 20 years of long lasting friendship and cooperation. Within the context of the commemoration of this exceptional anniversary, the Minister-President of Flanders Geert Bourgeois intends to visit to the three Baltic States in May.
Celebrations in Vilnius will be marked by a number of economic events and completed with cultural festivities. It is worthwhile noting that Lithuania over the last decades and since the restauration of its independence in 1990, has developed particularly strong relations with the federated entities of the Kingdom of Belgium and the regions of Flanders and Wallonia in the first place, by adopting and developing appropriate tools and mechanisms of cooperation.
Flanders was the first Belgian entity to start building its ties with the Baltic States and Lithuania in particular. Just after the Baltic States regained their independence in 1990, the Government of Flanders opted for Lithuania to become a priority partner within Flemish foreign policy.
At the beginning Flemish cooperation focused on assistance towards the building of new and democratic country in Europe, which over the years developed in to a genuine and mutually beneficial bilateral partnership.
Lithuanian – Flemish cooperation was formalized by the signing the Cooperation Treaty between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of Flanders in Vilnius on March 7th 1996 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Povilas Gylys and the Flemish Minister-President Luc Van den Brande.
This formal agreement was immediately followed with practical arrangements, aimed at fostering the bilateral ties. In 1997 the first work program (for the period 1997-1999) was signed as an implementation of the above-mentioned Treaty. The cooperation program focused on a large number of competences of the Government of Flanders, ranging from welfare and culture over mobility and public works to foreign trade, entrepreneurship and education, which were of great interest to Lithuania.
New cooperation programs are signed every three years in order to define and update concrete cooperation fields and projects between the two partners. The newest work program for the year 2016-2018, a seventh in a row, which has been signed on November 24th 2015 in Brussels between the representatives of the two governments, sets up further cooperation in the fields of economics, welfare and culture. A clear desire was formulated, for the upcoming 3 years, to work more closely in the fields of science, research and innovation.
A whole new boost for Lithuanian-Flemish relations will be the reopening of Flanders Investment & Trade agency (FIT) office in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, due in May 2016. This step is an extraordinary gesture of the economically most advanced Belgian region and it is an obvious proof of economic attractiveness and recognition of regional significance of Vilnius.
The Region of Flanders uses a worldwide FIT network for global foreign trade activities, therefore opening of a regional FIT representation office in Vilnius will undoubtedly contribute to the strengthening of trade and economic ties not only between Lithuania and Flanders but also between Flanders and the whole Baltic region. Our bilateral economic cooperation enjoys already an impressive dynamism and could be supported by examples, such as very vibrant relations between our port city of Klaipėda on one hand and the Belgian ports of Antwerp, Ghent or Zeebrugge on the other hand.
Therefore one could only note with great satisfaction that relations between Lithuania and Flanders remain an important part of our respective foreign policies and will continue to optimize benefits for both partners. We hope that the positive experiences from the past will pave the way for even stronger mutually beneficial cooperation in the future.
For Information:http://be.mfa.lt
By H. E. Mrs. Adia Sakiqi, Albanian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Photography: Embassy of Albania in The Hague
When I take a break from politics, I reflect on Albania’s unique heritage of art and photography. For the first, I constantly think of improving ways of communication and then I fall back into the latter, artistic forms of expression, art so fragile that unconditionally accepts auto-criticism.
We organized the first photo exhibition ‘Albania from Air and under Water’ in January 2015 at the House of Europe in The Hague, on the occasion of Albania’s obtaining EU candidate status in 2014. Aerial photography of rugged and rocky Riviera’s white cliffs and fertile fields, exhibited the intensity of the landscapes, together with the diversity and occurrence of cultural and natural heritage sites. I am proud to say that these pictures incited many viewers to travel to Albania later on. Their journey was memorable, I was told.
Based on the success of the photo exhibition, we now have a permanent space in our embassy dedicated to exhibitions of Albanian artists. Albanian Embassy Art Gallery is open to the Dutch public at Hoge Nieuwstraat 22, in The Hague.
