Earth, Refugees , Modern Slavery

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Earth, Refugees , Modern Slavery

By HE  Mgr.+ Aldo Cavalli, Apostolic Nuncio.

The international community always has some questions to face and to solve. Sometimes we find ways to reach solutions; sometimes that it is not immediately possible: in that case many people have to suffer.

I want to point out three problems that are particularly keeping us busy these days, problems we are discussing in order to find some solution: the question of earth, the question of refugees , the question of modern slavery.

All of us are in any way concerned about these problems, and sometimes we propose solutions we thought about, but it seems difficult to find even the correct beginning of the way to a true solution.

Also Pope Francis thought about those problems to reach the true solution, in dialogue with the people and the institutions that are concerned about those questions. Is it possible not to think about the ecological problems, about the task of caring for the Earth, our common home? Not to think about what we experience, what we see, what we touch: the destruction of the biological diversity, the change of the climate, the contamination of the earth’s waters, of its land and its air? Perhaps the first thing we have to do is to improve our personal attitude towards the Earth. It seems to me that Francis of Assisi is an authentic leader to teach us how to appreciate the Earth, how to reach the correct attitude in front of nature that surrounds us and gives us the possibility to live well: “Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom you give us light
Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather through whom you give sustenance to your creatures
Praised be you, my Lord, through sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste…Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Fire
”. (Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, nr. 87) This is the true attitude to experience the Earth: all elements of the Earth are our brother and sister
all is our family. If we experience that Earth is like a mother that nourishes all her sons, we learn to respect our country and the countries of others. Then we understand that everyone can live well on this Earth, and nobody should feel compelled to leave his country to take refuge in another country, because of a deficiency in the primary necessities of life. If we experience that the Earth is for all, then we understand that all of us have the right to live free wherever we live, and none has the right to treat a person as a slave. “Human beings too are creatures of this world, enjoying a right to life and happiness, and endowed with a unique dignity.” (Laudato Si’, nr. 43) To seek in ourselves the interactions with natural system and social systems makes us leaders of good in this world.

What can be learned from the current refugee crisis in Europe?

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What can be learned from the current refugee crisis in Europe?
By Marc Petermann, BA: International Relations. Images of refugees seeking shelter in European nations has in recent weeks seared into our minds and has produced vastly different policies/perceptions within the population as well as different responses of governments from several European nations. In some countries refugees from all parts of the world (Syria, Afghanistan as most prominent example) were warmly welcomed, as at Munich main railway station teddy bears were given to Syrian children, whereas, Hungary locks its borders and uses tear gas against refugees. The different responses within Europe to the crisis couldn’t have been starker. What does this symbolise and what can we learn from these unprecedented contrasts? Arguably many aspects can be learned from the current crisis, however, one aspect is increasingly that the European Union is currently not as united and proactive as itself envisages and is expected to be. The European Union was able to withstand many challenges and crisis throughout its era, be it the European Debt crisis for instance, in which despite the different attitudes among the member states, a consensus could arguably be quickly achieved. This time, however, consensus among the member states is far-off. A quota of distributing refugees into the respective European member states is rejected by many countries as well as the mere idea of some nations refusing to accommodate any refugees at all. A divided Europe, resembling the old times of the Iron Curtain, appears to be closer to Europe. Eurosceptic Parties such as the ‘Alternative for Germany’ or the Hungarian nationalist party ‘Jobbik’ party are increasingly gaining popularity amongst others because of the refugee crisis, and parties such as the ‘Danish People’s Party’ have even emerged as second most popular in this year’s election in June. Therefore, it becomes clear that nations, such as Germany or Denmark that are in general terms willing to accommodate asylum seekers, experience a growing degree of xenophobia and euro scepticism that cannot be denied. Therefore, this problem of xenophobia and euroscpeticism is not merely confined to Eastern European nations, as it has been often portrayed in recent weeks within the media. Therefore, in the light of an issue that affects all European nations, how could be best responded to the current crisis? Many refugees (Syrian refugees as one example) were escaping the atrocities of rape or death that the ‘Islamic State’ currently commits in Syria, however, the burning of hostels for asylum seekers in parts of Germany, as well as demonstrations against the accommodation of asylum seekers in Warsaw emphasises that in some regions/ countries the fear of death and lacking sense of support (police-wise, society-wise) is as present as it is in the countries many refugees were originally fleeing from. The UN Charter Article 73, clearly states that members of the UN need to protect people suffering against abuses, but does it really make sense to accommodate refugees in countries which cannot guarantee this clause in the UN charter? Therefore, as outlined in this short article xenophobia and the refusal of welcoming refugees is not confined to some European nations. In fact, it is a characteristic that encompasses all European nations, thus, bluntly speaking with regards to this aspect, the continent is united. Therefore, the main question needs to be centred upon how this growing xenophobia and refusal of welcoming refugees needs to be encountered? There are countless lessons that can be learned from the current refugee crisis, however, in order to maintain focus on this article, I will not list all reasons. Yet, one lesson that needs to be learned is that in the light of this growing number of refugees seeking asylum in Europe, xenophobia and increasing racism is a widespread European problem and, therefore, needs to be resolved European wide.    

