Picture by Peter Potman, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minbuza).5 October 2015, Kingdom of the Netherlands: Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have marked 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Although the contacts between Laos and The Netherlands are quite old, they have been and remain limited diplomatically, economically as well as the people-to-people exchanges. However one should know that the very first European to meet a Laotian monarch, King Souligna Vongsa of Lan Xang (then the name of Laos) was the Dutchman Gerrit van Wuysthoff from the United East Indies Company (VOC) in 1641. The major fields of collaboration between Laos and The Netherlands occur at EU level since 2003 when The Netherlands cut off development aid to the Asian country; in any case such aid was limited to sustainable forestry and human rights. The Royal Dutch embassy in Thailand is co-accredited to Laos whereas the mission of Laos responsible for The Netherlands is based in Brussels. However there is a Dutch honorary consul in Vientiane, Ms Megan Ritchie. Yet Laos has no consulate in The Netherlands. For more information:Embassy of Laos to the Benelux countries, the EU and the Nordic countries (HE Ambassador BOUNTEUM Khamkheuang): www.ambalao.beRoyal Dutch Embassy to Thailand: http://thailand.nlambassade.org/organizationDutch Honorary Consul in Vientiane: http://thailand.nlambassade.org/organization/honorair-consulaten-thailand/honorair-consulaat-in-vientiane.html
On the picture The King of the Belgians and President Andrzej Duda Poland.By Baron Henri Estramant.13-16 October 2015: A Belgian state visit was paid to the Republic of Poland, the second after the enthronement of King Philippus of the Belgians. The first one was to the PRC. The delegation included not least than 150 prominent personalities. Including the Flemish Premier Geert Bourgeois, its Wallonian counterpart Paul Magnette, the Minister-President of Brussels Capital Region, Rudi Vervoort, the President of the French-speaking Community Rudy Demotte as well as the German-speaking Community, Oliver Paasch, moreover representatives from Belgian universities and numerous CEOs. Main criteria for participation was the commercial presence in the Polish market. The Belgian Royal Couple was warmly welcomed at the Court of Honour at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw by the Polish presidential couple. The ceremony was followed by bilateral talks between the two heads of state, and a ceremony to lay a wreath at the grave of the unknown soldier, a meeting with the Speaker of the Diet, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska and of the Senate, Bogdan Borusewicz. The day ended with a state banquet. Presidential and Royal couples. Photography by Andrzej Hrechorowicz.The second day’s highlight was a “Investment Power Lunch” attended by the heads of state, Belgian investors and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Janusz Piechociński. Thereafter a conference on the mobility of Polish and Belgian students took place much as a seminary on innovation, sciences and life. Likewise the Belgian royals visited the site of Warsaw Spire, a Polish-Belgian real estate project led by Ghelamco, and due to become the largest skyscraper of Warsaw. On their last day in Poland Their Majesties paid a visit to the Warsaw Uprising Museum as well as to the Chopin Museum and the Museum of History of Polish Jews (POLIN). It should be noted that HM Queen Mathilde of the Belgians is of maternal Polish extraction, her mother being Countess Anna Maria d’Udekem d’Acoz (née Countess Anna Maria Komorowska in Białogard, Poland). During the Communist period one uncle, Count Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski (1966- 1985) served as Commander-in-Chief and Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile. For more information:Polish Presidency: www.president.pl/en/Belgian Monarchy: http://monarchie.be/fr/actualitesPolish Ministry of Economy: www.mg.gov.pl/Embassy of Poland to Belgium, HE Ambassador Artur Harazim: http://www.bruksela.msz.gov.pl/fr/polish_embassy_in_Belgium
Embassy of Poland in The Hague, H. E. Ambassador Jan Borkowski:
http://www.haga.msz.gov.pl/en/
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
World Trade Center –WTC- The Hague, hosted an information session and luncheon for recently accredited Ambassadors to the Netherlands. The event was held at the WTC on Friday 8 October 2015.
Mr. Frans Engering, Chairman of the Foundation WTC The Hague, gave a short introduction which was followed by meetings with key personalities of top level trade and investment promotion institutions. The aim of these meetings was to enable Embassies to respond effectively to requests from their home country pertaining to doing business with the Netherlands.