We are definitely not the first art gallery in the Hague, but we are one of the first embassy art galleries in the city. I am delighted to invite you to our gallery and take you through the works of art which depict the simple and the complicated, the ordinary and the extraordinary of the everyday life of the people of Albania. Our gallery window remains open to the curious glance of the passers by while our embassy staff is hospitable to the visitors during our opening hours.
Moreover, numerous events, cultural and political debates will take place at Albanian Embassy Art Gallery.
I am delighted to invite you to learn about Via Egnatia, in Albania, an international hiking path and travel destination, a fascinating travel in the mountains with Mediterranean vegetation, rich with aromas of sage, oregano and rosemary and herbal tea combined with the warm colors of shrub that stay green all year around.
Yet, as the past serves us well to envisage the future, we need to rethink and reconstruct the present. Via Egnatia served as one of the main roads connecting east and west, part of it goes through modern Albania.
Thousands of years later, as the Western Balkan countries are progressing in the long process toward EU membership, in August 2014, Chancellor Angela Merkel launched a process, which we now in the South Mediterranean refer to as the Berlin Process, i.e., support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans based in interconnectivity. Interconnectivity among the countries of the Western Balkans’ region via common infrastructural projects, interconnectivity in the energy sector, that all starts with the interconnectivity of cultures.
There will be no prosperity and economical progress without regional cooperation and dialogue in the Western Balkans. We cannot have a constructive dialogue with Brussels without dialoguing with our neighbors. Striving for the stability of neighbors is investing in our own stability. That is why Albania has endorsed Kosovo membership in UNESCO.
Communication of the youth, cultural exchanges, protection of our diverse cultural heritage will be the catalysts of our economic prosperity. It all starts with communication and cultural exchanges of the young generation. That is why I cannot help but fall back to culture and art for all it offers.
For information:http://www.punetejashtme.gov.al/http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/netherlands/en
Statement by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In 2016, Belgium and Japan will celebrate 150 years of friendship between Belgium and Japan, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Japan and His Majesty the King of the Belgians have accepted to act as honorary presidents of the 150 years of friendship between Belgium and Japan.
Diplomatic relations were established between Belgium and Japan on August 1st, 1866, with the signature of a Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation. In a summit meeting between Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister di Rupo in May 2014, confirmed by a summit meeting between Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister Michel in May 2015, the governments of Belgium and Japan agreed to seize this opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.The 150 years of friendship between Belgium and Japan will be celebrated from December 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2016, with various political, economic, cultural, academic and other commemorative events. These events will involve institutions, companies, academic organizations, associations and citizens from both countries.Belgium and Japan enjoy excellent bilateral relations. They share the same fundamental values. Japan is a major economic partner of Belgium. Regular exhibitions, concerts, publications, and other cultural events make each other’s culture easily accessible, and numerous academic, scientific and personal exchanges take place. The festivities of the 150 years of friendship between Belgium and Japan will be a new occasion to deepen their mutual understanding and strengthen further their bilateral ties.Count Herman Van Rompuy has been appointed the “Friendship Ambassador” for the 150 Years of Friendship between Japan and Belgium. He served as Belgium 49th prime minister albeit he is best known as first president of the European Council. Source:http://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/Newsroom/news/press_releases/foreign_affairs/2015/11/ni_041115_150_years_friendship_japan.jsp?referer=tcm:312-274767-64
By H. E. Ambassador Yan Yanyi, Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU.
Leaders of nearly 150 countries gathered in Paris, not just in defiance of the ISIS terrorist threat, but more in a joint effort to combat global climate change, one of the gravest challenges facing humanity. Their determination to reach consensus at the Paris Climate Change Conference, also known as the COP21, and follow with concrete actions will have far-reaching impact on the success of mankind to create a sustainable future for generations to come.
China and the EU are amongst the most active and critical players in tackling climate change and preparing for the COP 21. Both are effectively embarking on sustainable, resource efficient, green, low-carbon and climate resilient development and working constructively together at bilateral and international level for ambitious climate actions.
