Willem Post’s new Book
New book in Dutch about New York by ‘city-expert’ Willem Post.
For the first time in world history a majority of people live in cities. In his newest book âThe Magic of New Yorkâ, Willem Post explains the different factors of success that make New York the number one city of the world for many. What can other international cities learn from New York? In ‘De Magie van New York’ Willem Post will share his view on the success factors of New York, supported with interesting facts and need-to-visit places. This book offers insights about how other cities all over the world can learn andbe inspired to becoming a succesful city. Dutch newspapers like NRC, het Financieel Dagblad, AD en Het Parool highly recommend this ‘sophisticated travelbook’.
Willem Post is based in The Hague and specialised in American politics and foreign policy. He is one of the most requested U.S. experts. He studied Modern American History and International Relations at Leiden University. As U.S. specialist he comments for many media-organisations, such as the NOS, BBC the World and Public Radio International in the United States. During the Nuclear Security Summit Willem Post explained the importance of nuclear security at BBC the World and many other Dutch and international media.
Photographer Ton Wienbelt contributed to this book with remarkable photographs. Book is for sale via bookshops like Paagman and many others in The Hague and The Netherlands. You can also order via www.demagievannewyork.nl, the website of the authors.
Willem Post is writer of six books about the political, historical and social developments in the United States of America, including âObamaworldâ (2009).
A single permit for work and residency from 1 April
Foreign nationals coming to the Netherlands to work for a period longer than three months will receive a combined residence and work permit (gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid, GVVA) as from 1 April. They no longer have to submit separate applications for a residence permit to the Netherlands Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst, IND) and for a work permit to the Netherlands Employees Insurance Agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen, UWV). From today, a single procedure at the IND suffices.
State Secretary Teeven (Security and Justice) and Minister Asscher (Social Affairs) welcome the simplification of the procedure, as only a single application for a single permit must be submitted to a single authority. In doing so, they also comply with an EU directive that prescribes a single application procedure and a single combined permit for work and residency. The combined permit is intended for third country nationals from outside
the EU, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland. This grants them the right to reside and work in the Netherlands for a period longer than three months.
The conditions under which a foreign national can come to the Netherlands to work and live remain unchanged. For instance, a foreign national can only work in the Netherlands if there is no Dutch and EU labour supply for the work. There is also a verification of whether the foreign national enjoys the proper terms of employment. The UWV provides advice to the IND in these matters. The IND becomes responsible for the GVVA and its issuance. The GVVA applies to the majority of the labour migrants from outside the EU. However, seasonal labourers, students, asylum seekers, and Croat nationals remain subject to a work permit. Nothing changes for highly skilled migrants as they already require only a residence permit at present.
The GVVA is a residence permit that includes an additional document specifying at which employer, in which function, and under which conditions the foreign national is allowed to perform the work. If these conditions are not fulfilled, the Inspectorate for Social Affairs and Employment can impose a fine on the employer.
China and the Netherlands strengthen bilateral relations
The Peopleâs Republic of China and the Netherlands are to step up their bilateral cooperation. The decision is outlined in a joint declaration following the State visit to the Netherlands by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. The Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Partnership for Comprehensive Cooperation confirms the intention of both countries to work together in a broad framework, focusing on political and economic issues, international developments and security, culture and science, and exchange visits. China and the Netherlands have also agreed to strengthen their existing dialogue on human rights, including through regular bilateral consultations. The Joint Statement also reaffirms the two countriesâ mutual commitment to promote and protect human rights.
At the State banquet, President Xi underlined the importance of good relations with the EU and said that the Netherlands was Chinaâs gateway to Europe. During the visit, contracts worth hundreds of millions of euros were signed with Dutch businesses, including KLM and the dairy sector. The Chinese president also attended an economic forum in Noordwijk, along with representatives from over 500 Chinese and Dutch companies.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte received the Chinese president at the Catshuis, where they discussed a range of topics, including global security, the economic situation and relations between the two countries. Also present were foreign minister Frans Timmermans, foreign trade and development cooperation minister Lilianne Ploumen, economic affairs minister Henk Kamp and education minister Jet Bussemaker. The meeting concluded with the signing of agreements on cooperation in the fields of energy and dairy production and on setting up a Chinese cultural centre in the Netherlands
At Keukenhof Castle, President Xi attended a presentation of Dutch agricultural innovations, including LED lighting for growing cheaper tomatoes, an ultra-modern manure processor and a milking robot. The event also featured technology for improving food security.
