The Dutch and their Bikes
Fast, cheap, good for the environment and good for health. Add to this the excellent cycling infrastructure, and it is only logical that there are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands. More than 10 years photographing the American photographer and writer Shirley Agudo incomparable Dutch bicycle culture in all its facets. For Dutch is the everyday workhorse also become a way of life: the cockroaches
with his tricycle full of children, the hipster with his colorful bike without brakes, the TH-student with his recumbent and school youth with the grandmother or the baker bike. The Dutch & their bikes not only gives an overall view of city and country, it is also about how Dutch bike designers internationally with trendy models break (VanMoof, Spiked, Bough Bikes) and how the Dutch cycling culture an export product has become more than hearing takes place at city drivers of large cities such as Paris, London and New York. Because they want to time with more bicycles than cars.
A Very Special Gold
By Richard Griffiths.
It is often said that the best way to gauge the nature of a country is through its sports. If there was ever any doubt , the Winter Olympics should have removed it altogether. The nation was glued to television sets to enjoy the unbelievable succession of triumphs in speed skating. But in the midst of the shower of gold, silver and bronze there is one very special gold that promises to be the start of a revolution.
On February 16th Jorien ter Mors entered the 1500 meters women’s speed-skating and laid down a new Olympic record and the second fastest time ever skated at sea level. It blew the opposition away and secured for her the gold medal. Two of her Dutch team-mates also reached the podium.
Why was this particular gold so revolutionary? First I have to explain that there are two varieties of skating. Short-track is skated on a ‘short-track’ that fits into the perimeter of a hockey-pitch and which seems to consist mainly of left-turns. Four or five competitors start together and, in what is a physical contact sport, often seem to crash into opponents, usually eliminating all concerned. Speed-skating is on the equivalent of a running track and it consists of a series of time-trials with one direct ‘opponent’. Jorien’s achievement was revolutionary for two reasons.
The first is that speed-skating was not Jorien’s main event. She had come for the short-track skating. To specialize in the one, and to be so successful in the other is unheard of. The second reason is that while speed-skaters manage one event every three or four days, and stick to their training schedules for the rest of the time, Jorien had spent the 15th February skating no less than three 1500 meter races, emerging a disappointing fourth place in the finals. Two days before that she had managed two 500 meter races. Following one day’s rest she was off to try for the 1000 meter short-track final before returning for the speed-skating relay.
There are two lessons waiting to be absorbed from this experience. The first is the value of an interdisciplinary approach to sports and that there evidently are cross-over skills for such combinations. The second is that speed-skating might benefit from a more intense match regime that today is more closely associated with, of course, short-track, but also with swimming, where individuals compete in heats and finals over different distances and sometime with different styles within a relatively compact period. It posts a question whether lay-offs between events are necessary or beneficial. But the revolution will not come easily. Thomas Kuhn in his Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) described how paradigm shifts build slowly behind the resistance of the establishment. As Jorien expressed her own amazement at getting gold ‘on the wrong track’ and her coach joked light-heartedly about the strangeness of speed-skating conventions, the speed-skating legend Rintje Ritsma, in the television commentator team, dismissed their statements as ‘disrespectful’.
Worldhotel Bel Air The Hague
By Bonnie Klap.
Mr. Stephan Van der Meulen, General Manager of the Worldhotel Bel Air The Hague, receives us in the newly refurbished Penthouse Suite on the ninth floor, which has a magnificent panoramic view of The Hague, its seaside, harbor, light tower and down town buildings. The Hague has several top-level hotels. What, in his opinion, sets Worldhotel Bel Air apart from the others, I ask Mr.van der Meulen.
“Our focus is very much on personal attention. The guest comes first, so our employees strive to make the stay of every guest warm and welcome. Basically every hotel offers the same things: a bed, meals etc., but ultimately it is the personal touch that makes the difference and given the references and recommendations about our hotel, which can be read on, for example, Tripadvisor, we are fortunately succesfull in our approach.”
The Worldhotel Bel Air has 300 rooms and suites and is located very close to a number of well-known international organizations, such as the OPCW, the ICC, ICJ and others. Does the Worldhotel Bel Air get many guests connected to these organizations?
