Speech by Judge Sang-Hyun Song, President of the International Criminal Court, on the Day of International Criminal Justice. When representatives of 120 States adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), on 17 July 1998, they did so to build a more just world. Conscious that all people are connected, and that mass atrocities committed anywhere threaten the delicate mosaic of modern societies as well as world peace and security, they set up a permanent, international justice system to address crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide by holding individuals accountable either at the national or international level. Through such action, the Rome Statute system aims to help prevent such crimes, to protect all peoples from them, and to uphold what is best, but also most fragile, within us: the shared sense of justice that is a common bond of all humanity. Years later, when States Parties to the Rome Statute decided to name the 17^th of July as the Day of International Criminal Justice, they invited all of us to commemorate the tremendous efforts of the many international courts and tribunals created in the last two decades while looking forward to what remains to be done. Among these courts is the ICC, the first and only permanent international criminal court with jurisdiction granted by States through a multilateral treaty. By commemorating 17 July, we recognize past efforts that have fostered reconciliation in societies across the world and have positively affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of victims. We also look to the future, and reaffirm the international community’s commitment to fight against impunity for the most serious crimes, and thereby to stop them from ever being repeated again. We are all exposed on a daily basis to news of massacres, crimes and war in multiple regions of the world. Where the ICC has jurisdiction, it endeavours to bring justice to the victims of these crimes. And where it is already involved, the Court’s intervention has galvanised more international attention to communities affected by crimes and the efforts essential to aiding the survivors. However, we are all conscious of the limits of the ICC’s current jurisdiction, which have to be remedied by continued progress towards universal ratification of the Rome Statute. We recognize that the ICC is only one element in the wider Rome Statute system, the core of which is the responsibility of States themselves to investigate and prosecute the Rome Statute crimes whenever possible. The Statute is built on the principles of universality, complementarity and State cooperation, with the ICC itself as a court of last resort. Like many other parts of the emerging international system, it is still under construction. We continue our efforts and engagement  with the international community so that this new global system can be established with firm foundations, where the law is sovereign and respected, and where  justice for all is recognised as being crucial for peace, stability and development worldwide. We cannot succeed on our own. All States, organisations and individuals have a role to play in the fight against impunity. Each of us can make a difference. Every year, on 17 July, we review and rededicate our efforts to build a more just world, because we are all connected, and because justice matters to us all.  

An event commemorating 17 July as the Day of International Criminal Justice was held in The Hague (Netherlands). The speakers, who included the Presidents of the International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), as well as the ICC Deputy Prosecutor and the ICC Registrar, reiterated their shared commitment to ending impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community and to bring justice to the victims through independent, fair and impartial proceedings.  The speakers were called upon to reflect on the gains made thus far in this struggle and to ponder on the means to address the challenges present in pursuing that endeavour. The event was organised by the Ambassador of Croatia in her capacity as the Facilitator on Strategic Planning in The Hague Working Group of the Assembly of States Parties  to the Rome Statute of the ICC, with the support of the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Belgium to the International Organisations in The Hague; the Ambassadors of Hungary, Latvia, Norway and Switzerland and the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the ICC, as well as the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The 17^th of July marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC. At the first Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala, Uganda in 2010, the -States Parties of the ICC decided to commemorate this unique date, recognising the efforts of the international community to strengthen the emerging system of international criminal justice and to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. This event is part of the broader commemoration of 17 July, the Day of International Criminal Justice. Other activities this year include a new Justice Matters social media campaign with a worldwide call for photos to be posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/justicematters.17july in the lead-up to 17 July, expressing support for international criminal justice from around the world. Participants can also tweet using the #JusticeMatters and #17July hashtags. The social media campaign aims to raise awareness of the vital need for international criminal justice worldwide, and to connect those who strive for this important cause.  

Le  Quatorze Julliet, the National Day of France,  commemorating the beginning of the French Revolution on July 14th, 1789, is  an important annual event in The Hague as well. His Excellency, Ambassador Pierre Ménat, hosted a reception at his palatial residence, which was so well-attended that the line of guests waiting to congratulate the Ambassador, spilled out onto the street. As could be expected from a country like France, known for its exquisite foods and wines, the guests were treated to tasty French delicacies and excellent wines. The famous  Pommery Champagne also  flowed freely. Members of the Dutch Government, Diplomatic Corps, business-community and other guests all mingled in the residence and outside in the gigantic tent. A large number of both French and Dutch companies had generously contributed to the event, which underscores the strong economic ties between France and The Netherlands. Perhaps not known to many is the fact that 1200 French companies are established in The Netherlands and no less than 1400 Dutch companies are established in France.  “Nous avons aujourd’hui deux cents personnes de plus que l’annee derniere ici dans notre Fete Nationale” said ambassador Menat to a representative of Diplomat Magazine.  This is Mr. Menat’s last 14 juillet reception before he moves back to France this summer. On Monday July 28th, Diplomat Magazine will recognize Ambassador Menat with a Certificate of Merit, for his outstanding contribution on the bilateral relations between The Kingdom of the Netherlands and France. Please take a look at the complete set of beautiful pictures by clicking here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/       Please take a look at the complete set of beautiful pictures by clicking here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/ 

Farewell reception Ambassador Belgium. His Excellency Mr. Frank Geerkens, Ambassador of Belgium and his charming wife, Mrs. Aygun Geerkens-Ismayilova, hosted a farewell reception at their residence. An overwhelming number of people, including members of the Dutch Government, came to bid farewell to Ambassador Geerkens, who, during his 3 year posting in The Netherlands, has clearly established a very extensive network. In addition to his diplomatic work, Ambassador Geerkens was a tireless and avid supporter of the cultural ties between The Netherlands and Belgium, regularly  hosting fascinating cultural  events at his residence. Ambassador Geerkens will return to his homecountry Belgium and will be working in the semi-private sector. Please take a look at the complete set of beautiful pictures by clicking here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/    Please take a look at the complete set of beautiful pictures by clicking here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/