Responsible journalism

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By Peter Knoope, Associate Fellow ICCT – The Hague.   It so happened that I addressed a meeting on violent extremism in Cape Town, South Africa. One of the other speakers, a journalist, discussed the role of media in terrorism and counter terrorism. It is not my favourite topic. In fact it is a pretty rough and always a tough topic. Simply because counter terrorism is not a duty or the role of the media. The media have a very clear, yet different, assignment and should never be instrumentalised by law enforcement or government, let alone by counter terrorism professionals. The media are there to discover and uncover. It is their role to do research and report on their findings. Following their own agenda. Nobody else’s. Still some interesting points were made. Interesting enough to make me think twice. One of them is the speed of media these days. `Breaking news´ is the thing of today. You´ll see it floating at the bottom of your TV screen. It is in headlines only. Bumper-sticker-like text messages. The more concise, the better. The faster the better. There seems ever less time or space to analyse, let alone to give profound background to the one liners of the day. The news is brought to us in sound bites. This stems from the competition between media outlets to be the first. It is a competitive environment, the media, where speed has become as important as thorough knowledge. This new and growing trend seems contradictory, or at least at odds, with the assignment of media to discover, analyse, educate, unveil and inform. There is a real risk that fast news and sensational events take the upper hand and that depth of analytical coverage of the news loses out. So during the discussion the term `responsible journalism` was introduced as a concept. Because when you think about it, Journalists do have responsibilities. They are our eyes and ears. When they uncover and expose and place events into context we expect them to be informed and balanced and open minded. So far so good. Then some-one in the audience raised his hand and claimed that western journalists and media are biased and are all anti-Muslim. They, the media in the West, connect a religion to violence and killing. They go along in the frame offered to journalists on a platter by the ISIS, AQ, Boko Haram and other violent organisations. There is no responsible journalism in the West and the blame for Charlie Hebdo, and similar incidents, is put on Muslims and their religion. Whenever other (read non-Muslim) perpetrators are responsible for killings or incidents, the religious background is never mentioned. It only happens when the suspect is a Muslim. All this according to the person that asked the question. In my answer I came to the defence of the press. Because I know from my own experience that most European journalists are trying to be balanced and well informed. I know that many journalists prefer and are trying hard to stay away from the competition, the race to be first, and try to be as balanced as humanly possible. Even now, a couple of days later, I still think that such is generally the case. But the inverse does happen. Media can sometimes be forced to work at a very high speed when judging or quoting without allowing enough time for proper analyses. Let us face it. Judgements are sometimes made in split seconds, quotes are published without a proper check on their relevance or their impact, language is used that may incite or create the wrong picture. And the risk of that happening is increasing when time is limited. When speed is more important than analytical depth and when the race is about `who is first´ and not ´who is most precise, informative and analytical´. And if the effect of the media race and the need for speed, the competition and modern journalism, if the effect thereof is that people on the other side of the planet get the impression that Western media are anti-Muslim than we have a real challenge. In that case something needs to be fixed. For the very reason that we must prevent to fall into the trap of going along in the frame of ISIS, AQ and Boko Haram, that this is about `us` against `them`. Too much damage has been done to social relationships in many countries by identity politics and `us` versus `them` thinking and talking. Language matters. We all must be precise and responsible when we choose our words. And especially journalists. They are our eyes and ears. We depend on them to be properly informed. By the end of the day we all agreed on this one thing. Which seems to be that the media should want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. I guess that is what responsible journalism is all about. Peter Knoope, Associate fellow ICCT – The Hague.        

An International Classroom

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By Richard T. Griffiths, Leiden University.   As you read this column, about eight thousand people from almost every country in the World will have watched at least one of my lectures in a course entitled “Configuring the World: A Political Economy Approach”. It runs until the end of March, so there is still time to take a look, but it will run again in its entirety next September. The course is hosted on a platform called Coursera to which 120 universities are affiliated, including Leiden. Over twelve million students have already followed one of the courses. There is no charge. Welcome to the World of MOOCs – Massive Open Online Courses. There is a great on-going debate about MOOCs. One end of the spectrum predicts the end of traditional universities. Why pay for a second rate education when you can get one free from some of the top universities in the World? At the other extreme there are those who dismiss MOOCs as all hype and no substance. How can one boast about replacing universities, when only about ten per cent of those registered ever complete a course? My own position is that traditional universities are safe. They are no more likely to disappear now than they were when the printing press was invented. Why go to classes, when you can read the book? The answer is also the same now as it was then – good teachers can help, explain, explore and inspire. Even so, MOOC lectures can enhance the learning experience. Some advantages are built into the MOOC itself. The MOOC videos are usually short, bite-sized expositions of a topic, which can be watched where, when, and as often as they desired. They are accompanied by English language subtitles and, in my own case, by subtitles in another eight languages. This bonus is entirely the result of those who followed the first run of the course and who volunteered to translate the transcripts, which speaks volumes for their identification with and commitment to this particular MOOC and to MOOCs in general. Within each MOOC there is a built-in forum where participants from many different backgrounds and with different experiences can explore issues. We have also used visualizations to breakdown and reconstruct maps of World data, something that is difficult to convey in a lecture and impossible to do in a book. MOOCs can also enhance classroom teaching. Videos can be used to frame class discussions. They can also link classes in different parts of the World together. For example, last year we had a Skype session with university students in Kenya. Finally, they can give students thinking of following a course at university a taste of what they can expect, to help them make the correct choices for themselves and prepare for an exciting future where university class-rooms coexist in cyberspace .