Third Culture Kids

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Third Culture Kids
In an increasingly global world, family’s frequently travel and live in multiple locations, learning the language and culture of each of the countries as they move. At American School of The Hague (ASH), approximately a third of the student and parent population rotate out every school year due to new job postings. Parents, staff and students work closely together to lessen the effects of cross-cultural relocation for everyone in the community, creating a safe and secure environment for these important transitions.   Transitioning to new culture, jobs, countries and schools can impact the entire family and often leads children to questioning their true nationality; is it where they live, where they came from or where they are headed to? “Home” for what is now termed a Third Culture Kid, is a hard place to find. American School 2 A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is defined as “someone who, as a child, has spent a significant period of time in one or more cultures other than his or her own, thus integrating elements of those cultures and their own birth culture, into a third culture”. At ASH, a family can stay for as little as three to five years – making for a very quick transition into both the ASH Community and local Dutch culture. American School 3To help eliminate uncertainty and disorientation that can be felt when transitioning, as well as dealing with the emotions experienced through the loss of loved ones left behind, the long-standing approach to supporting families and staff through their transitions, is the essence and backbone of A Safe Harbour, the well-renowned transitions program at ASH. A Safe Harbour is a concept or a philosophy more than an organization – a collaborative effort of staff, student and parent welcomers who work hand in hand to help each member of the schools’ community with all aspects of arriving, orientating, integrating and departing to meet its mission “to help students, parents, and staff cope with the challenges, and maximize the opportunities, inherent in the experience of international relocation and cross-cultural mobility”. In addition to A Safe Harbour, special events held throughout the year continue to help embrace the cultures, like International Day, which encompasses the entire student body, celebrating their cultural backgrounds. With more than 77 nationalities learning and working together at the School, helping ASH community members be a part of the global community and finding a balance with growing up multi-culturally, is just part of daily life at ASH. This past school year, interactive workshops were held which focused on Families in Transition – Raising Global Nomads Whilst Balancing a Sense of Sanity & Self-Development on the Move, and X-Cultural Lunch Bunch – Foraging for New Foods & Networking for New Ideas, which are just a few of the opportunities for new parents to expand their social network within the school and feel more at home in The Netherlands. It is the joint efforts of our parents; staff and students that make the ASH community flourish, creating the ongoing support for our families transitioning with their continued stay.   ———————————————————————————————–  