The 13th Five Year Plan highlights the goal of China to nurture an open and innovation-driven economy featuring inclusive, green and coordinated growth, which will enable China to better address climate change in the next five years. Prior to this, China has already been working proactively to ensure the full, effective and sustained implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Convention.
Up till the end of 2014, China has reduced GHG emission per unit of GDP by 15.8% compared with 2010 levels. Pilot emissions trading systems have now been operating smoothly in seven regions to prepare for the launch of the nationwide carbon market in 2017 covering key industry sectors. The ratio of non fossil fuels has now accounted for 11.2% of the total primary energy supply. Statistics released by the World Bank demonstrate that in the past two decades, energy saved by China has accounted for 52% out of the world’s total. IEA reports recognize that China has contributed almost 40% to the increase of the global renewable energy capacity and helped to cut by half the cost of wind power and photovoltaic power generation.
Additionally, China has already submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, committing to peak GHG emission by 2030 at the latest, lower the carbon intensity of GDP by 60% to 65% below 2005 levels by 2030, increase the share of non-fossil energy carriers to around 20% by that time, and increase its forest stock volume by 4.5 billion cubic meters, compared to 2005 levels. Being as the largest developing country, China is devoted to helping the rest of the developing world. China has set up a US$ three-billion fund to help other developing countries to combat climate change.
In the past three years, China has provided US$ 62 million financial support to developing countries to improve energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, and helped to train over 1000 officials and technicians from over 120 developing nations in capacity building. The EU is also a strong advocate for the Convention. It has adopted at European level a comprehensive package of policy measures – the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP) – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Each of the EU member states has also put in place its own domestic actions that build on the ECCP measures or complement them. So far, the EU has reduced GHG emission by 17.9% compared with 1990 levels and planned to cut the emission by 20% by 2020 and 40% by 2030. China and the EU have maintained frequent mutual exchange on climate change policies, planning and good practices for low-carbon and climate resilient cities. They have been successfully cooperating on building emission trading capacity, collaborating on climate-related scientific research and technology innovation, including the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies and adaptation solutions.
Their shared commitment and vision brings them to significantly enhancing their partnership on climate change established in 2005 and building on a decade of successful cooperation. The synergy of China’s One Belt and One Road Initiative with the Juncker plan and the establishment of the connectivity platform will enable the two to elevate their cooperation on climate change and co-produce tangible results in developing a cost-effective low-carbon economy, launching a Low-Carbon Cities Partnership, enhancing climate resilient investments, exchanging and exploring more policy instruments in terms of energy conservation and energy efficiency.
Their cooperation is not limited to the bilateral level. China and the EU have reinforced their coordination and cooperation in the framework of the UNFCCC, and other relevant fora such as the G20, MEF, Montreal Protocol, ICAO and IMO. The two partners have reaffirmed their commitment to reaching an ambitious and legally binding agreement in Paris that enhances the implementation of the Convention on the basis of equity and reflecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances.
They have also called for the developed countries to provide and mobilize jointly USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries. And there is still more that can be done. Apart from securing joint statements on climate change with the EU, France, the US, India and Brazil prior to the Paris, China has been coordinating intensively with the other BASIC and LMDC countries as well as members of the G77 to narrow down the differences. The EU can leverage its impact by taking the lead among developed countries in fulfilling their emission reduction targets and providing financial and technical support to developing countries.
China and the EU should continue to uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities on the basis of equality, with a view to facilitating a comprehensive, balanced and ambitious pact in Paris. They should continue to enchant green and low-carbon development worldwide and call for stronger global climate action to ensure the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention now, up to and beyond 2020. Much has changed after Copenhagen.
The challenge of climate change has never been so imminent. Luckily enough, the international community has never been so close to reach consensus. There is no reason for China and the EU to stop working closely together to contribute to the global efforts to make COP21 in Paris a new milestone in combating climate change.