Sri Lankan, Tamil and Sinhalese New Year
The Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Buddhi Athauda, has the pleasure to invite everybody who wants to join in to take part in the celebration of Sri Lankan, Tamil and Sinhalese New Year on Sunday the 27th of April 2014 (09.00-21.00 h.), on the grounds of (football club) SVV Scheveningen, Laan van Poot 38-C, 2566 ECÂ DEN HAAG (free entrance) and to enjoy there:
* sport and games for young and old
* the delicious dishes served from the Sri Lankan cuisine
* the prizes that can be won in a number of activities
* song and dance
* and many more nice surprises
Thank you for helping us turning this event into a success
Royal Family at Dominican DMG in The Hague
Direct from Diplomat Magazine’s Publisher Robert Buurke and Honorary Associate Publisher Dr. Eugenio Matos G. and the Special collaboration of Baron Henri Estramant.Â
H.E. Mr. Luis Arias, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, will be hosting Diplomats Meet & Greet at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel on 3 April, from 6pm, in the presence of Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses Archduke SĂĄndor & Archduchess Herta Margarete of Austria-Tuscany, Royal Prince & Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, Prince & Princess of Croatia. As matter of anecdote the âBraĆovâ (Romanian) line of the Habsburg Dynasty whereto this archducal couple belongs is the only one wherein the lineage of Maria Theresia mixes with British Queen Victoria.
Herta Margarete of Austria-Tuscany
SĂĄndor of Austria-Tuscany
Which is the link between Their Imperial and Royal Highness and the Dominican Republic?
Archduke SĂĄndor attended the « Colegio Carol Morgan » in Santo Domingo. His father, Archduke Dominic, who is co-owner and administrator of Bran Castle (known colloquially as âDracula Castleâ, www.bran-castle.com) He was lecturer at the âInstituto TecnolĂłgico de Santo Domingoâ.
During the II World War some members of the Habsburg House led by  Crown Prince Otto of Austria, Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia, assisted the Portuguese Consul-General in Bordeaux, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, to smuggle Jewish refugees and obtain visa for them to the Dominican Republic as âfarmersâ.  The Dominican Government was amongst the few countries welcoming Jewish refugees.
His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke SĂĄndor was born in 1965 in Vienna, Austria, as a direct descendant of Empress and Queen Maria Theresia of the Holy Roman Empire, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, of Bohemia, of Croatia, etc. He is a member of the Tuscan line of the Habsburg Dynasty. He spent his youth in Austria, the Dominican Republic as well as Antigua and Barbuda. After he completed his university studies in the USA, his professional activities took him back to Europe, particularly to Austria. Presently he is on the board of directors of several companies and organisations.
Main lineage of Archduke SĂĄndor & Archduchess Herta Margarete.
Maria Theresia ,Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia and Franz I Stefan of Lorraine, Holy Roman Emperor, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Leopold II of Austria, Grand Duke of Tuscany (as Pietro Leopoldo I), Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Bohemia and Maria Luisa de BorbĂłn, Infanta of Spain
Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Archduke of Austria and Luisa Maria Princess of the Two Sicilies
Leopoldo II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Archduke of Austria and Maria Antonia Princess of the Two Sicilies
Karl Salvator, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Marie Immaculata Princess of the Two Sicilies
Leopold Salvator, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Blanca de BorbĂłn, Infanta of Spain
Anton Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana, Princess of Romania
Dominic, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Engel Virginia von Voss
SĂĄndor, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Herta Margarete, Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany
Russian Imperial Family
Catherine II the Great, Empress of Russia and Peter III, Emperor of Russia
Pavel I Petrovich, Emperor of  Russia and Sophia Dorothea Princess of WĂŒrttemberg
Nikolai I Pavlovich, Emperor of Russia and Friederike Luise Princess of Prussia
Aleksandr II Nikolaievich, Emperorof Russia and Marie Princess of Hesse and by Rhine
Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Maria Aleksandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia
Ferdinand, King of Romania and Marie of Edinburgh, Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
Anton Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana, Princess of Romania
Dominic Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Engel Virginia von Voss
SĂĄndor Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Herta Margarete Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany
British Royal Family
Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Albert Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxony and Maria Aleksandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia
Ferdinand, King of Romania and Marie, Princess of Edinburgh
Anton Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Ileana Princess of Romania
Dominic, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Engel Virginia von Voss
SĂĄndor,Archduke of Austria, Prince of Tuscany and Herta Margarete Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.