Book Launch at the Embassy of Lithuania

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Book Launch at the Embassy of Lithuania
L’ART de la Table, Taste of the Mediterranean. By Roy Lie A Tjam. H.E. the Ambassador of Lithuania Mr. Darius SemaĆĄka, the Embassy of Lithuania in The Hague, author Gintare Marcel, and publisher Aerial Media Company together hosted on September 25 the launching of the book L’Art de La Table, Taste of the Mediterranean. The ambiance of a beautiful classical room in the Lithuanian Embassy served as the venue for the introduction of the book, with a select international party in attendance. _MG_3249 Gintare Marcel, author, photographer, and “brave Lithuanian” in the words of the Ambassador, took the audience through the most beautiful regions in the Mediterranean. She recounted the creation of her book and how she, being born and raised in Lithuania, fell in love with the Mediterranean and its culinary delights. Guests were also treated to some exquisite recipes. _MG_3239 (1) L’art de la Table is the art of a relaxed, slow lifestyle, engaged with fine foods. It is perhaps the most romantic Mediterranean cookbook ever published. It started with an admiration for the Mediterranean region, its customs, its fragrance, and the vibrant colours with which all visitors are so familiar. The French way of life, an aperitif culture, and long dinners on warm summer evenings by the sea are particular sources of inspiration for self-made photographer and culinary author Gintare Marcel. L’Art de la Table takes the reader through the Mediterranean experience with both familiar and little-known for recipes for any occasion. Pastas, soups, main courses, and snacks; more than 100 diverse international dishes are presented, accompanied by elegant and colourful photographs. Be it the women in the market, the cafĂ© on the corner, or family dinners in the garden, the photographs capture beautifully the Mediterranean experience. The author and photographer Gintare Marcel was raised with a love for honest and wholesome food. What started at the family table developed into a passion for fine cuisine, and is well reflected in both the recipes and photos of the book.        
       

ICC extends examination in Ukraine

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ICC extends examination in Ukraine

ICC Prosecutor extends preliminary examination of the situation in Ukraine following second article 12(3) declaration.

  On 8 September 2015, the Government of Ukraine lodged a second declaration pursuant to article 12(3) of the Rome Statute – the  founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”) – accepting the exercise of jurisdiction by the Court over alleged crimes committed “in the territory of Ukraine since 20 February 2014”, with no end date. The first declaration lodged by the Government of Ukraine on 17 April 2014 related to alleged crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine during the period from 21 November 2013 to 22 February 2014. Upon receipt of a referral or a valid declaration made pursuant to article 12(3) of the Statute, the Prosecutor, in accordance with Regulation 25(1)(c) of the Regulations of the Office of the Prosecutor, and as a matter of policy and practice, opens a preliminary examination of the situation at hand. On 25 April 2014, the Prosecutor opened a preliminary examination of the situation in Ukraine, with an initial focus on the so-called “Maidan” events. Following the second declaration lodged on 8 September by the Government of Ukraine, and bearing its legal effect in mind as well as the inter-connected nature of the events in Ukraine, the Prosecutor has, accordingly, determined to extend the temporal scope of the existing preliminary examination to include any alleged crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine from 20 February 2014 onwards. The decision to extend the temporal scope of the existing preliminary examination does not prejudice the ability of the Prosecutor to make separate determinations on specific conduct or incidents within the relevant period, as appropriate. The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Office of the Prosecutor has opened investigations in nine situations: Uganda; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur (Sudan); Central African Republic (on two occasions); Kenya; Libya; CĂŽte d’Ivoire and Mali. The Office is also conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Guinea, Honduras, Iraq, Nigeria, Palestine and Ukraine.