Copyright Dario Poli December 2003 
Copyright Dario Poli December 2003 
Moderated by Jacobine Geel and Audith Hunkar the attendees heard inspiring keynote speakers as Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Hina Jilani (Pakistani women’s rights activist & lawyer) and Dr Mugweke (The man who mends women). Queen Maxima spoke at the first plenary session emphasizing the value of economic independence in rebuilding independent lives for survivors of violence. Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark spoke at the 4th plenary session. Through The Mary Foundation she works to help women and children who are victims of violence.
Interspersed throughout the programme were the voices, not of victims, but survivors of domestic violence and child abuse who courageously reiterated their personal stories to send a message that women need to speak out if change is to occur.
It highlighted that it is a global issue affecting not only victims, but families and communities and results in social, economic and productivity costs. It is also a crime against humanity during armed conflict when rape is used as a weapon of war or for human trafficking. Judge Joyce Aluoch, First Vice-President of the International Criminal Court spoke on video about the availability of redress in The Rome Statute.
We heard the moving stories of Iffat Gill (Founder & CEO ChunriChoupall), Linor Abargil (Brave Miss World), Rosie Batty’s story on film from Australia, Therese Evers (author and Teacher policing sexual violence at Police Academy. Nijmegen Area, Netherlands), Emma Murphy from Dublin, Ireland, attended who drew attention to her plight by posting a video on Facebook, Ashley Judd (actor, author, activist and humanitarian)
All these women overcame their circumstances and built on their negative experience to become role models working for a positive outcome in assisting other women to gain strength and overcome their situation. Women together is power.
The Veiled Monologues directed by Adelheid Roosen provided a powerful theatrical performance as did the films Hidden Violence and Then What which also included the story of Hameeda Lukke’s abuse as a child and the shocking film Singing in the Dark by Matthieu Goedhart illustrating the cycle of abuse within a family of several generations.
Women need opportunities to rebuild their lives. Education and paid work is vital to make women independent and stronger. The Rabobank Foundation and Uber talked about their impact on economic empowerment of women.
In Nepal widows are ostracized and 80% have no education and have to depend on their family. This issue is not expressed in any human rights declaration. Youth need to be taught about the importance of healthy equal relationships and all throughout the Conference it was reiterated that men need to be involved in the solution with stronger representation.
Australia is also leading in this field as explained by Michaelia Cash, Minister for Women, Minister for Employment, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Public Service. A national understanding arose after the death of Luke Batty mobilizing the Australian Government to introduce a national plan to reduce violence against women.
This resulted in a national phone line, a mobile app DAISY which includes a quick exit button, recognition in all States of domestic violence orders and the White Ribbon campaign to engage community, including men. Australia also leads with creating a safe workplace. Trade unions were on board to pave the way for industrial legislation to include paid domestic violence leave and the protection of women’s jobs.
The Netherlands Police are working in innovative ways with women shelters to assist survivors in their protection, recovery and investigations and organisations such as CoMensha works with the government to make improvements.
The increasing use of the internet as a tool to perpetrate violence against women and girls is a growing concern. Social media can be used as a tool for good to campaign against violence. By learning how to control the setting of apps it can work against perpetrators who use this medium to harass women. Apps can be used in creative ways, such as to document evidence. Resources can be found on the U.S. National Network to End Domestic Violence www.nnedv.org Safety in mind has been behind the UBER app for riders and driver-partners.
A Data Count was presented to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark which highlighted the work of shelters visible. In the Call to Action handed by the Chair Bandana Rana to Martin van Rijn, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters calls upon all of us to increase our efforts. While many countries have made considerable progress in introducing legislation and institutionalizing policy frameworks implementation, monitoring and accountability are weak, slow or lacking according to the former former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo. We need an internationally standalone binding Convention and much needed funding could be redirected from military spending. “Hold perpetrators to account and to provide services to assist perpetrators to transform their behaviour and become peer educators” are some of the key recommendations.