The future of think tanks

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By Barend ter Haar. On January 22 2015, the University of Pennsylvania published its annual ranking of think tanks: the Global Go-To Think Tanks Report. Many readers might have gone directly to the lists, to see how their think tank is ranked among the 6681 think tanks in the world. But if they did so, they missed the much more thought-provoking first part of the report. The good news is that think tanks are becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The best think tanks are still to be found in the United States and Europe, but the quality of think tanks in other parts of the world is growing steadily. In more and more countries the need of independent thinking is recognized. This development is of course closely connected with the demise of autocratic governments that pretend to have a monopoly on the truth. The worrisome message of the report is that as funding becomes scarcer, think tanks are increasingly tempted to take the views of their funders into account. As a result it is now difficult “to tell the difference between truly objective advice on the one hand, and high-priced advocacy for political or private profit on the other”. As “many politicians choose to focus on short-term issues and crises rather than addressing the large looming crises that are just ahead”, think tanks “are increasingly viewed as part of the problem in not forcing policymakers to address these issues”. The report also warns against the tendency of specialisation. When all think tanks are looking for their own niche, who is keeping the overview? Everybody seems to agree that health, development, environment and education are linked, but who is trying to put these links into perspective? Apart from Clingendael, that moved from the 15th to the 11th place on the list of the best of the west-European think tanks, eleven other Dutch think tanks are mentioned in the report. Two of them are newcomers: – The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (no 79 on the list of Top Defense and National Security Think Tanks) – The Hague Institute for Global Justice (for its report on The Hague Approach: six guiding principles for achieving sustainable peace in post-conflict situations). The following list of the other nine Dutch think tanks that are included in the report illustrates the problem raised in the report: their fields of enquiry clearly overlap, but do they even read each other’s reports? – Centraal Plan Bureau (CPB) – Socires (Education Policy) – Stichting Natuur en Milieu – Philips Center for Health and Well-Being – Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation – European Center for Development Policy Management – Wiardi Beckman Foundation – Max van der Stoel Foundation/Evert Vermeer Foundation – European Research Center on Migration and Ethnic Relations A final sobering thought is that the influence of think tanks should not be overstated. The World Bank recently revealed that nearly one third of its reports had never been downloaded, not even once.

Elections in March

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By Jhr. mr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Justice (Judge) in the Court of Appeal and Special Advisor International Affairs of the City of The Hague.   In March there will be two elections in The Netherlands on the 18th. Not for  the national parliament, not for the local municipal council, but for two other democratic institutions. I will explain briefly. Although The Netherlands is a small country, we do have between the national State and the local cities and towns twelve ‘provinces’. In the past they were much more powerful and important than nowadays. Untill the French occupied us in 1795, this country hardly existed as a national state: the provinces were more or less independant in many fields. Some provinces were powerful, others were not. In the 17th century the most powerful province was Holland. That’s why many people in the world ever since confuse ‘The Netherlands’ with ‘Holland’: a lot of people think that they are the same. The elections of March 18th are about the governments of each of the twelve provinces. But something else is much more important. The members of the province’s parlement who will be elected on March 18th, will elect in May the members of the (national) Senate, the ‘Eerste Kamer’ (First Chamber). And that is of huge importance for the national politics. The parties of the coalition -now the liberal VVD and the social democratic PvdA- do have a majority in the ‘Tweede Kamer’ (Second Chamber) but not in the Senate and most people expect that after May they will have even a smaller minority in the Senate than they have now. If that happens, it will be for those two parties even more difficult to govern than it is now. And on the same day we will have other elections as well. As you probably will know The Netherlands is mostly situated under sea level. In this country there has always been a struggle against water . We have special institutions for that: the ‘Hoogheemraadschappen’, the ‘Waterschappen’ etc. and even those are controlled by democratic elected counsils. One can wonder what the difference is between a socialist dike, a liberal dike and a christian democratic dike, but nevertheless we can elect representatives of our own favorite political party in those democratic bodies about water.   a.beelaerts@planet.nl        

