Jennifer Haire, guest editor for Border Crossing’s special issue on Aboriginal/Indigenous dialogue, MLIS Masters of Library and Information Science , University of Western Ontario, academic librarian at University of Ottawa since 1991 and Librarian responsible for Aboriginal Studies since 1996.Kwey. It is an honour to be guest editor for the June 2015 issue of Border Crossing on the theme of Aboriginal/Indigenous dialogue. This month’s issue contains seven informative and thought-provoking articles, submitted by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous academic scholars from Canada, United States and Colombia.
Why publish an issue on Aboriginal/Indigenous dialogue and why should this topic be of importance to embassy staff worldwide?
These articles cover a wide variety of subject matter including philosophical, social, political, legal and historical issues such as Indigenous philosophy and Huron wisdom, intimate partner violence and gender equality, Indigenous dispute resolution and the Arctic, Aboriginal Peoples and natural resource extraction, Indigenous self-determination and the geographical legacy of settler-colonialism in the United States, social classes and Indigenous rights in Colombia.
It is important to raise awareness, to break down preconceived notions, to understand the effects of colonization and settler-colonialism, to develop a deeper respect and understanding of Indigenous knowledge and to appreciate the value of the Indigenous perspective in relation to contemporary global issues such as human rights, the environment and natural resources. Indigenous approaches to dispute resolution can provide guidance and direction for international policy. It is now time to put words into action and to involve Indigenous peoples in the decision-making process. The following three examples prove that much work remains to be done:
Rigoberto Menchu, Mayan activist received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 “in recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples” – these issues are still very much in the forefront today.
Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – this is the 2nd international decade and how far have we come?
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – how can nations better understand and identify the rights and provisions of UNDRIP and how have these rights and provisions been successfully applied by Indigenous Peoples around the world?
Chi, Meegwetch
To visit this special issue presented to you by Diplomat Magazine follow the link below:issuu.com/diploflying/docs/border.crossing.volume1.issue5
ANA to fly directly to six European cities from 2015 winter flight schedule.Tokyo, 1 June 2015 – ANA, Japan’s leading airline, is to launch a new route from Tokyo’s Narita Airport to Brussels, raising the total number of European cities it serves direct to six.The new route to the Belgian capital will start from the 2015 winter schedule, adding to the direct services ANA already operates from either Narita or Haneda to Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, London and Paris. ANA also provides convenient access from a number of other Japanese airports to a wide range of destinations across Europe through a joint venture with its Star Alliance partner Lufthansa Group which enables passengers to transit easily through Frankfurt and Munich.The new destination of Brussels is one of the most important political cities in Europe, home to the principal institutions of the European Union, other EU-related organizations and the headquarters of NATO. Brussels is also a major economic and financial center, home to many multinational corporations. Also many Japanese companies are based in Brussels and each year a total of 90,000 passenger board transit flights from Japan. The city also has a wealth of tourist attractions including excellent dining, rich culture and many architectural treasures, and is visited by tourists from all over the world.The exact date of the start of service, the flight timetable, and the type of aircraft to be used on the route will be announced nearer to the time, subject to the approval of the relevant authorities.“We are proud to be introducing the only flight between Japan and Brussels starting this autumn. We hope to play a role in strengthening the bond between Japan and Belgium and forging new business opportunities in the future”, said ANA President and CEO Osamu Shinobe.“We are thrilled to welcome ANA to the family of airlines flying to Brussels, one of Europe’s major hubs, which lacked a direct flight from Japan. The new route will provide improved convenience for both European and Japanese travellers,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company.Currently, Brussels Airlines, a member of the Lufthansa Group as well as a member of Star Alliance, is building a network of flights to destinations inside and outside Europe centered on its hub at Brussels Airport. The option for ANA passengers to change flights in Brussels will provide greater convenience for those wishing to transit to flights reaching a wider range of European destinationsAbout ANAAll Nippon Airways (ANA) is the 13th largest airline in the world by revenues (2013) and the largest airline in Japan by revenues and passenger numbers. Founded in 1952, ANA flies today on 72 international routes and 117 domestic routes with a fleet of about 240 aircraft. ANA Group has 33,000 employees. In 2014, it carried 47 million passengers and generated revenues of 1.7 trillion Japanese yen. ANA has been a member of Star Alliance since 1999 and has joint-ventures with United Airlines on trans-Pacific and Asia routes and with Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines and Austrian Airlines on Japan-Europe routes. Its Frequent Flyer Program, ANA Mileage Club, has more than 26 million members. ANA was voted Airline of the Year for 2013 by Air Transport World Magazine, and in 2015 was awarded five stars for the third consecutive year by the world’s leading Airline and Airport review site, SKYTRAX.ANA is the launch customer and biggest operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.Source: www.ana.co.jp/eng/aboutana/press/2015/150601.html
Top brands at home in prime location.