The participating institutions were:
Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion (NCH). – West Holland Foreign Investment Agency (WFIA). – Confederation of Netherlands Industries (VNO NCW) – Innovation Quarter – Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) – International Affairs of the City of The Hague and the embassies from India with Ambassador J.S. Mukul, Australia with Ambassador Brett Mason, Sudan with Ambassador Mrs Rahma Salih, Eritrea with Ambassador Negassi Kassa Tekle, Slovakia with Ambassador Roman Buzek, Sri Lanka with Ambassador Adam Sadiq, President of the WTC The Hague, Ambassador Frans Engering, Director of NCH, Dr Jan Siemons. General Manager of the WTC The Hague, Mrs Eveline Steenbergen, Director International Affairs Gemeente Den Haag, Mrs Elisabeth Minnemann and some other diplomats and organisations.
Chairman Frans Engering. towards the end of his exposé, asked individual Ambassadors specific questions e.g. “I have noticed your country will be organizing large-scale [trade] matchmaking events in November. Can you please tell us a bit more about these events”
In conclusion Ambassadors were offered a complimentary WTC The Hague membership card and a voucher which entitles Embassies to make use of WTC conference rooms for half a day, free of charge. The event was a joint effort by WTC and Mr. Andrew van Esch of Dæsch Creative Concepts.
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
H.E. Ittiporn Boonpracong, Ambassador for the Kingdom of Thailand to the Netherlands welcomed fellow Ambassadors, a Thai parliamentarian and friends to the Thai Residence for “An Evening with Dr. Surin Pitsuwan to share experiences on Sustainable Development” on Tuesday 20 October 2015.
H.E. Ittiporn Boonpracong welcome the guest.Dr. Surin Pitswan is a former ASEAN Secretary-General and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
In a vivid introduction by the host Ambassador Ittiporn Boonpracong, highlighted Dr, Surin Pitsuwan’s impressive palmarès. The guest of honor subsequently delivered an appealing expose. With his deep warm voice, posture and calmness, the orator Pitsuwan captured and retained the attention of his audience.
Dr.Pitsuwan disclosed, Sufficient Economy Philosophy (SEP) is the brainchild of Thailand enlightened monarch H.M. King Bhumobol.The philosophy, is focused on living a moderate, self-dependent life without greed or overexploitation of natural resources.
Dr. Pitsuwan stated, SEP could serve as a model to many communities, states and countries around the world looking for an alternative way of moving forward in the process of globalization. According to Dr. Pitsuwan there is no one size fit all, each community should look at what is suitable.
Dr. Pitsuwan a savvy on the matter, elaborated on the impacts of the philosophy in promoting sustainable development among people, entrepreneurs and governments.
Dr. Surin Pitswan at the Thai Residence.
He touched on the scarcity of water, depleted water basins. Water is an essential commodity in agriculture, He furthermore stressed that farmers in the Thai highland should return to their plots and cultivate edible crops instead of growing illicit drugs that is causing havoc in Europe and elsewhere.
Sufficient Economy Philosophy is one way to eradicate poverty. It is instrumental in conserving our environment, combat crime and get out of debt.
Dr Pitsuwan urged the Ambassadors and diplomats present to report to their government back home. Ambassadors he says are in a privileged position to bring about global changes such eradication of poverty and the saving of our planet.
Earlier the same day The Hague Institute was pleased to welcome Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Chairman of Future Innovative Thailand Institute, for a discussion on The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy: Contribution to the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.
The evening with the illustrious Dr. Surin Pitsuwan concluded with a Q&A session and the traditional Thai hospitality, a buffet.
Picture courtesy of Karirima A. Ngarambe.
By Roy Lie A Tjam. Photography courtesy of Duke Michael of Mecklenburg.
The Embassy Art Exhibition 2015 commenced its second week on Wednesday October 21st.
The exhibition is the initiative of Diplomat Magazine and Gallery Patries van Dorst under the patronage of Vimpelcom. A large and diverse audience made its way to Landgoed De Wittenburg, Wassenaar to admire works of artists from Bangladesh, Kenya, Kosovo, Rwanda, and Tunisia.
For a photo album on the second vernissage of Embassy Art Exhibition 2015, please click here:https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157657953003403
Also: http://www.patriesvandorst.nl/over-ons/embassy-art-exhibtion/Ambassador of Tunisia H. E. Karim Ben Becher, Patrice van Dorst, Ambassador of Iraq H. E. Dr. Saad A. Ibrahim Al Ali, Ambassador of Morocco H.E. Abdelouahab Bellouki and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia H.E. Abdulaziz Abdullah Abdulaziz Abohaimed.
Following the welcome remarks by Diplomat Magazine and Gallery Patries van Dorst, the ambassadors of exhibiting countries expressed their gratitude for participating in the marvellous art exposition and subsequently introduced the artist and their works.