Tulips, cheese and ….. insurance

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By Khaossou Diallo.   Working as a diplomat in a foreign country can be very exciting. Besides to new adventures such as meeting new people and learning about another culture, there are several financial matters to take care of. One of them is your insurance package. Perhaps not always exciting, but often wise to arrange well in order to work and live carefree. Insurance you need to consider in the Netherlands:   Health Care Insurance According to the Dutch Health Insurance Act (Nederlandse Zorgverzekeringwet) all residents in the Netherlands, and everyone working and paying for social security in the Netherlands are required to be insured for healthcare. Exceptions are made for diplomats or employees who work for international organizations (‘volkenrechtelijke organisaties’, e.g. NATO, EUROPOL). In that case you are not entitled to the Dutch Basic Health system and it is important to find out whether your employer covers (all) the necessary costs for healthcare. If not, you can apply for a private insurance from an insurer in the Netherlands. Tip: An insurance broker will compare several offers and advise you which one fits your personal situation best.   Car Insurance You can take out insurance for business vehicles as well as for personal vehicles. In the Netherlands you are obliged to insure ‘Legal Liability’ for motor vehicles. This insurance provides coverage for damage to third parties caused with your motor vehicle. In addition, you can choose to insure damage to your own motor vehicle(s) (caused by fire, theft or even broader) with a ‘Limited or Fully comprehensive insurance’. Besides that, you can also insure your passengers for financial consequences of injury or damage to their belongings. Tip: An insurance broker gives advice about the insurance you should take out for both your business and personal vehicles and will arrange this for you. Tip: Not all insurers insure vehicles with a CD (Corps Diplomatique) license plate! Most insurance brokers (e.g. Kröller) are equipped to insure vehicles with CD and CDJ license plates.   Other insurance Besides for its tulips and cheese, The Netherlands are well known from the many insurance possibilities. The Dutch in general are risk avoiding people. You can literally insure everything. The main question to bear in mind is: Am I able to bear the costs resulting from an unfortunate event such as an accident or fire? For example: Can I pay for a new house if it burns down (Building insurance)? Can I buy a new car in case of theft (Car insurance)? Or can I pay for the damage that my kids caused to my neighbor’s TV (Liability insurance)? Tip: Virtually everything can be insured! It is wise to inform yourself properly in order to save costs while having peace of mind.   Mortgages When buying a house in the Netherlands there are a lot of things to be arranged. From financing the house, to notary and requesting a valuation report. A mortgage advisor can help you with all these issues. More information > Mortgage: The Kröller Ten-Stepplan, please click here for additional info kroller.brochure For quick download please click here:  https://kroller.nl/~/media/files/kroller/hypotheken/10stappenplan-hypotheek.pdf?la=en   Concluding tip: Contact an insurance broker who is well acquainted with staff of international organizations. He/she knows the exceptions that apply to your specific situation.   More information: Köller Assurantiën B.V. at The Hague. Contact person: Mr. Khaossou Diallo (Account Director International, speaking French, English and Dutch) Phone number: 070 302 89 06 or 06 12 06 42 60. E-mail: k.diallo@kroller.nl Website: https://kroller.nl/en/international

Fixed-term contracts

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The tightening of the regulation regarding successive fixed-term contracts.   By Jan Dop. Jan Dop, LL.M. is a partner and Head of the Embassy Desk at Russell Advocaten (embassydesk@russell.nl). More information about the expertise at Russell Advocaten for Embassies, Consulates and Diplomats can be found on our website: www.russell.nl.   There has been and will be major changes to employment law in the Netherlands in 2015. These changes include strengthening of the legal position of flex workers, reforming dismissal law, and amending the Unemployment Insurance Act. Some of the changes will have serious consequences for the locally hired personnel of Embassies, Consulates and Diplomats. We will discuss these amendments in a series of articles in Diplomat Magazine. The first of these articles dealt with a number of changes to fixed-term employment contracts which became effective on 1 January 2015. This article deals with the tightening of the regulation regarding successive fixed-term contracts (ketenregeling) as of 1 July 2015. Employment contracts for an indefinite period will arise at an earlier stage The ketenregeling for employees with fixed-term employment contracts will be tightened so that employees will be entitled to an employment contract for an indefinite period at an earlier stage. In case of fixed-term employment contracts concluded in succession within a period of six months (currently: three), the fourth contract or a period of two years (currently: three) will by operation of law bring about an indefinite employment contract. Transitory law The old ketenregeling will remain applicable to fixed-term employment contracts concluded before 1 July 2015 that pass the term of two years after 1 July 2015. In the event a fixed-term employment contract will be concluded on or after 1 July 2015, the new ketenregeling will apply. In that case, the ketenregeling will not apply if the period between the employment agreement concluded on or after 1 July 2015 and the previous employment contract has been longer than six months. Intervals of more than three months between employment contracts concluded before 1 July 2015 will remain valid as an interruption of the regulation regarding successive fixed-term employment contracts. Our next contribution to Diplomat Magazine will deal with the new mandatory routes for dismissal: subdistrict court and UWV. Lunch meeting Russell Advocaten will host a lunch meeting titled “New Dutch Employment Law and your company” on these and other new employment law issues on 16 March 2015. This meeting can be useful for representatives of companies of your home country.  