After 16 years to have been located on Noordeinde 15 Steltman Watches moved to a new and larger building on the place 16 on Saturday 11 April 2015. In the new stylish boutique the particular watch brands of this Hague watch specialists now all have the space to display their brands vision to the public. In addition, the new store is just steps away from sister company Steltman Juwelier.
The design and implementation of the new Watch store lay in the hands of architectural firm Heyligers design + projects . In close consultation with Steltman, Heyligers created a store in which the brands are able to bring their brand forward and stand for their image without compromising the main brand: Steltman. Steltman has a heritage of nearly 100 years old and the service-minded brand DNA that was motivated by founder John Steltman is still the main pillar of its success.
The individual brands have almost all been given a shop-in-shop in a design that is decorated in reliefs with the Mastersign of Johannes Steltman-the entwined ‘ J ‘ and’S ‘. It gives the shop that embossed on the walls and the shop intimate and recognizable, and this to forge a unit. Also another icon-the ‘ Steltman chair ‘-ever designed by Gerrit Rietveld for Steltman Juwelier, has been given a prominent place in the store. As seating, as well as light object above the staircase that leads from the ground floor to the basement. A first and unique in the Netherlands.
Jewels & Watches in the new shop 250 m2 space at his disposal at three levels, in which the brands Patek Philippe Breguet and a prominent place, and where the worlds of experience further by brands like Chopard, Cartier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Baume & Mercier and Panerai take shape. Also Dutch watch greats, such as Christiaan van der Klaauw, Grönefeld and Aspen are there to admire. Jewels & Watches has many models in stock, both for men and for women. There is also a small selection of jewellery from the collection of Steltman juwelier present.
Craftsmanship and workmanship is another pillar where Steltman built, hence the private uurwerkmakersatelier clearly visible behind in the store is located. The clockmakers of Steltman by most of the padded brands certified to perform maintenance and repairs in house and their work can be admired from the store.
In the basement, finally, is space for future master classes, (culinary) events, workshops and product presentations. The lighting can be adjusted to daylight lighting there and the tables can also be adjusted so that on Workbench height larger groups with timepieces can go to work. We would like to invite you to our new watch store to come and have a look yourself: Steltman Watches, place 16 in the Hague.
Background Information Steltman:
Steltman Juwelier for nearly 100 years is a trusted name when it comes to jewellery of the highest quality. The well-known Hague Jewelers House on the Place, opposite the Hofvijver, can together in the top of the Dutch jewellery stores, with an international clientele. With a very extensive collection, including the Safari by Steltman ® collection and the Alexandra ® collection and brands like Pomellato and Mattioli Steltman Juwelier offers a combination of experience, innovative collections and trusted quality.
Jewels & Watches In 1999, Steltman Watches open, retailer for mechanical timepieces of predominantly Swiss and German-made. The watch case is a Mecca of beautiful quality brands such as Patek Philippe, Breguet, Cartier, Chopard, Jaeger-leCoultre and IWC. Over the years there came great brands such as Baume & Mercier, Panerai, SevenFriday and the Dutch brands Christiaan van der Klaauw, Grönefeld and Aspen. Also performs Steltman Watches the ‘ written ‘ time clocks ‘ QlockTwo ‘ by Biegert & Funk. Jewels & Watches offers private clockmakers and a collection of Vintage models.