On show were works by: Jakub Ferri (Kosovo); Carel Richter, Laila Sharmeen, Anika Mariam Ahmed (Bangladesh); Choki Ben Amor, Taoufik Kerkeni, Houcine Bouchiba (Tunisia); Alice Gahunga-Durand (Rwanda), and Omosh Kindeh (Kenya).
Ambassador of Bangladesh Sheikh Mohammed Belal and wife Dr. Dilruba Nasrin together with Ambassador of Albania H.E. Adia Sakiqi.
Ambassador Vjosa Dobruna of Kosovo invited Jakub Ferri; unfortunately, he could not be present. Jakub Ferri is a young lad, who expresses life from the prospective of a Kosovar youngster.
H. E. Vjosa Dobruna Ambassador of Kosovo and Carel Reisch from Patrice van Dorst Gallery.
Especially for the occasion, the ambassador proudly showed her authentic Kosovar outfit.
She recounted the good life young people live back home and divulged breaking news: UNESCO’s executive board has voted to put Kosovo’s bid for membership to a final vote at its general conference in November 2015.
Carel Reisch and H. E. Dziunik Aghajanian Ambassador of Armenia.
Ambassador of Bangladesh Sheikh Mohammed Belal introduced Bangladeshi artists including Carel Richter, a Dutch diplomat who was stationed in Bangladesh.
Carel Richter stated: “Today, I am not a Dutch man, neither am I a diplomat. I am an artist who tries to express the daily life and culture of Bangladesh in my works.” The ambassador remarked that he is probably the only one without a clue about paintings, but is grateful each time he sees his Mona Lisa, his wife.
The Tunisian ambassador, H. E. Karim Ben Becher, invited Tunisian artists living in the Netherlands to showcase their works of art. He thanked the artists and lauded them for their great work.
Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga of Rwanda briefly introduced Alice Gahunga-Durand and let the artist explain her works.
Alice was assisted by her daughter, who interpreted from French to English. She explained that the style of art stems from centuries ago and is called imigingo.
Alice uses several techniques in her creations similar to her endeavours to advocate interculturalism, the blending of cultures. By blending materials, Alice tries to modernize traditional African art.
Environmentally conscious as she is, Alice is an advocate of recycling. She creates her abstract paintings and objects by using recycled materials, such as African acrylic fabric scraps, paper towel, cardboard, plastic, metal, wood, or any other recyclable material. To Alice, beauty is hidden in everything; beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
From left to right: Ms. Imen Getti from Embassy of Tunisia, Mrs. Najat Bellouki, spouse of the Ambassador of Morocco, Abir Ali, Chargé d’Affaires of Lebanon, and Mrs. Rym Ben Becher, spouse of Ambassador of Tunisia.
From Kenya, we had the pleasure of learning about the artist Omosh Kindeh, who passed away about two months ago at the age of 35 . His paintings were produced during his stint in the Netherlands, which is why they demonstrate the Netherlands landscape from the eyes of a Kenyan artist.
A close collaborator of Omosh was present. He explained that Omosh Kindeh’s works portray Kenya as is; laid back, calm and peaceful in mind.
Rafaat Al Khayali, Embassy of Jordan, Zeineb Zouaoui Director of the Tunisian Tourism Office and Yadh ben Massaoud Tunisian student on International Law PHD.
All items at the exposition could be purchased. The exhibitors hoped the visitors appreciated the exposition featuring their country’s art, culture as well as the array.
Next week Embassy Art Exhibition will feature Pakistan Slovenia, Georgia and Iran.
For Information: http://www.patriesvandorst.nl/over-ons/embassy-art-exhibtion/
Her Majesty Queen Máxima will make a speech on Wednesday 4 November at the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters at the World Forum in The Hague. The conference is a platform for sharing experiences and ideas with the ultimate objective of achieving an international approach to the prevention of violence against women and children.
After the plenary session, Queen Máxima will attend part of the ‘Effective social and economic reintegration of women survivors’ workshop. The main theme on the morning of 4 November is economic independence, the basis on which women faced with domestic violence can build a new and independent life. Other issues to be discussed at the conference include sustainable financing, cooperation in international organisations, such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation (WHO), expanding and strengthening the international network, putting violence against women on the agenda worldwide and creating legislation.
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark will also attend the conference on Wednesday. Through The Mary Foundation she works to help women and children who are victims of violence. The foundation is organising two conference workshops, and Crown Princess Mary will speak on Thursday 5 November.
In total around a thousand people from over a hundred countries will take part in the conference in The Hague. Minister of Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker will open the conference on Tuesday 3 November. Also State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport Martin van Rijn will attend part of the four-day conference, which is being held from 3 to 6 November.