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National Day of Pakistan
By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief.
On the occasion of Pakistan Day the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mr. Moazzam Ahmad Khan hosted a reception. The reception was held at the Ambassadorâs historic residence, which was built approximately 150 years ago and was purchased by the Government of Pakistan in the early 1950âs. The reception was well attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps, Government and representatives of the Pakistani and Dutch business community. After the reception the guests were invited into the magnificent diningroom to enjoy a delicious buffet of Pakistani dishes.
Photo album click here:Â https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157643032781933/
More recent diplomatic events:Â https://diplomatmagazine.eu/category/event/
National Day Tunisia
By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief.
The Ambassador of Tunisia and Mrs. Karim Ben BĂ©cher hosted a reception in the Worldhotel Bel Air to celebrate the National Day. A seemingly endless line of well wishers came to congratulate Ambassador Ben BĂ©cher. The overwhelming attendance can no doubt be attributed to the Ambassadorâs vast diplomatic and social network and his affable personality.  Following the reception an elaborate buffet with Tunisian specialties was offered to the guests. In addition to the delicious Tunisian cuisine, a slideshow, which was played in the background, gave an impression of various highlights of this beautiful country. 
For more recent diplomatic events click here:Â https://diplomatmagazine.eu/category/event/Â
Philippines’ nr.2 in The Hague
H.E. Jejomar C. Binay at the ISS.
The Vice-president of the Philippines, Mr Jejomar C. Binay, gave a very sharp and interesting lecture at ISS. His speech included topics such as migration and development perspectives of the Philippines, investment and legal recognition of citizens. H.E. Jaime Victor B. Ledda, Ambassador of the Republic of Philippines, also directors and representatives from migrations agencies, ONGâs and more than two hundreds expats from Philippines living in the Netherlands attended the event. Jejomar Binay was Mayor of Manila for 21 years before becoming number two of the Country.
ICC’s warrants of arrest for Al-Bashir from Sudan
ASSEMBLY OF STATES PARTIES TO THE ROME STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.
Directly from the ICC, President of the Assembly of States Parties.
Message sent on behalf of the President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. Ms. Tiina Intelmann, concerning the visit of Mr. Al-Bashir to Chad. I would like to inform States Parties that my Office received information that Mr. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, the President of Sudan, arrived today in the Republic of Chad, to address the âForum of border tribes between Sudan and Chadâ, taking place from 25 to 29 March 2014. The International Criminal Court has issued two warrants of arrest for Mr. Al-Bashir, dated 4 March 2009 and 12 July 2010, respectively. The Assembly has repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the negative consequences that failure to comply with decisions of the Court has on the Courtâs capability to carry out its mandate. I renew my appeal to States Parties and others in a position to do so to join efforts to prevent instances of non-cooperation. Furthermore, I would like to remind States Parties that, as provided by Assembly Resolution ICC-ASP/12/Res.3, âcontacts with persons in respect of whom an arrest warrant issued by the Court is outstanding should be avoided when such contacts undermine the objectives of the Rome Statute.âGALA- Sponsored by the American Women’s Club of the Hague
By Linda Divon, President.
The American Womenâs Club of The Hague is pleased to announce its 3rd Hearts and Mind Gala, which will take place on Saturday evening, June 14th, at the Hilton Hotel in The Hague. We invite you to partake in a very special and fun filled evening, starting with an elegant reception, followed by a delicious three course dinner and wine, fantastic music and dancing. There will also be a Live and Silent Auction.
The Gala theme is âHelping Special Children in Needâ.
All proceeds will go to three beneficiaries :
Lighthouse Special Education, Laat ze Maar Lachen and Hulphond Nederlands.
We welcome the Hague Community at large and hope that you will all join us on June 14th for a most enjoyable and memorable evening. Together, we will be able to make a difference in the lives of special needs children.
Tickets are 125 euros per person and can be purchased through heartsmindstickets@gmail.com. For more information about the gala or beneficiaries, contact us at awc.hearts.and.minds.gala@gmail.com