The Dutch Government and five different ministries as well as The Municipality of The Hague, helped to make this Conference possible supported by public and corporate sponsors. The location of the headquarters of the Global Network for Women’s Shelters has recently been established in The Hague.
You can watch the highlights of the 3rd world conference of women’s shelters here:
Violence against women is still widespread and is perhaps the greatest crime against humanity of all time. During the conference we contribute to the elimination of this violence by learning from each other, sharing new insights and field-testing them, and reinforcing the position of women’s shelters and the national and international networks around them.
Let’s Act and Unite is the message of 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters
The Hague, 6 November 2015 – The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters was held 3rd-6th November 2015 in The Hague, The Netherlands. With 1,000 participants from 115 countries and inspiring keynote speakers as Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Hina Jilani, Dr. Mugweke and Ashley Judd it was a fruitful meeting with an ambitious outcome. All attendees from advocates and activists to care workers in the field are ready to put an end to violence against women and children.
“Let’s do this together! Let’s Unite, Connect and Act to reach the all-important goal and end violence against women!” This was the outcome of four days of intensive working and talking together, while building bridges and strengthening bonds. At the conference, over 1,000 visitors from over 100 countries shared knowledge and translated agreements into targeted actions.
The conference sent out a pledge to all people to think about how we can contribute – as individuals, as communities, as governments, as businesses, as religious institutions. Violence against women has a profound effect on the victims themselves, but it affects families and communities also, resulting in enormous social, economic and productivity costs. It really is a matter that touches us all. Special attention was paid to the vulnerable position of women and girls in armed conflict. It is of the utmost importance to protect women and girls from rape as weapon of war. The post trauma effects of strangulation are wide ranging and not understood by society.
In the Call to Action handed by the chair Bandana Rana to Martin van Rijn, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters calls upon all sectors of society to act to prevent impunity from accountability. Conventions and legislation needs to be ratified, implemented and their effectiveness monitored. Paper victories are not enough we all need to be advocates for change to happen.
This could range from actively penalizing child marriages by governments to taking a stand against sexual harassment at the workplace by businesses.
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and has been proclaimed a top priority of the United Nation’s, which is endorsed at the highest level by Secretary–General Ban Ki-moon. The UN aims at gender equality by 2030. An ambitious plan, but as far as all attendees of the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters are concerned, it is as realistic as it is necessary. At the moment still one in every three women faces violence because of their gender at least once in their lives.
You can watch the highlights of the 3rd world conference of women’s shelters here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14di-qaCIU
Pictures by the WCWS.
Moderated by Jacobine Geel and Audith Hunkar the attendees heard inspiring keynote speakers as Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Hina Jilani (Pakistani women’s rights activist & lawyer) and Dr Mugweke (The man who mends women). Queen Maxima spoke at the first plenary session emphasizing the value of economic independence in rebuilding independent lives for survivors of violence. Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark spoke at the 4th plenary session. Through The Mary Foundation she works to help women and children who are victims of violence.
Interspersed throughout the programme were the voices, not of victims, but survivors of domestic violence and child abuse who courageously reiterated their personal stories to send a message that women need to speak out if change is to occur.
It highlighted that it is a global issue affecting not only victims, but families and communities and results in social, economic and productivity costs. It is also a crime against humanity during armed conflict when rape is used as a weapon of war or for human trafficking. Judge Joyce Aluoch, First Vice-President of the International Criminal Court spoke on video about the availability of redress in The Rome Statute.
We heard the moving stories of Iffat Gill (Founder & CEO ChunriChoupall), Linor Abargil (Brave Miss World), Rosie Batty’s story on film from Australia, Therese Evers (author and Teacher policing sexual violence at Police Academy. Nijmegen Area, Netherlands), Emma Murphy from Dublin, Ireland, attended who drew attention to her plight by posting a video on Facebook, Ashley Judd (actor, author, activist and humanitarian)
All these women overcame their circumstances and built on their negative experience to become role models working for a positive outcome in assisting other women to gain strength and overcome their situation. Women together is power.