Bosnia and Herzegovina: new unexplored destination

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By H. E.  Ahmet Halilovic, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina is the heart shaped land that lies in the centre of southeast Europe. It is here that eastern and western civilizations met, sometimes clashed, but more often enriched and reinforced each other throughout its long and fascinating history. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a melting pot of many different cultures, a bridge between what we call today East and West. At the intersection of two great empires – the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottomans – Bosnia and Herzegovina has huge historic appeal. The traveller’s experience is like nowhere else; from Roman times to the reign of the Bosnian Kings; from the Ottoman Period, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Yugoslavian era. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also a paradise for nature lovers. Soaring mountains, untouched forests, real “natural“ nature, wild rivers invite you to come for rafting and canoeing or for long walks. The Olympic skitracks offer the opportunity of enjoying the snow for affordable prices. With its natural beauties, good geographical location, wonderful hospitality of Bosnian people, rich heritage and history, gastronomy offerings, and its status as a still unknown tourism destination for major markets, B&H has all pre-determinants for an extremely successful story of tourism industry. According to the World Tourism Organization, Bosnia and Herzegovina is defined as one of only three tourism destinations in the world with overall tourism market growth potential in excess of 10% annually through 2020. Also, Bosnia has been awarded the leisure destination in the outside world by the National Geographic. The Rough Guides have chosen Sarajevo as their second best city to visit in 2014. Following their motto ‘Make the most of your time on earth’ their experts on 200 worldwide travel destinations put Sarajevo on a second place in their Top 10 Cities list after Rio de Janeiro, in the year Brazil hosted the World Cup, and Sarajevo was described as ‘a mini-Istanbul’. This beautiful country has so much to offer for those people who seeks different experiences, away from the crowds, either they are lovers of skiing, rafting, hunting or patient bird-watching. Perhaps the greatest asset is the wonderful hospitality of Bosnian people, along with the traditional Bosnian coffee and cakes, the irresistible “ćevapi” (grilled minced-meat fingers), wines, our lively urban promenadesand small cosy places. And as the old cliche goes ‘people make the place’ – and Bosnia and Herzegovina prides itself on its hospitality and treating our guests as if they are family members. World Economic Forum has published the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report for 2013 and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Attitude of population toward foreign visitors Competitiveness Index for 2013 is 6.6, which gives the country a rank of 8 out of 140 countries with comparable data. Also, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Quality of the natural environment Competitiveness Index for 2013 is 5.5, which gives the country a rank of 20 out of 140 countries. The B&H tourism industry has recorded positive trends in all major growth indicators over the past ten years, with still considerable room for further utilization of its unquestionable potential. Moorisch proverb says that He who does not travel does not know the value of men, we would add does not know the value of places too. So to make long story short, visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, enjoy life in Bosnia and Herzegowina, explore Bosnia and Herzegovina, take a rest and refresh yourself in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You are more than welcome and we promise you will not regret it. It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end. ” Ernest Hemingway Land of incredible beauty “… you’ll be amazed to find that B&H is one of the most culturally and naturally diverse lands in all of Europe…”  Green Visions “Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of Europe’s most visually stunning corners.”   Rough Guide “This country has something that is hard to find and impossible to mimic – it offers tourists and travellers a time warped experience where you will feel as though you have stepped back in time (in a good way).”  World of Wander Lust “But it’s just as rewarding to walk streets of churches, synagogues and mosques, browse oriental-style shops, and see the bridge where Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. ”    The Guardian “But today visitors will more likely remember Bosnia and Hercegovina for its deep, unassuming human warmth and for the intriguing East-meets-West atmosphere born of fascinatingly blended Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian histories. ”    Lonely Planet  