Residentie Orkest Business Circle September 2015

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Residentie Orkest Business Circle September 2015
By Roy Lie A Tjam. It was a memorable evening, with elegant performances by harpist Jaike Bakker and flutist Dorine Schade, both members of the Residentie Orkest.  The venue for the Residentie Orkest Business Circle rotates regularly, and on this occasion, the premises of the Rabobank Regio Den Haag, Korte Vijverberg, were chosen. Artistic director Roland Kieft welcomed Business Circle members to the event and offered an exclusive preview of the content of the new concert season. Actor Aus Greidanus then took the stage to present a resume of his part in the Symphonic Friday, in which he plays composer Alexander Zemlinsky who lost his beloved Alma to Mahler. The first Symphonic Friday features love songs of Alma (herself a composer) by Karin Strobos, and is followed by the first symphony from Gustav Mahler. Mr Kieft and managing director Sandra Bruinsma together delivered a presentation to the assembled guests. Jaap Wielaart, Chairman of Rabobank Den Haag, then shared with the audience his reflections on the “Speech from the Throne”. He stressed the importance of a strong culture presence in the city of The Hague, observing that this is a key reason for Rabobank’s partnership with the Residentie Orkest. The Residentie Orkest itself is enjoying great success. Subscriptions for upcoming concerts have increased by 10%, and October’s annual Gala has already sold out. RO publicity is increasingly visible throughout The Hague, with entire trams now bearing its name. In order to attract new audiences, the organisation intends to begin holding short public lectures, with actors telling a story or enacting classical concert performances.           

New Suez Canal 2015

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New Suez Canal 2015
World leaders at the opening of the New Suez Canal – Picture by Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan.
The New Suez Canal (Ù‚Ù†Ű§Ű© Ű§Ù„ŰłÙˆÙŠŰł Ű§Ù„ŰŹŰŻÙŠŰŻŰ©â€Ž), or rather the expansion of the old canal, was ceremoniously opened on 6 August 2015 by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. 
 
The enlarged capacity allows for ships to sail in both directions at the same time over much of the canal’s length. Beforehand, much of the canal was only one shipping lane wide, with limited wider basins for passing. This is expected to decrease waiting time from 11 hours to 3 hours for most ships and to increase the capacity of the Suez Canal from 49 to 97 ships a day. The construction of the new canal was initially scheduled to take five years. It was then reduced to three years, and finally ordered by President El Sisi to be completed in only one year.
42 companies were selected to work on the canal “under the supervision of the Egyptian armed forces”. Amongst them, Royal Boskalis Westminster and Van Oord, both based in The Netherlands; Jan de Nul Group (from Belgium and Luxembourg) and Deme Group from Belgium. The companies would work in five zones while engineers from the Egyptian Army work exclusively in a sixth zone.
Family Picture at the opening of the New Suez Canal.
Family Picture at the opening of the New Suez Canal.
The list of international figures attending the ceremony of the new Suez Canal project, which the Egyptian government described as a national project that shall boost the country’s economy, included Arab leaders, especially hailing from the Gulf as well as African presidents and prime ministers, along with some European delegations.
 
French President François Hollande was the most conspicuous delegate, and was duly designated as “Guest of Honor”. Other heads of state at hand were HM King Hamad II of Bahrain, HM King Abdullah II of Jordan, HH The Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah IV bin Ahmed Al-Jabr Al-Ali Al Sabah, Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir or Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. 
The United Arab Emirates, whose National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) was the lead company dredging and drilling the new Suez Canal, dispatched HH The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Defence Minister, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as Dubai’s Amir, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
suezcanal2
Saudi Deputy Crown Prince, Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud attended the ceremony. Prince Mohammed bin Salman was paying his second visit to Egypt in less than a week, following the signing of the “Cairo Declaration” between the two countries, an agreement which outlines six facets of cooperation between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev represented Russia. During a state visit to Russia in 2014, President El Sisi said that he had agreed with his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin to establish a Russian industrial zone as part of the project.
 
UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon represented Prime Minister David Cameron.at the ceremony along with Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to Egypt, John Casson. Likewise Italy dispatched Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti in the wake of rising mutual cooperation between the two countries on the Libyan crisis and on combating illegal immigration.  