For more info on Steltman Watches and Steltman Juwelier please contact: Steltman Watches Steltman Juwelier
Place 16 Place 26
2513 the Hague the Hague 2513 AE AE
T 070-365 94 33 T 070-346 96 01
E juwelier@steltman.nl E watches@steltman.nl
I www.steltman.nl I www.steltman.nl
On the picture His Excellency Mr. Ole E. Moesby, Danish Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Ahmad Jalal Said Al Mufleh, Ambassador for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and his wife Mrs. Reem Mufleh.By Roy Lie A Tjam.H.E. Mr. Ahmad Jalal Said Al Mufleh, Ambassador for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and Mrs. Reem Mufleh, hosted a reception on the occasion of Jordan’s National Day. The date was May 27, 2015.Many came to the residence of Ambassador Ahmad Jalal Said Al Mufleh to congratulate him on this special day. A lavish Jordanian buffet was provided, enjoyed by all.
For a photo album on the Jordanian’ s National Day, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157653945919431
By Roy Lie Tjam. ASA, the Ambassadors’ Spouses’ Association of The Hague, in collaboration with Diplomat Magazine organized a Gouda Stroopwafel workshop on Tuesday May 26, 2015.A stroopwafel is a waffle made of two thin layers of baked dough with caramel-like syrup filling in the middle. In fact, stroopwafels are so widely loved that the Association of Stroopwafel Addicts (ASA) was founded. The stroopwafel originates from Gouda in the Netherlands. It was first made during the late 18th/early 19th century by a baker using leftovers from the bakery, such as bread crumbs, which were sweetened with syrup.
For a photo album on ASA activity together with Diplomat Magazine, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157653931553322The ASA members looked behind the screens of Banketbakkerij en Party Service Van den Berg and were given some historical details of the stroopwafel by Mr. Frank de Koning. The group was then taken to the “show bakery” in order to bake their own stroopwafel. With many laughs and smiles, the group completed their personal hand-made stroopwafels. After the stroopwafel experience the members visited the Markt and the centuries old City Hall. The St. Jan church, with its breathtaking stained glass windows, was also visited. All in all, the event was an informative, revealing, and successful excursion.
At the same event, the wife of the Ambassador of Sudan who soon will be leaving the Netherlands was offered a goodbye gift.
By Roy Lie A Tjam
With music, dance, and recitation of their works, the two greatest writers of Bengali literature, Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, were recently celebrated.
It was on the sunny Saturday of May 23 that the Ambassador of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, opened the doors of the Bangladesh House in Wassenaar to celebrate these Bengali luminaries.
For a photo-album, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157653715490472
On this sunny afternoon, about a hundred Bangladeshi and others gathered on the lush green lawn of the Bangladesh House with the Deputy Mayor of The Hague, Mr. Rabin Baldewsingh, present as the Chief Guest. In his welcome speech, Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal introduced snapshots of Rabindranath Tagore’s literary works. Tagore was a Bengali polymath who elevated Bengali literature to a new high when he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913. Kazi Nazrul Islam, equally talented, remained mostly outside the knowledge of non-Bengali readers for dearth of translations of his work. Both of these literary giants were highly praised by the general public as they devoted a good amount of their writings to the ordinary people of the Bengal.
Tagore introduced new prose, verse forms, and colloquial language into Bangladeshi literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit. He was highly influential in introducing the best of Indian culture to the West and vice versa, and he is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of the modern Indian subcontinent.
Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as Nazrul, is recognized for his forceful writings against colonial occupation in the Bengal. His poetry and music are famous for their fierce rebellion against fascism and oppression. Completing a large body of acclaimed works throughout his decorated life, Nazrul is officially recognized as the National Poet of Bangladesh and is widely commemorated and revered in India, especially in West Bengal. Throughout his career, Nazrul wrote short stories, novels, and essays but is best known for his poems, in which he pioneered new forms such as Bengali ghazals. Nazru alsol wrote and composed the music for his nearly 4,000 songs.