Bulgaria and the Netherlands

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By H.E. Mr. Nikola Ivanov Kolev, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria.   The diplomatic relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have been established in 1909. The Second World War interrupted the diplomatic relations between the two countries, but after the war they were re-established. The division of Europe by the Iron Curtain in which the Bulgarian nation and state had no sovereign rights of choice, influenced the bonds between the two countries, but the end of the Cold War and the Revolutions of 1989 gave Bulgaria the opportunity to come back to the family of the democratic European countries to which it culturally and geographically belongs. Today Bulgaria is a member of the European Union and NATO and it shares with the Netherlands common democratic values and principles of the market economy. We observe a stable development of the bilateral relations, both in political and in economic terms. There has been reached a high level of cooperation and coordination between the institutions of the two countries not only within the EU and NATO, but also in the other international organizations. We meet together the common challenges of security and sustainable development. Bulgaria is a country located in southeastern Europe, in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. It was established in the VIIth century by the Bulgarian people on a territory inhabited by Thracian and Slavic tribes. In 681 it was recognized by Byzantium as a sovereign state and despite the reversal of fortune and history, despite all the rises and national failures, it has been existing with its own script, religion and language for more than 13 centuries. Bulgaria is one of the few countries that has preserved its name since its establishment in 681 until now. On a territory of 111 000 km2 with a population of 7 million people, God has blessed our country with a wonderful nature – sea beaches, mountains, forests, fertile fields, rivers and lakes, mineral springs, rich and unique flora and fauna. Bulgaria is a successor of ancient cultures and civilizations and along with Greece and Italy it forms one of the richest countries in Europe with regard to the historical and archaeological monuments from the pre-Christian era and the Early Christianity. The world’s oldest gold treasure, artefacts, dating back to 5000 BC, has been found in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is a developed industrial and agricultural country. The sectors determining the economic structure are the ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine-building, shipbuilding, car industry, the chemical, electrotechnical, electronic, pharmaceutic, textile, food and arms industries, transport, logistics and services. Furthermore, Bulgaria is a big producer and exporter of electric power generated by nuclear, heat, water, wind and solar installations. The agricultural sector produces wheat, corn, sunflower seeds, fruit, vegetables, grapes, oil-bearing crops, meat, milk, meat and dairy products. Bulgaria produces more than 70% of the rose oil in the world – highly important fragrance substance used in brand perfumes. The nanotechnologies and IT sector, which provides one of the most high-speed internet connections in the world, are developing fast. Bulgaria is proud of its achievements in the Space exploration, the inventor of the first electronic digital computer – the American of Bulgarian origin John Atanasoff, the world’s first pocket electronic calculator and electronic wrist watch constructed by Bulgarian engineers. Moreover, Bulgarian people are proud of their ethnic and religious tolerance and the rescue of all their 49 000 fellow-citizens of Jewish origin from being deported to the death camps during the Second World War, as well as the salvation of other 15 000 Jews from other European countries who have received a transit visa to Palestine by the Bulgarian diplomatic representations in Europe and have been rescued from a certain death. With its more than 50 universities and higher education institutions, its research institutes and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, its extensive network of professional and general secondary schools, the Bulgarian government provides a high level of education for its citizens. The geographical location, infrastructure, developed banking sector, energy security, highly skilled workforce, low taxes and low operating costs make Bulgaria an attractive place for business. Dozens of Dutch or foreign companies registered in the Netherlands find their partners in Bulgaria or start their own business there. The Netherlands occupies a stable first position in the list of the foreign investors in Bulgaria. The volume of trade between the two countries is constantly increasing. Being part of the 5 million tourists who annually visit Bulgaria, the number of Dutch nationals who consider Bulgaria to be one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Europe is growing. With its seaside, mountain and spa resorts, thousands of mineral springs, its excellent healing and rehabilitation centers, unique historical and natural attractions, museums, art galleries, amusement centers and festivals, culture, delicious food, wonderful wine – produced observing the experience gained over the millennia – traditional hospitality and tolerance, attractive prices and a high level of service, Bulgaria is an excellent place for recreation, treatment, sports and all kinds of tourism. The number of foreigners who buy land and houses in Bulgarian cities, resorts and rural areas and settle in the country is also increasing. The daily direct flights from Amsterdam and Eindhoven to Sofia and some Bulgarian coastal cities, the bus lines as well as the convenient air connections to other European capitals offer a fast and pleasant journey.  