The Veiled Monologues directed by Adelheid Roosen provided a powerful theatrical performance as did the films Hidden Violence and Then What which also included the story of Hameeda Lukke’s abuse as a child and the shocking film Singing in the Dark by Matthieu Goedhart illustrating the cycle of abuse within a family of several generations.
Women need opportunities to rebuild their lives. Education and paid work is vital to make women independent and stronger. The Rabobank Foundation and Uber talked about their impact on economic empowerment of women.
In Nepal widows are ostracized and 80% have no education and have to depend on their family. This issue is not expressed in any human rights declaration. Youth need to be taught about the importance of healthy equal relationships and all throughout the Conference it was reiterated that men need to be involved in the solution with stronger representation.
Australia is also leading in this field as explained by Michaelia Cash, Minister for Women, Minister for Employment, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Public Service. A national understanding arose after the death of Luke Batty mobilizing the Australian Government to introduce a national plan to reduce violence against women.
This resulted in a national phone line, a mobile app DAISY which includes a quick exit button, recognition in all States of domestic violence orders and the White Ribbon campaign to engage community, including men. Australia also leads with creating a safe workplace. Trade unions were on board to pave the way for industrial legislation to include paid domestic violence leave and the protection of women’s jobs.
The Netherlands Police are working in innovative ways with women shelters to assist survivors in their protection, recovery and investigations and organisations such as CoMensha works with the government to make improvements.
The increasing use of the internet as a tool to perpetrate violence against women and girls is a growing concern. Social media can be used as a tool for good to campaign against violence. By learning how to control the setting of apps it can work against perpetrators who use this medium to harass women. Apps can be used in creative ways, such as to document evidence. Resources can be found on the U.S. National Network to End Domestic Violence www.nnedv.org Safety in mind has been behind the UBER app for riders and driver-partners.
A Data Count was presented to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark which highlighted the work of shelters visible. In the Call to Action handed by the Chair Bandana Rana to Martin van Rijn, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters calls upon all of us to increase our efforts. While many countries have made considerable progress in introducing legislation and institutionalizing policy frameworks implementation, monitoring and accountability are weak, slow or lacking according to the former former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo. We need an internationally standalone binding Convention and much needed funding could be redirected from military spending. “Hold perpetrators to account and to provide services to assist perpetrators to transform their behaviour and become peer educators” are some of the key recommendations.
The Dutch Government and five different ministries as well as The Municipality of The Hague, helped to make this Conference possible supported by public and corporate sponsors. The location of the headquarters of the Global Network for Women’s Shelters has recently been established in The Hague.
You can watch the highlights of the 3rd world conference of women’s shelters here:
Violence against women is still widespread and is perhaps the greatest crime against humanity of all time. During the conference we contribute to the elimination of this violence by learning from each other, sharing new insights and field-testing them, and reinforcing the position of women’s shelters and the national and international networks around them.
Let’s Act and Unite is the message of 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters
The Hague, 6 November 2015 – The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters was held 3rd-6th November 2015 in The Hague, The Netherlands. With 1,000 participants from 115 countries and inspiring keynote speakers as Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Hina Jilani, Dr. Mugweke and Ashley Judd it was a fruitful meeting with an ambitious outcome. All attendees from advocates and activists to care workers in the field are ready to put an end to violence against women and children.
“Let’s do this together! Let’s Unite, Connect and Act to reach the all-important goal and end violence against women!” This was the outcome of four days of intensive working and talking together, while building bridges and strengthening bonds. At the conference, over 1,000 visitors from over 100 countries shared knowledge and translated agreements into targeted actions.
The conference sent out a pledge to all people to think about how we can contribute – as individuals, as communities, as governments, as businesses, as religious institutions. Violence against women has a profound effect on the victims themselves, but it affects families and communities also, resulting in enormous social, economic and productivity costs. It really is a matter that touches us all. Special attention was paid to the vulnerable position of women and girls in armed conflict. It is of the utmost importance to protect women and girls from rape as weapon of war. The post trauma effects of strangulation are wide ranging and not understood by society.