Previous editions of the conference were held in Alberta, Canada in 2008 and in Washington DC in 2012. The conference in The Hague is being organised by the Foundation of Women’s Shelters in the Netherlands and other partners at the request of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS).
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima will go on an official visit to the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission in Brussels on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2015. They will be accompanied by Minister Bert Koenders of Foreign Affairs.In the morning, the King and Queen will have a meeting at the European Parliament with President Martin Schulz. Following this, Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, will join the couple for lunch. Other members of the Commission will also be present, including First Vice-President and former Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Frans Timmermans. In the afternoon, their Majesties will speak with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk.The visit is part of the attention the King will be paying to the institutions of the European Union, prior to and during the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the European Union, from January 1 till June 30, 2016.
On the picture Her Excellency Ms. Dziunik Aghajanian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia. European Court of Human Rights confirms the 1915 massacres and mass-deportations of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire.
Strasbourg, France– The European Court of Human Rights delivered a Grand Chamber judgment in the case of Perinçek v. Switzerland at a public hearing today, October 15, 2015.
The lead counsel for the NGO Coalition (Turkish Human Rights Association, Truth Justice Memory Centre and International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies), Professor Payam Akhavan of McGill University in Canada, a former UN prosecutor at The Hague, emphasized that the Court’s Judgment “clearly, unanimously, and emphatically confirmed the historical truth” of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
In a divided opinion, the majority of ten judges held that the Swiss judgment against Mr. Perinçek’s denial and minimization of these events violated his freedom of speech under the European Convention on Human Rights. However, seven judges, including the President of the Court, held that “the massacres and deportations suffered by the Armenian people constituted genocide is self-evident.
The Armenian genocide is a clearly established historical fact. ”To deny it is to deny the obvious.” The majority of ten judges also confirmed “the massacres and mass deportations suffered by the Armenian people at the hands of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 onwards” and only differed in its view that it “has not authority to make legally binding pronouncements” on whether these events “can be characterized as genocide within the meaning of that term under international law”.
Mr. Perinçek himself did not deny that these atrocities did in fact take place, but simply denied their characterization as “genocide” and blamed the 1.5 million Armenian victims for their own fate by portraying them as “traitors” and “aggressors”. The majority found that his statements should not have been penalized by the Swiss courts, because they did not pose a threat to Armenians in Switzerland.
Professor Akhavan noted that in doing so, “the majority did not give sufficient weight to the convincing evidence submitted by the NGO Coalition, demonstrating Mr. Perinçek’s racist motives by reference to his previous conduct in Turkey, and its impact on the vulnerable Armenian minority that has been subjected to a campaign of hate speech and violence.”
He emphasized that “this aspect of the decision is unfortunate at a time when there is an alarming increase in ultra-nationalist hate speech and violence in Turkey. The fact that Mr. Perinçek leads the Talaat Pasha Committee (named after the “Ottoman Hitler”) that the European Parliament has characterized as a ‘xenophobic and racist’ organization, is itself the most obvious evidence of his discriminatory motives.”
Professor Akhavan regretted moreover, that the majority disregarded the Istanbul Penal Court’s finding in the Ergenekon trial that Mr. Perinçek had incited hatred and violence against Armenians, on the grounds that instead of relevant excerpts, the NGO Coalition should have produced the full 17,000 page judgment!
The dissenting opinion of the seven judges, including that of the President, is highly significant, in asking:
Why should criminal sanctions for denial of the characterization of the massacres of Armenians in Turkey in 1915 as “genocide” constitute a violation of freedom of expression, whereas criminal sanctions for Holocaust denial have been deemed compatible with the Convention?
According to Professor Akhavan, “the divided opinion of the Grand Chamber, and the alarming increase in extremist violence in Turkey, is the clearest indication that the question of racist hate speech against Armenians is far from resolved, and that it will require constant vigilance. What is clearly established by the Judgment however, is unanimity among all seventeen judges, that the Armenians did in fact suffer massacres and mass deportations at the hands of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 onwards, irrespective of its legal characterization one way or another.”
The Zoryan Institute and its subsidiary, the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, is the first non-profit, international center devoted to the research and documentation of contemporary issues with a focus on Genocide, Diaspora and Armenia. For more information please contact the Zoryan Institute by email admin@genocidestudies.org or telephone 416-250-9807.
To mark the foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HE Ambassador Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Abohaimed, recently hosted a reception at the Steigenberger Kurhaus Hotel in Scheveningen.