Nostradamus

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By Dario Poli. Early morning, 1791, and hundreds of ragged, hungry Republican soldiers descend upon the picturesque Provencal market town of Salon, while the unsuspecting inhabitants are deep in sleep’s secure embrace. A wild orgy of terror ensues, as the undisciplined soldiers smash down doors to steal food, drink and valuables before intimidating the terrified populace. The orgy of violence and drinking continues throughout the day until the thugs reach the church believing it to be ripe for pillaging. There, they come upon the tomb of Michel de Nostradame the famed prophet. One Soldier recalls the local superstition that states that anyone who dares drink blood from Nostradamus’s skull will attain his psychic powers. Roused by the news, the drunken guards use picks to smash through the three-metre slab of stone that protects the coffin. The dismembered skeleton of Nostradamus is scattered around the church and a sneering soldier, ignoring the warning picks up the skull, fills it with wine and, to loud cheers of his men, drinks from it. During this act of desecration, the mayor of the of the town manages to frighten the guards by telling them the accuracy of Nostradamus’ predictions. In panic, the bones are hurriedly collected and reinterred. The following day, a force of Royalist cavalry ambushes and wipes out the same guards and the soldier who drank from the skull is killed by a single shot through his head. 235 years after his death and Nostradamus’ predictions were still having an impact; one that may not yet be over. If the legendary figure himself is to be believed, his last and greatest legacy is still to be discovered. Michel de Nostradame was born on December 1503 in St. Remy, France, and was the eldest son of a Provencal family of part-Jewish decent that had previously converted to Christianity. One of his grandfathers, on discovering the boy’s sharp intellect, commenced his education in the rudiments of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, mathematics and astrology, as well as introducing him to mysticism and the secrets of the Kabbalah. Outgrowing his grandparent’s teaching, young Nostradamus was sent to Avignon to study philosophy and, in 1522, he began his training in medicine at the renowned University of Montpellier where he gained his degree – although, surprisingly there appears to be no record of his time there. Anxious to practise his skills, he travelled the countryside for four years, visiting towns, experimenting with herbs and ministering to the sick. His treatments while successful, were unorthodox, especially when dealing with the plague that ravaged Provence. Few people survived ‘le charbon’, yet Nostradamus’ rose pills – containing large doses of vitamin C – often miraculously cured this fatal condition and, with each success, his fame began to spread, much to the displeasure of the Faculty Doctors. Finally fully-qualified as a doctor, Nostradamus felt stifled and discontented by the orthodoxy of the medical practices in Montpellier and dressed in his medical robes and distinctive doctors square hat – toured the region, testing and dispensing his own medical hypotheses. At 30 years old, tired of wandering, he met and married a beautiful, young girl of high born estate and settled in the town of Agen where, with the help of her family’s generous dowry and connections, he established a comfortable practice that became famous and profitable. His wife bore him a son and a daughter and his life appeared blessed until the plague broke out again and Nostradamus – fearlessly exposing himself to the contagious disease – tendered to the sick and dying, managing, it is said, to save scores of townspeople. Tragically, however, the plague infected and killed his wife and two children.Nostradamus Drawing Dario Poli With their death, his world collapsed and, to make matters worse, his patients deserted him because he had been unable to save his own kin. His in-laws sued him for the return of the dowry, insinuating that he had deliberately allowed his family to die. The final straw came when he was also accused of heresy by the authorities, due to a chance remark he had made regarding a religious statue some years earlier. The inquisitors ordered him to appear in Toulouse; instead Nostradamus fled from France and spent the next six years roaming around Italy. During the Renaissance, Italy was the epicentre of business and intellectual life that influenced the rest of Europe and the ever-curious Nostradamus gained valuable knowledge and expertise in numerous skills. He acquainted himself with apothecaries and healers, whose ideas he noted in his book the Traite des Fardmens, and he learnt how to make various cosmetics, skin creams and love potions, as well as dabbling in alchemy. In Sicily he studied Mysteries of Egypt and, after meeting Sufi mystics, he read The Elixir of Blissfulness. It was during this Italian period that Nostradamus’ prophetic powers began to manifest, including one legendary tale in which he approached a group of monks and, upon seeing one of them who had once been a swineherd, he knelt down and called the monk ‘Your Holiness’. In 1585, long after the death of Nostradamus, that monk – Felice Peretti – became Pope Sextus V. A In 1554, Michel de Nostradame settled in Marseilles and, following the worst recorded flood in its history, the polluted corpses floating in the water led to yet another virulent outbreak of the plague that reached Aix and, later, Salon. According to his memoirs, all the local doctors fled, leaving Nostradamus to fight this epidemic alone. For his dedication to the sick, he often received valuable gifts, which he invariably gave to the poor. The plague abated and Nostradamus, now 44, decided to settle down after choosing another rich, well- connected woman – the widow Anne Ponsart Gemelle. They married and made a comfortable home with an attic that Nostradamus filled with magical equipment and books. There, he deliberated on astrology, contemplated the stars and discovered a method of entering into a trance-like state in which he was able to foretell the future. As he received visions, he carefully wrote all he saw and prepared the material for his future forecasts. The first publication of his Almanac was in 1552 and it featured monthly predictions based on these prophetic insights. Having a penchant for money – as his two marriages show – and enjoying the good life, like any smart entrepreneur he expanded his output, creating recipes for jams, preserves and cosmetics for the rich, who believed that his cream contained magic ingredients that made them irresistible. Arguably, he even anticipated the inception of Viagra with his love portions which, he claimed and guaranteed, enabled a man to satisfy all his sexual inclinations. His books and concoctions made Nostradamus rather wealthy. In1555, the first editions of The Centuries were published in groups of a hundred quatrains, written in four line verses, each containing a prediction. Nostradamus arranged the quatrains into ten ‘centuries’ of 100 verses that totalled 965 verses, as Century