Mr. Rabin Baldewsigh, who wrote extensively on Tagore, informed the audience about Tagore’s visit to The Hague in the 1920’s, narrating how Tagore brought the East nearer to the West. Mr. Rabin also recited a poem titled “Ïn the shadow of thoughts” from his book Tamanna. The crowd was ecstatic when Mr. Rabin sang a song in his native Sarinami language as well as a Tagore song in Bangla.
Another Dutch citizen, Dr. Peter Custer, presented the keynote paper on Kazi Nazrul Islam tilted ” ‘Nazrul Islam’s Universal Significance Today”. Dr. Custer, is fluent in Bengali due to his prolonged stay in Bangladesh as a Dutch journalist in the early seventies .
Ambassador Belal, while highlighting the secular character of the people of Bangladesh, also narrated on how this literary duo worked to bring the two cultures of the East and West closer together. Echoing their longing for a world free from oppression and communalism, Mr. Belal urged all to return to the teachings of Tagore and Nazrul. Mr. Belal also acknowledged the contributions of two Dutch citizens, Mr. Harry Bahl and Mr. Mayeed Faruque, who fought as freedom fighters during the Bangladesh war for independence in 1971.
Ambassador Belal informed the guests about the upcoming visits of a twin ministerial delegation, as well as a sizable business and CEO delegation, from the Netherlands to Bangladesh in June 2015, acknowledging Dutch contributions towards the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.
Children, men, and women, dressed in traditional Bangladeshi attire performed music, recitations, and dance during this two hour long cultural extravaganza. The ceremony came to a musical conclusion after Dr. Dilruba Nasrin, the wife of Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, voiced her thanks.
Dinner was served, delicious traditional Bangladeshi cuisine topped the menu, and was enjoyed immensely by all.
Major milestone reached as 90% of global chemical weapon stocks destroyed.OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, today announced that 90% of declared chemical weapons had been verified by the OPCW as destroyed. This includes stocks of unitary weapons, such as sulfur mustard, and primary precursor chemicals for producing deadly nerve agents, like sarin. All destruction activities have been completed in a safe manner. “This is a major milestone that shows we are well on the way to ridding the world of chemical weapons,” said Ambassador Üzümcü.The process to complete the elimination of Cold War-era stockpiles in Russia and the United States is well under way and is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2020 and 2023, respectively. Commenting on other aspects of the OPCW’s mission, the Director-General noted that there was more work ahead, and new challenges to address, if the international community is to succeed in preventing chemical weapons from re-emerging.The Chemical Weapons Convention has 190 States Parties, with six States – Angola, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar, North Korea and South Sudan – still outside the Convention. Angola’s and Myanmar’s parliaments recently approved joining the Convention, and both countries are expected to soon become States Parties.
Turin, 2 May 2015 – Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo awarded Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the “StellaRe Prize”.Chairperson of the Qatar Museums Board of Trustees, she guides the vision for future museums, cultural institutions and heritage sites in Qatar with the aim of transforming the State of Qatar into a leading center of culture and education for its region and the world.Sheikha Al Mayassa plays a leading role in humanitarian efforts towards the young people. Through the philanthropic non-governmental organization Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), of which she is the Chairperson, personally involved in helping children victims of recent natural disasters in Asia and the Middle East by providing quality education for both primary and secondary schools within their communities.She is also the chairperson of the Doha Film Institute, empowering people though film and new media, through educational workshop and grassroots festivals. Her Excellency is the Chairperson of Qatar Leadership Center, Vice Chairperson of Al Shaqab, a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Qatar Foundation.StellaRe is the prize that Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo set up in 2006 to honour women all over the world who strive to make a difference to contemporary society through their innovative work, dedication and ideas, paying particular attention to the complex cultural, political and economic strategies that shape contemporary society.The StellaRe Prize is an exclusively designed ring, made by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan that unites the winners of the Prize to the StellaRe Circle.In addition to Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, the current members of the circle are: Franca Coin, Anne-Marie De Weck, Alberta Ferretti, Maria Luisa Frisa, Laura Gucci, Paola Manfrin, Martina Mondadori, Giulia Puri, Franca Sozzani, Warly Tomei, Francesca Tronchetti Provera, HE Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi (UAE Minister of Development and International Cooperation), Lisa Philips, Kazuyo Sejima Elizabeth Blackburn and Fabiola Gianotti.