“Yes, we welcome a great number of guests connected to the international organizations in The Hague and due to our unique location we will be playing a pivotal role during the NSS – the Nuclear Security Summit – which will be held in The Hague on March 24 and 25. As a matter of fact our hotel is right in the middle of the so-called ‘red zone,’ which means that our premises will be totally fenced off. Nobody can come in or out. The people who will be working here are all accredited press-people and will be wearing special press-passes. I myself will be staying in the hotel for three days and nights, so I will be available immediately should an unexpected problem arise. For our hotel it is a huge honor and a huge challenge to be part of this event.
Our Food and Beverage Department will be dealing with 11.000 meals during those three days and two tents will be set up on the parking lot, which will be converted into a press conference hall. A total of 2000 people of the writing Press will be working in our hotel, but an additional 1000 people of the Television and Radio will also be present. Our hotel is ideally suited for high security events, as we were audited by a Security Company and declared a safe location. We regularly have guests from International Trade Missions who stay here. At other times we have a very top-level guest who prefers to enter the hotel unseen, which we are able to provide. Another big, international event that is coming up is the World Championship Field hockey, which starts in May. Our hotel has been chosen to be the Tournament-hotel for the players. We are very used to catering our services to an international clientèle. For example, if we have a Chinese guest we arrange for a Chinese Chef to prepare his meals and also provide a Chinese interpreter. We do the same for a guest from India for example. We will make sure the guest is served Indian food and we strive to solve any language problems. As I said, it is about the ‘Personal Touch’ and we, at the Worldhotel Bel Air, try to go the extra mile.
Fine art and public diplomacy
By Keith Dinnie, Founder, Brand Horizons.
Fine art can play an important role in a country’s public diplomacy strategy. Fine art represents a wonderful opportunity to build bridges between countries, transcending political differences through the celebration of art that crosses borders and enthuses audiences regardless of nationality. The promotion of fine art by individual countries constitutes one element in the broad concept of cultural diplomacy, which also encompasses literature, music, sport, and other cultural expressions.
Some diplomats are highly attuned to the importance of fine art. For example, former US Ambassador to the Netherlands, Professor Cynthia P. Schneider, served as an exhibition curator at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts before her diplomatic career brought her to The Hague in 1998.
The Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition is a high profile fine arts event that attracted over 475,000 visitors in 2013, its most recent incarnation. Possibly realizing the public diplomacy opportunity to engage with such a large, receptive audience, ten countries participated for the first time in the 2013 Biennale, joining the seventy-eight countries already participating. Countries participating for the first time included Angola, Bahamas, Côte d’Ivoire, Kuwait, Maldives, and Paraguay. In her book ‘Seven Days in the Art World’ (published by Granta Books, 2008), Sarah Thornton devotes an entire chapter to the Venice Biennale, and features a brief interview with the head of visual arts at the British Council, who comments on how important it is to use art to promote Britain’s foreign policy objectives.
Here in the Netherlands, a key player in the interface between fine art and public diplomacy is Drs. Eva Maria Elisabeth Mennes Wuesten, Director of the Eva Art Production Foundation. Drs. Eva Maria Elisabeth Mennes Wuesten is an expat herself and knows the impact of promotion by art. Through organising and promoting artist visits and exhibitions in collaboration with the embassies of various countries in the Netherlands, Drs. Mennes has a deep understanding of the power of fine art in enhancing the reputation of countries.
In March this year, for example, Drs. Mennes’ organisation will be involved in bringing Guatemalan artist José Toledo to the park in front of Wassenaar’s townhall De Paauw at the start of a two-month exhibition of the artist’s work. Ambassadors from various countries will attend the opening ceremony. During the summer months Jose Toledo’s sculptures will be seen in the annual Sculpture Park at Duin & Kruidberg Estate at Santpoort Noord, just an hour’s drive from The Hague. In autumn the artist Juan Carlos Reyes from the Dominican Republic will have an exposition at the prestigious Kasteel de Wittenburg at Wassenaar, another Public Diplomacy project from the Dominican Embassy in The Hague.
keithdinnie@brandhorizons.com
CLEER Presidency Lecture series – Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council
By Dr. Aaron Matta, Senior Researcher in EU Law.
Academic Programme Coordinator of CLEER, T.M.C. Asser Instituut
CLEER special lecture on ”The experiences of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council in the field of external relations”, 20 February 2014, T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague.