VII was incomplete with only 42 verses. Such occult practises, he deliberately confused the time sequence, of the prophecies by writing in code form. The were an immediate success with the upper classes, however the superstitious common folk declared them the work of the devil. Nostradamus’ fame spread throughout France as his works became all the rage in the court and, in 1556 he was urgently summoned to meet a very worried Queen Catherine de Medici to explain Century 1 “The young lion will overcome the old one, In a field of combat in a single fight, He will put out his eyes in their golden cage, two wounds from one he will die a cruel death.” Unfortunately, this prediction came true when the Queen witnessed her husband being unhorsed while jousting and dying painfully after ten days, killed by the young Earl of Montgomery – Captain of the Scottish Guard – whose lance had pierced the king’s golden visor. Both men’s shields were embossed with lions. Happily for Nostradamus, however, the inquisition could no longer touch him, as the Queen became his staunch supporter and, by the time of his death, she had made him Counsellor and Physician in Ordinary. All of us are familiar with Nostradamus’ name and renown, yet few are actually aware of the predictions he made that have come true and those that remain; in fact, fewer than you may think. In line with biblical Old Testament prophecies – particularly those of Ezekiel – most of the quatrains deal with disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, plagues, famine, wars, invasions, murders and bloody battles. In a letter dedicated to Cesar, his son, dated March 1555, Nostradamus wrote: “…in many countries there shall be such a scarcity of rain and such a great deal of fire, and burning stones shall fall from heaven, that nothing unconsumed shall be left.” However, the predictions are mostly unfathomable and the curious can interpret them as they see fit with little fear of contradiction. During World War II, for example, both the British and German governments spent enormous amounts dropping crude forgeries of various quatrains all over France as propaganda, with each side claiming the predictions acted as evidence of their final victory. Many Nostradamus enthusiasts and ‘experts’ credit him with predicting numerous historic events and his name has, once again, come to the forefront over the past few years as one reading of Centuries is that Nostradamus predicted World War III to break out around 1999; he may even go as far as to suggest that the war would be a religious one and that its start would not be noticed by the majority of people. Given such amazing insights into today’s religiously, politically and socially antagonistic situation, it is hardly surprising to learn that Nostradamus is commonly believed to have predicted the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. More startling, perhaps, is that he may have also written about UFOs and humans encountering extraterrestrials in the not-too-distant future. Since his death in 1556 (which was, of course, self-predicted), there have been hundreds of publications and translations of his work, including many forgeries. Even his son Cesar attempted to make a living from his father’s legacy, masquerading as a prophet. However, he was considered by most as a charlatan. Nostradamus may well have been a genuine prophet, however profit has been the end result for  his personal writings and for those that have released books, films, videos, musicals and CDs about the remarkable and inventive man. And Nostradamus may well have the last laugh; all the meaning and import that has been placed on his forecasts may prove completely erroneous as he himself predicted that his code would not be broken or fully understood until the year 2055 – 500 years after the publication of The Centuries. Taking his predictions at face value, enthusiasts are wasting their time unravelling them, as we have a further 40 years to wait: “For five hundred years more no notice will be taken, Of him who was the ornament of his time, Then suddenly a great revelation will be made, Which will make people of that century most pleased.” However, Nostradamus’ most inspirational (and, perhaps, ultimately enduring) message has been widely overlooked in favour of the media-friendly hyperbole of his foresights. He once wrote: “The one who is reasonable can learn from my prophecies to find the right path as if he would have found footprints in the sand from someone who had gone before,” suggesting that his predictions were not intended as definite events but as warnings if people failed to learn the lessons of the past. Nostradamus spoke of a time when there would be a change in consciousness that would lead to a happier and more fulfilled existence among mankind. It is a pity that, before that golden age occurs, mankind has to suffer the horrors mentioned in his quatrains. As scientific warnings on the dangers of global warming increase weekly and the horrors that we have subjected our planet – and each other – to for centuries begin to  their toll, it is perhaps this universal warning from Nostradamus that is the most significant: “Time is running out – the future salvation of humanity and of the planet is in our own hands.” The Gospel According to Nostradamus Over the years, Nostradamus enthusiasts have claimed that his prophecies predicted many of history’s most monumental events. His writings may be difficult to interpret and, without doubt, such generalities can be made to fit a variety of occurrences, but they certainly provide food for thought. The Great Fire of London (September 1666) The blood of the just will be demanded of London, Burnt by the fire in the year 66. The Rise of Napoleon (lived 1769 – 1821) An Emperor shall be born near Italy, who shall cost the Empire dear. The French Revolution (1789 – 1799) From the enslaved people, songs, chants and demands, The princes and lords are held captive in prisons. The Rise of Hitler (lived 1889 to 1945) Out of the deepest part of the west of Europe, From poor people a young child shall be born, Who with his tongue shall seduce many people… 111 He shall come to tyrannize the land. He shall raise up a hatred that had long been dormant… The Kennedy Assassination (November 1963) And from the roof evil ruin will fall on the great man, They will accuse an innocent, being dead, of the deed. Kennedy was shot from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository by Lee Harvey Oswald (could this be ‘the roof’?) who was then shot. Conspiracy theories have abounded ever since. The Death of Diana Princess of Wales (August 31, 1997) God… Takes the Goddess of the Moon for his Day & Movement, A frantic wanderer and witness of Gods Law. The Roman Goddess of the Moon was Diane -giving the verses added impact. The Death of Mother Theresa (September 1997) Way of a saint, a deliverer of the mud, a French Saints order, a dwarf nun, deformed, a traveler, worm of the fruit. Mother Teresa – born Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhiu was named after the French Saint Theresa. Nostradamus.org — nostradamus-repository.org — sacred texts.com/nos