Philipp Hammond in Brussels

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Philipp Hammond in Brussels
On the picture Philip Hammond and Federica Mogherini. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was in Brussels 22 and 23 September to meet representatives of the European Commission, members of the European Parliament and business leaders as part of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government’s renegotiation of the United Kingdom’s ties with the EU. During this jaunt Hammond likewise met Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders as part of his agenda fostering reforms within the EU.
Bilateral Ambassador Alison Rose, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, Permanent Representative Ivan Rogers - Picture by amchameu.eu
Bilateral Ambassador Alison Rose, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, Permanent Representative Ivan Rogers – Picture by amchameu.eu
In the framework of his visit, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, HE Ambassador Shan Morgan organised a round-table titled “UK Competitiveness” on Wednesday, 23 September, with numerous business people in Brussels. The event was also attended by Britain’s bilateral ambassador to Belgium, HE Alison Rose, and the Managing Director of AmCham EU, Susan Danger.   For more information: The Rt Hon Philip Hammond: https://www.gov.uk/government/people/philip-Hammond US American Chamber of Commerce to the EU: www.amchameu.eu/                    

President Paul Kagame in the Netherlands tomorrow

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President Paul Kagame in the Netherlands tomorrow
On Saturday, October 3rd will Rwandans from all over Europe and from different corners of the world gather in the Netherlands to celebrate Rwanda Day. This day is an opportunity to discuss together on progress in Rwanda, but also to come up with solutions to the challenges in the small African country. President Paul Kagame will be the guest of honor and he will take after his speech at an interactive session with the guests. IMG_2811 Commenting on this special event said HE Jean Pierre Karabaranga, ambassador of Rwanda in the Netherlands: “The meeting serves as a way to connect to each other again, with the history that we have, but we can learn from today’s Rwanda and how everyone can play a role in the future Rwanda Now Rwandans from near and far gathered. will arrive in the Netherlands, we work together progress; but the most important is that we remain committed and preferably redouble our efforts to build up a prosperous country. “ The success of Rwanda depends on all Rwandans who live at home and abroad. By cooperating with each other, but also by working with friends from Rwanda set objectives can be achieved. By celebrating Day of Rwanda, the Rwandan community gets abroad the opportunity to understand its role and determine with regard to the future of the country. Earlier editions of Rwanda Day was held in Dallas, Atlanta, Toronto, London, Boston, Paris, Chicago and Brussels, where thousands of Rwandans spectators. In the Netherlands, will present Rwandan banks and real estate companies to Rwandans living abroad and to inform them about financial services, including chargebacks and the ability to invest in the real estate market. There will also be a selection of Rwandan companies are present to showcase their products. Young professionals and entrepreneurs from both Rwanda and from abroad will be the development and the business environment of the country to discuss. Prior to the Rwanda Day on October 3 was launched today by the Rwanda Development Board in collaboration with the Embassy of Rwanda in The Hague and the Netherlands African Business Council (NABC), a highly successful Business Matchmaking Event held in Amsterdam which has been visited by more than 300 companies from Rwanda and the Netherlands. For more information about Rwanda Day visit: www.rwandaday.org. Follow twittered on the conversations withRwanda and #RwandaDay.

European Commission action plan for business and investment financing

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European Commission action plan for business and investment financing
The European Commission has launched the Capital Markets Union (CMU) Action Plan for a true single market to help build capital within the 28 EU Member States. One of the urgent actions published in the plan includes the re-introduction of sound security markets. The action plan was designed to remove obstacles for cross-border investments in the EU and access to finance. The current climate is difficult for companies that have bank financing and low dependency on capital markets. If the deep venture capital markets of the US were available to the EU between 2009 and 2014, there would have been an excess of EUR 90 billion funding for EU companies. Alternative sources of funding widely available in other parts of the world were listed for companies struggling to find resources, especially SMEs and start-ups. These include capital markets, venture capital, crowd-funding and asset management industry. It is integral to have diverse sources of funding for investment and developing businesses to maintain financial stability. In the event of security problems in the banking sector, the benefits to businesses and access to finance may be mitigated. For this reason the CMU represents an important step towards the completion of the European Economic and Monetary Union.    
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