In the Call to Action handed by the chair Bandana Rana to Martin van Rijn, State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sports, the Global Network of Women’s Shelters calls upon all sectors of society to act to prevent impunity from accountability. Conventions and legislation needs to be ratified, implemented and their effectiveness monitored. Paper victories are not enough we all need to be advocates for change to happen.
This could range from actively penalizing child marriages by governments to taking a stand against sexual harassment at the workplace by businesses.
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and has been proclaimed a top priority of the United Nation’s, which is endorsed at the highest level by Secretary–General Ban Ki-moon. The UN aims at gender equality by 2030. An ambitious plan, but as far as all attendees of the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters are concerned, it is as realistic as it is necessary. At the moment still one in every three women faces violence because of their gender at least once in their lives.
You can watch the highlights of the 3rd world conference of women’s shelters here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14di-qaCIU
Pictures by the WCWS.
Moreover, numerous events, cultural and political debates will take place at Albanian Embassy Art Gallery.
I am delighted to invite you to learn about Via Egnatia, in Albania, an international hiking path and travel destination, a fascinating travel in the mountains with Mediterranean vegetation, rich with aromas of sage, oregano and rosemary and herbal tea combined with the warm colors of shrub that stay green all year around.
Yet, as the past serves us well to envisage the future, we need to rethink and reconstruct the present. Via Egnatia served as one of the main roads connecting east and west, part of it goes through modern Albania.
Thousands of years later, as the Western Balkan countries are progressing in the long process toward EU membership, in August 2014, Chancellor Angela Merkel launched a process, which we now in the South Mediterranean refer to as the Berlin Process, i.e., support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans based in interconnectivity. Interconnectivity among the countries of the Western Balkans’ region via common infrastructural projects, interconnectivity in the energy sector, that all starts with the interconnectivity of cultures.
There will be no prosperity and economical progress without regional cooperation and dialogue in the Western Balkans. We cannot have a constructive dialogue with Brussels without dialoguing with our neighbors. Striving for the stability of neighbors is investing in our own stability. That is why Albania has endorsed Kosovo membership in UNESCO.
Communication of the youth, cultural exchanges, protection of our diverse cultural heritage will be the catalysts of our economic prosperity. It all starts with communication and cultural exchanges of the young generation. That is why I cannot help but fall back to culture and art for all it offers.
For information:
http://www.punetejashtme.gov.al/
http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/netherlands/en
Moreover, numerous events, cultural and political debates will take place at Albanian Embassy Art Gallery.
I am delighted to invite you to learn about Via Egnatia, in Albania, an international hiking path and travel destination, a fascinating travel in the mountains with Mediterranean vegetation, rich with aromas of sage, oregano and rosemary and herbal tea combined with the warm colors of shrub that stay green all year around.
Yet, as the past serves us well to envisage the future, we need to rethink and reconstruct the present. Via Egnatia served as one of the main roads connecting east and west, part of it goes through modern Albania.
Thousands of years later, as the Western Balkan countries are progressing in the long process toward EU membership, in August 2014, Chancellor Angela Merkel launched a process, which we now in the South Mediterranean refer to as the Berlin Process, i.e., support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans based in interconnectivity. Interconnectivity among the countries of the Western Balkans’ region via common infrastructural projects, interconnectivity in the energy sector, that all starts with the interconnectivity of cultures.
There will be no prosperity and economical progress without regional cooperation and dialogue in the Western Balkans. We cannot have a constructive dialogue with Brussels without dialoguing with our neighbors. Striving for the stability of neighbors is investing in our own stability. That is why Albania has endorsed Kosovo membership in UNESCO.
Communication of the youth, cultural exchanges, protection of our diverse cultural heritage will be the catalysts of our economic prosperity. It all starts with communication and cultural exchanges of the young generation. That is why I cannot help but fall back to culture and art for all it offers.
For information:
http://www.punetejashtme.gov.al/
http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/netherlands/en