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

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By John Neary, Ambassador of Ireland to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.   March is a very special month for Ireland as March 17th is our national holiday, St Patrick’s Day. St Patrick’s Day is an opportunity for Irish people and friends of Ireland around the world to renew their links with family and friends at home and to celebrate those aspects of Irish life which we share – our music, our culture, our sports, our natural environment and our rich community life. Ireland is a small country but, through the millions of Irish people who have emigrated to all parts of the world, we have an enormous global footprint. Irish people overseas adapt quickly and easily to their new homelands but they retain a strong sense of their Irishness and make new friends for Ireland in their local communities. Here in the Netherlands, there are about 7,000 Irish people. They are to be found in all parts of the country and they play an important role in maintaining the close and friendly relationship between our two countries. The Netherlands is an important partner for Ireland in the European Union. We are both open economies and we share similar views on many EU policies. The bilateral economic relationship is also very important for Ireland. The Netherlands is our 7th largest export market and an important source of foreign direct investment and tourism. In the political area, we share a deep commitment to human rights and the rule of law and we both strive to make constructive contributions to promoting peace, security and justice through our international relations. Ireland is an ancient nation but a young country. Our culture is rooted in the pre-Christian era and the influences of the Celtic tribes that came to Ireland over three thousand years ago can still be found in our arts, language, heritage and design. Since we became an independent state in 1922, our economy has developed from an agrarian model to a modern and dynamic mix of high tech manufacturing and service industries. Agriculture is still an important part of our economy but Ireland is now as well known for its pharmaceutical, IT and financial services industries as it is for our grass-fed beef and lamb. Research, Development and Innovation are being prioritised to build a smart economy for the future. After a deep recession following the global financial crisis in 2008, Ireland now has the fastest growing economy in Europe, with 4.5% growth last year and a forecast of 3.5% growth for this year. Exports, investment and employment are all increasing and this year our budget deficit will be below the 3% EU limit. Our borrowing costs are at an all time low and there is a new confidence in our economic recovery at home and abroad. So let me conclude by wishing all the readers of Diplomat Magazine a very Happy St Patrick’s Day. If you would like to learn more about the Irish Embassy’s work, log onto www.embassyofireland.nl or follow us on Twitter @IRLEMBTHEHAGUE.