Source: http://www.fsrr.org/stellare-prize-at-sheikha-al-mayassa-bint-hamad-bin-khalifa-al-thani/?lang=enFor more information
Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo: www.fsrr.org/
Reach Out to Asia: www.reachouttoasia.org
Qatar Foundation: www.qf.org.qa
Qatar Leadership Centre: www.qlc.org.qa/en-us/Pages/home.aspx
Qatar Museums: www.qm.org.qa/en/her-excellency-sheikha-al-mayassa
On the picture H. E. Mr. Konstantine Surguladze, Ambassador of Georgia. Pictures are a courtesy of the Embassy of Georgia.By Mete Erdurcan.
On Tuesday 26th of May the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Georgia marked the annual remembrance of the adoption of theAct of Independence in 1918.
The remembrance took place in the Hilton Hotel in The Hague, and among the invitees were Her Excellency Ms. Orsolya Szijjártó, Ambassador of Hungary, His Excellency Mr. Sadik Arslan Ambassador of Turkey, His Excellency Mr. Karim Ben Bécher, Ambassador of Tunisia, His Excellency Mr. Taher Ahmed Hanafi Farahat, Ambassador of Egypt, Her Excellency Ms. Maymouna Diop Sy Ambassador of Senegal, and Her Excellency Ms. Odette Melono, Ambassador of Cameroon.
Ambassador of Georgia and his wife together with Ambassadors of Sudan His Excellency Mr Ibrahim Hassan and Rwanda His Excellency Mr Jean Pierre Karabaranga.
The Adoption of the Act of Independence in 1918 established the Democratic Republic of Georgia following the Russian Revolution in 1917. Although the 9th of April 1991 marked the date that Georgia seceded from the Soviet-Union, with the adoption of the Act of Reestablishment of Independence, the 26th of May remains the Day of Independence. However, since 1993, the 9th of April is commemorated as the Day of National Unity, Civic Concordance, and Remembrance.
Georgian National Ballet Sukhisvili .
The Ambassador of Georgia, His Excellency Mr. Konstantine Surguladze, presented the invitees with a programme that was rich with Georgian Culture; members of the Georgian National Ballet Sukhisvili and singers Archil Nizharadze, David Sirbiladze, Beka Chkaidze, and Nutsa Kiria presented an impressive programme in which members of the audience were visibly touched.
The Ambassador of Georgia, His Excellency Mr. Konstantine Surguladze and his wife together with His Excellency Eduardo Ibarrola-Nicolin Ambassador of Mexico.Archil Nizharadze, David Sirbiladze, Beka Chkaidze, and Nutsa Kiria
The ASA members looked behind the screens of Banketbakkerij en Party Service Van den Berg and were given some historical details of the stroopwafel by Mr. Frank de Koning. The group was then taken to the “show bakery” in order to bake their own stroopwafel.
With many laughs and smiles, the group completed their personal hand-made stroopwafels. After the stroopwafel experience the members visited the Markt and the centuries old City Hall. The St. Jan church, with its breathtaking stained glass windows, was also visited. All in all, the event was an informative, revealing, and successful excursion.
At the same event, the wife of the Ambassador of Sudan who soon will be leaving the Netherlands was offered a goodbye gift.
The ASA members looked behind the screens of Banketbakkerij en Party Service Van den Berg and were given some historical details of the stroopwafel by Mr. Frank de Koning. The group was then taken to the “show bakery” in order to bake their own stroopwafel.
With many laughs and smiles, the group completed their personal hand-made stroopwafels. After the stroopwafel experience the members visited the Markt and the centuries old City Hall. The St. Jan church, with its breathtaking stained glass windows, was also visited. All in all, the event was an informative, revealing, and successful excursion.