Saudi Arabia celebrated its 85th National Day (youm al-watani/اليوم الوطني) but what distinguished celebrations this time around is that it fell on the same day as Eid al-adha, one of two Islamic holidays celebrated annually.
This was the first time both occasions coincided according to the astronomical calendar and not according to moon sighting as Saudi Arabia declared the first day of Eid al-adha to be on 24 September. In all cases, many Saudis regarded the two occasions coinciding with one another as a good omen.
H. E. Ambassador Khalid bin Fahad Al Khater Ambassador of the State of Qatar and H. E. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Abohaimed.
H. E. Fernando Arias Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain with H. E. Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Abohaimed.
The country’s National Day is fêted yearly on 23 September commemorating the date in 1932 when King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud (aka Ibn Saud) unified the Arabian lands into the the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since then seven of his sons have succeeded him to the throne, the incumbent one being The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Ambassador Abohaimed’s reception was well-visited by members of the diplomatic corps but likewise by Dutch officials of the Foreign Minister as well as by a plethora of business people with interests in Saudi Arabia. Likewise the Managing Director of Saudi Aramco Overseas Company, Mr Fahad Al Abdulkarem honoured the event with his presence.
All Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors except for Bahrain, which is accredited from London to The Netherlands, were present as were their senior staff members, moreover the Director-General of the OPCW, HE AmbassadorAhmet Üzümcü.
In Brussels, HE Ambassador Abdulrahman bin Sulaiman Alahmed and his deputies Counsellor Abnan Bamagoos (bilateral embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg) and Director Thamer Algosaibi (Saudi delegation to the EU) hosted an event for the kingdom’s National Day on 28 September at the prestigious business club Cercle de Lorraine.
This event was attended by the Qatari Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, HE Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari who was on a visit to Belgium wherein his son-in-law, HE Ambassador Sheikh Ali bin Jassim bin Thani Al Thani serves as head of mission to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg. The latter is married to artist and philantrophist Sheikha Iman Al Kuwari.
The participating institutions were:
Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion (NCH). – West Holland Foreign Investment Agency (WFIA). – Confederation of Netherlands Industries (VNO NCW) – Innovation Quarter – Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) – International Affairs of the City of The Hague and the embassies from India with Ambassador J.S. Mukul, Australia with Ambassador Brett Mason, Sudan with Ambassador Mrs Rahma Salih, Eritrea with Ambassador Negassi Kassa Tekle, Slovakia with Ambassador Roman Buzek, Sri Lanka with Ambassador Adam Sadiq, President of the WTC The Hague, Ambassador Frans Engering, Director of NCH, Dr Jan Siemons. General Manager of the WTC The Hague, Mrs Eveline Steenbergen, Director International Affairs Gemeente Den Haag, Mrs Elisabeth Minnemann and some other diplomats and organisations.
Chairman Frans Engering. towards the end of his exposé, asked individual Ambassadors specific questions e.g. “I have noticed your country will be organizing large-scale [trade] matchmaking events in November. Can you please tell us a bit more about these events”
In conclusion Ambassadors were offered a complimentary WTC The Hague membership card and a voucher which entitles Embassies to make use of WTC conference rooms for half a day, free of charge. The event was a joint effort by WTC and Mr. Andrew van Esch of Dæsch Creative Concepts.
Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga of Rwanda briefly introduced Alice Gahunga-Durand and let the artist explain her works.
Alice was assisted by her daughter, who interpreted from French to English. She explained that the style of art stems from centuries ago and is called imigingo.
Alice uses several techniques in her creations similar to her endeavours to advocate interculturalism, the blending of cultures. By blending materials, Alice tries to modernize traditional African art.
Environmentally conscious as she is, Alice is an advocate of recycling. She creates her abstract paintings and objects by using recycled materials, such as African acrylic fabric scraps, paper towel, cardboard, plastic, metal, wood, or any other recyclable material. To Alice, beauty is hidden in everything; beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Ambassador Jean Pierre Karabaranga of Rwanda briefly introduced Alice Gahunga-Durand and let the artist explain her works.
Alice was assisted by her daughter, who interpreted from French to English. She explained that the style of art stems from centuries ago and is called imigingo.
Alice uses several techniques in her creations similar to her endeavours to advocate interculturalism, the blending of cultures. By blending materials, Alice tries to modernize traditional African art.
Environmentally conscious as she is, Alice is an advocate of recycling. She creates her abstract paintings and objects by using recycled materials, such as African acrylic fabric scraps, paper towel, cardboard, plastic, metal, wood, or any other recyclable material. To Alice, beauty is hidden in everything; beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