The lecture was chaired by Dr. Aaron Matta, Senior Researcher in EU Law and Academic Programme Coordinator of CLEER and took place in the context of the CLEER special lecture series examining the Presidencies retrospectively with the aim of assessing the extent to which each country has fulfilled its aspirations and what its actions have meant for the European Union’s international relations more broadly. Dr. Matta made a few preliminary remarks before introducing the speakers, discussing in brief the three main priorities for the Union agreed upon at the beginning of the Lithuanian Presidency in July 2013, namely, restoring financial stability and growth, guaranteeing energy security and promoting openness, particularly through closer cooperation with Eastern Partners.
His Excellency, Mr Darius Jonas Semaška, Ambassador of Lithuania to the Kingdom of the Netherlands gave a highly reflective presentation on the key challenges, aims and achievements of the Presidency, with particular reference to the unique Lithuanian perspective in policy-making and the advantages this offered. The Ambassador underlined the fact that although the Lithuanian Presidency began in a difficult political climate, at a time when the EU was facing criticism regarding its capacity to respond to the economic crisis and a great deal needed to be done to restore credibility, many achievements were nevertheless accomplished. He referred to the significant steps made towards the establishment of the Banking Union, the restoration of trust in the Eurozone, evidenced by Latvia’s recent accession, and the advancements made in trade cooperation. The Ambassador underlined that energy infrastructure was further developed and that Union-wide projects were successfully implemented which created a more favourable business environment, thereby strengthening the EU’s stand in external relations. He also referred to the advancements made in the field of enlargement, emphasising that the prospect of EU accession remains a great driving force for a country to implement the necessary reforms, pointing to the agreement on the resumption of negotiations with Turkey by way of example. The Ambassador also discussed the successes of the Vilnius Summit of November 2013 with regards to the development of the Eastern Partnership, referring in particular to the Association Agreements with Georgia and Moldova, along with the visa facilitation agreement with Azerbaijan.
Prof. Dr. Peter van Elsuwege, Professor of European Union law at Ghent University and Academic Coordinator of a Jean Monnet Module on “The Legal Dimension of EU External Relations” continued by providing an insightful, critical analysis of the success of the Lithuanian Presidency in the light of the challenging political and economic climate. Prof. Elsuwege examined in particular the priority of the development of the Eastern Partnership in the Presidency’s external policy, concluding that its visibility has increased and that important steps were taken at the Vilnius Summit, in spite of the fact they were tainted by the disappointment over the U-turns in policy witnessed in the cases of Armenia and the Ukraine. He referred to the rather hesitant response of the EU regarding the Russian ban on diary exports from Lithuania and following the first protests in Kiev. He questioned whether things could have been done differently in retrospect and whether it was foreseeable that the development of the Eastern Partnership would encounter these hurdles, rendering the decision to prioritise it rather naïve. Prof. Elsuwege nevertheless concluded that the Lithuanian Presidency did what was expected of it and successfully managed the economic and social agenda of the EU, making significant advancements towards the achievement of its overriding objectives in external relations.
A highly engaging discussion followed the presentations, with both speakers responding to comments and questions from the audience, particularly on the issue of the EU’s response to the situation in the Ukraine. The lecture concluded with a reception.
A smile and a thought….
By Eelco H. Dykstra, MD.
Introduction
Eelco H. Dykstra is what one could call a ‘professional expat’: his career in emergency and disaster management spanned more than 20 years during which he was involved in both the policy and practical sides of crisis management on four continents. A few years ago he returned to the Netherlands from WashingtonDC and remains active in the international arena. While in the USA he also served as an international correspondent, wrote a number of books and was an active member of the National Press Club.
Not only is Eelco the driving force behind the launch of ‘Foundation Counterpoint’ as a new, international and independent ‘Think- and Do-tank’. This organization will be launched shortly and will be described in a feature article next month. One of the ‘raisons d’être’ of Foundation Counterpoint coincides with that of Diplomat Magazine: to bridge the gap between the diplomatic community and the Dutch. Because of his international background and his writing antics he will join the editorial staff of Diplomat Magazine and write a monthly column called “A smile and a thought…” The columns put a playful spotlight on the interface between the Dutch and the International Community it hosts. Yes, his musings may appear at times to be mildly provocative at first sight but they are first and foremost playful – with a little irony thrown in here and there… You be the judge!