At the same event, the wife of the Ambassador of Sudan who soon will be leaving the Netherlands was offered a goodbye gift.
On this sunny afternoon, about a hundred Bangladeshi and others gathered on the lush green lawn of the Bangladesh House with the Deputy Mayor of The Hague, Mr. Rabin Baldewsingh, present as the Chief Guest. In his welcome speech, Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal introduced snapshots of Rabindranath Tagore’s literary works. Tagore was a Bengali polymath who elevated Bengali literature to a new high when he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913. Kazi Nazrul Islam, equally talented, remained mostly outside the knowledge of non-Bengali readers for dearth of translations of his work. Both of these literary giants were highly praised by the general public as they devoted a good amount of their writings to the ordinary people of the Bengal.
Tagore introduced new prose, verse forms, and colloquial language into Bangladeshi literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit. He was highly influential in introducing the best of Indian culture to the West and vice versa, and he is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of the modern Indian subcontinent.
Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as Nazrul, is recognized for his forceful writings against colonial occupation in the Bengal. His poetry and music are famous for their fierce rebellion against fascism and oppression. Completing a large body of acclaimed works throughout his decorated life, Nazrul is officially recognized as the National Poet of Bangladesh and is widely commemorated and revered in India, especially in West Bengal. Throughout his career, Nazrul wrote short stories, novels, and essays but is best known for his poems, in which he pioneered new forms such as Bengali ghazals. Nazru alsol wrote and composed the music for his nearly 4,000 songs.
Mr. Rabin Baldewsigh, who wrote extensively on Tagore, informed the audience about Tagore’s visit to The Hague in the 1920’s, narrating how Tagore brought the East nearer to the West. Mr. Rabin also recited a poem titled “Ïn the shadow of thoughts” from his book Tamanna. The crowd was ecstatic when Mr. Rabin sang a song in his native Sarinami language as well as a Tagore song in Bangla.
Another Dutch citizen, Dr. Peter Custer, presented the keynote paper on Kazi Nazrul Islam tilted ” ‘Nazrul Islam’s Universal Significance Today”. Dr. Custer, is fluent in Bengali due to his prolonged stay in Bangladesh as a Dutch journalist in the early seventies .
Ambassador Belal, while highlighting the secular character of the people of Bangladesh, also narrated on how this literary duo worked to bring the two cultures of the East and West closer together. Echoing their longing for a world free from oppression and communalism, Mr. Belal urged all to return to the teachings of Tagore and Nazrul. Mr. Belal also acknowledged the contributions of two Dutch citizens, Mr. Harry Bahl and Mr. Mayeed Faruque, who fought as freedom fighters during the Bangladesh war for independence in 1971.
Ambassador Belal informed the guests about the upcoming visits of a twin ministerial delegation, as well as a sizable business and CEO delegation, from the Netherlands to Bangladesh in June 2015, acknowledging Dutch contributions towards the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.
Children, men, and women, dressed in traditional Bangladeshi attire performed music, recitations, and dance during this two hour long cultural extravaganza. The ceremony came to a musical conclusion after Dr. Dilruba Nasrin, the wife of Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, voiced her thanks.
Dinner was served, delicious traditional Bangladeshi cuisine topped the menu, and was enjoyed immensely by all.
On this sunny afternoon, about a hundred Bangladeshi and others gathered on the lush green lawn of the Bangladesh House with the Deputy Mayor of The Hague, Mr. Rabin Baldewsingh, present as the Chief Guest. In his welcome speech, Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal introduced snapshots of Rabindranath Tagore’s literary works. Tagore was a Bengali polymath who elevated Bengali literature to a new high when he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913. Kazi Nazrul Islam, equally talented, remained mostly outside the knowledge of non-Bengali readers for dearth of translations of his work. Both of these literary giants were highly praised by the general public as they devoted a good amount of their writings to the ordinary people of the Bengal.
Tagore introduced new prose, verse forms, and colloquial language into Bangladeshi literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit. He was highly influential in introducing the best of Indian culture to the West and vice versa, and he is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of the modern Indian subcontinent.
Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as Nazrul, is recognized for his forceful writings against colonial occupation in the Bengal. His poetry and music are famous for their fierce rebellion against fascism and oppression. Completing a large body of acclaimed works throughout his decorated life, Nazrul is officially recognized as the National Poet of Bangladesh and is widely commemorated and revered in India, especially in West Bengal. Throughout his career, Nazrul wrote short stories, novels, and essays but is best known for his poems, in which he pioneered new forms such as Bengali ghazals. Nazru alsol wrote and composed the music for his nearly 4,000 songs.
Mr. Rabin Baldewsigh, who wrote extensively on Tagore, informed the audience about Tagore’s visit to The Hague in the 1920’s, narrating how Tagore brought the East nearer to the West. Mr. Rabin also recited a poem titled “Ïn the shadow of thoughts” from his book Tamanna. The crowd was ecstatic when Mr. Rabin sang a song in his native Sarinami language as well as a Tagore song in Bangla.
Another Dutch citizen, Dr. Peter Custer, presented the keynote paper on Kazi Nazrul Islam tilted ” ‘Nazrul Islam’s Universal Significance Today”. Dr. Custer, is fluent in Bengali due to his prolonged stay in Bangladesh as a Dutch journalist in the early seventies .
Ambassador Belal, while highlighting the secular character of the people of Bangladesh, also narrated on how this literary duo worked to bring the two cultures of the East and West closer together. Echoing their longing for a world free from oppression and communalism, Mr. Belal urged all to return to the teachings of Tagore and Nazrul. Mr. Belal also acknowledged the contributions of two Dutch citizens, Mr. Harry Bahl and Mr. Mayeed Faruque, who fought as freedom fighters during the Bangladesh war for independence in 1971.
Ambassador Belal informed the guests about the upcoming visits of a twin ministerial delegation, as well as a sizable business and CEO delegation, from the Netherlands to Bangladesh in June 2015, acknowledging Dutch contributions towards the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.
Children, men, and women, dressed in traditional Bangladeshi attire performed music, recitations, and dance during this two hour long cultural extravaganza. The ceremony came to a musical conclusion after Dr. Dilruba Nasrin, the wife of Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, voiced her thanks.
Dinner was served, delicious traditional Bangladeshi cuisine topped the menu, and was enjoyed immensely by all.
HRH Prince Constantijn is patron of World Press Photo since 2008. He attended in company of his wife, HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. The award is deemed as the most prestigious worldwide in the domain of press photography.
The foundation World Press Photo is based in Amsterdam; it supports and promotes photo journalism globally as well as the freedom of information. It was set up in 1955 in The Netherlands.
For more information
World Press Photo: www.worldpressphoto.org
Mads Nissen: www.madsnissen.com
HRH Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands presents the World Press Photo Award: http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/nieuwsberichten/2015/april/prins-constantijn-reikt-prijs-world-press-photo-2014-uit/
Prince Constantijn’s allocution: http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/toespraken/2015/april/toespraak-van-prins-constantijn-tijdens-de-uitreiking-van-de-prijs-voor-de-world-press-photo-van-het-jaar-2014-te-amsterdam/
HRH Prince Constantijn is patron of World Press Photo since 2008. He attended in company of his wife, HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. The award is deemed as the most prestigious worldwide in the domain of press photography.
The foundation World Press Photo is based in Amsterdam; it supports and promotes photo journalism globally as well as the freedom of information. It was set up in 1955 in The Netherlands.
For more information
World Press Photo: www.worldpressphoto.org
Mads Nissen: www.madsnissen.com
HRH Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands presents the World Press Photo Award: http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/nieuwsberichten/2015/april/prins-constantijn-reikt-prijs-world-press-photo-2014-uit/
Prince Constantijn’s allocution: http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/nieuws/toespraken/2015/april/toespraak-van-prins-constantijn-tijdens-de-uitreiking-van-de-prijs-voor-de-world-press-photo-van-het-jaar-2014-te-amsterdam/