His columns are intended to give you ‘a smile and a thought’. A smile because perhaps you hadn’t quite looked at something that way and a thought because the column may leave you wondering…
“Diplomats have the job of conveying, in the most persuasive way possible, the views of the home government to the governments to which they are accredited and, in doing so, to try to convince those governments to act in ways that suit home country interests. In this way, diplomats are part of the beginning and the end of each loop in the continuous process through which foreign policy is made.”
So far the standard description of what diplomats do. The Dutch seem quite pleased with what they do and how they do it. And why not? Every nation seeks to push its best qualities to the front and the lesser ones – if they exist at all – to the back. A fine piece of Dutch national marketing skills can be found in the USA. For some time now, this is the slogan with which the Dutch Embassy and its Consulates explain what Holland is and why that matters:
“The Netherlands is the same size as Maryland, has the same population as Florida and/but generates the same GDP, Gross Domestic Product, as the State of New York… ”.
The impression this leaves with Americans is obvious – and positive. “Wow…, impressive!” The Netherlands, so small (Maryland…) yet so productive (New York…).
Holland is not only small but what never ceases to amaze the neutral international observer how fragmented it is. Look at the number of smaller entities it has for its size. Look at the number of political parties participating in local elections. Look at the number of broadcasting companies on Dutch television. Look at the number of newspapers and magazines for sale. For such a relatively small nation to have 403 counties, 12 provinces (and a public body of the Caribbean Netherlands), 24 Water Boards, and 25 Safety Regions, each with their own governing bodies, it’s amazing that the Netherlands work at all. Yet it must and it does to achieve the same GDP as the State of New York.
Hang on a second. Let’s look again at the slogan used by the Dutch Embassy. Why not compare the Netherlands to ‘Chicagoland’? The Greater Chicago area is also enclosed on one side by water. The Greater Chicago are also has a population well in excess of 15 million. Considering The Netherlands as Chicagoland means that we are talking about Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague serving as the cultural, economic and government ‘hubs’ in a single, large metropolitan area with some green inside and a lot more green outside of it.
Presenting the Dutch ‘Randstad’ as the Greater Chicago area? I don’t think the Dutch will go for it. The Maryland – Florida – New York comparison works much better. A fine piece of “conveying, in the most persuasive way possible, the views of the home government to the governments to which they are accredited”. A fine piece of marketing. Diplomatic marketing. It’s an art!
Royal Couple and PM received Medalists
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, Her Majesty Queen Máxima and Prime Minister Rutte received Tuesday, February 25, 2014 the Dutch medalists from the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The Royal Couple receives the athletes at NoordeindePalace. The Prime Minister receives the winners at the Ministry of General Affairs.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and NOC * NSF provided the official ceremony program for the Olympic medalists in The Hague. After the reception at the Ministry of General Affairs, the medal winners, their coaches and mentors honored in the Great Hall where Prime Minister Rutte, Minister Schippers of Health, Welfare and Sport, NOC * NSF president Bolhuis and Chef de Mission Hendriks address them. A Reception was then organized at NoordeindePalace.
Sunny Side up in Spain
By Nané Lagerwey, top-10 golf player in the Netherlands, former expat and MA in English literature.
Sotogrande and Valderrama. Does it sound familiar to you? Both golf clubs, which are located only one- hour drive from Malaga airport, belong to the most prestigious courses in Spain. Immediately I feel more than welcome amongst the easygoing Spanish people. The hyper real authentic Andalusian looking clubhouses radiate warmth, elegance and style. Meanwhile the fireplace crackles and comforts.
Last Christmas break I had to escape the Dutch ominous clouds and flew straight to the Mediterranean sun. Spain in winter is always a good excuse to practice my golf skills.
As soon as I arrive, a great tapas lunch – with a magnificent seaside view – awaited me, in order to hit the ball even further.
My dear friend, Mr. Cees van Leeuwen, who has been the previous Secretary of State, invited me for a round on his home course Sotogrande. Lovely pine trees alternate the exotic palm trees, yet our balls do not refrain from clashing against nature. In the midst of winter, it feels like a dream to feel the sun and a delicate breeze caressing my bare arms.
After the 9th hole we have a drink halfway in a small cottage, before heading to the tenth. Drinking soda and eating pata negra with manchego is apparently much easier than hitting the ball straight onto the fairways.
For golf fanatics, Valderrama is Elysium. Although the average golf player might come across as cack-handed, no one would notice your flaws, because each hole bedazzles you even more than the other. Club de Golf Valderrama, the venue for the 1997 Ryder Cup, two World Golf Championships and 16 editions of the Volvo Masters, is even more stunning than ever. Although my driver is prone to hara-kiri, it was –due to the length of this highly appraised golf course — obligatory to get it out of my bag.
We could argue about whether ‘happy slapping’ is an oxymoron, in the sense of hitting golf balls from right to left and from left to right, at Valderrama this term may be considered absolute bliss. Seeing every little spot of this number 1 European golf course is a joy instead of a punishment. In the end, I must admit that after 18 mesmerizing holes, the bogeys on my scorecard still hurt me. All the more reason to return as soon as it starts raining in Holland. Hasta luego, my Sunshine.
Interview with Mr. Bernard Wientjes
By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief.
Mr. Bernard Wientjes is currently fulfilling his third term as President of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers. His vast experience as former businessman and as President of this Confederation enables him to answer a few questions regarding the Dutch economy. He welcomes us in his spacious office overlooking central The Hague and takes his first question:
What can the Dutch government do to improve Dutch export?
“Well first of all, the Dutch economy is dependent on exports, which added value totals EUR 180 billion annually, so it should be a priority to support the export as much as possible. We can do this through economic diplomacy, using the Embassies and Consulates, as they are our foreign trade representatives. Secondly, the Government is responsible for tax-treaties, so they must ensure that there are no tax-barriers for other countries to invest here. Thirdly there is the TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. The EU is currently negotiating Free Trade agreements with the US, Japan and ASEAN. We expect the Government to fully support these negotiations. Protectionism is a big danger for trade. We are very happy with our Minister of Foreign Trade, Ms. Lilian Ploumen.”
Are you worried about unemployment in The Netherlands and if so, what should be done about it?
“ On the long term I am not pessimistic, but at the moment we are still at the end of the recession. Our GNP did not grow in 5 years. Our national income in 2013 was the same as in 2007. No growth equals unemployment, so we absolutely need growth. The growth forecast for 2014 is 0.5%. That is too low. We need at least 1.5% growth, but world-wide the signs of economic growth are encouraging, so I am a bit more optimistic. Long term, because of demographics, there will be a shortness of labor. I see it as a so-called ‘war on talent.’ We need highly skilled people. Companies such as ASML and Philips already have people with 20-30 different nationalities working for them. We need everybody in The Netherlands. At the moment 22 out 100 Dutch students study technical sciences, in Germany that number is 40 out of 100 students. In Germany there is a very strong industry, so that makes sense. The reason that this is not the case in The Netherlands is because some time ago The Netherlands was likely to become a country of ‘service-industries,’ so the students based their choice of study on service-related courses and social sciences. Today the situation has reversed and the industries are returning to The Netherlands. Technically trained people are in high demand.”
The Netherlands is proud of its ‘Poldermodel.’ Does it still work?
“That is a good question. Many think that the Poldermodel is dead, but in my opinion it is very much alive. As a matter of fact the Government survived because of the Poldermodel. Initially the Coalition agreement was not accepted and it was re-written because of the Poldermodel. The increase in pension-age, the reform of the labor laws all these changes were made possible through the Poldermodel. We know we have to make compromises. The Poldermodel will always be with us. Compromise is in the blood of the Dutch people. On a totally different note I would like to say that I am very happy with the decision not to close the Embassies and Consulates in Munich, Milano, Antwerp and Chicago. At the moment we are fighting to prevent the closing of the consulate in Osaka. The Netherlands is very much dependent on foreign trade and the Embassies are our most important Trade representatives.Therefore they should remain open.”
Australia in The Hague: a proud legal tradition
By Neil Allan Mules, Ambassador of Australia to the Netherlands.
The Australian Embassy in The Hague lies just behind the gardens of the Peace Palace, the preeminent centre for international law and justice opened in 1913. The official residence, not far from the chancery, was built during the same era and has been continuously occupied by Australian Ambassadors since the 1940s. Australia’s role in the development of international law and the delivery of international justice is similarly close and enduring. Recognising early on the utility of a world court, Australia ratified the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice in 1921 and subsequently accepted the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction. Australia played an important role in the drafting of the Statute of the Permanent Court’s successor, the International Court of Justice, and advocated in favour of compulsory jurisdiction. The Australian jurist and former Minister for External Affairs, Sir Percy Spender, served as Judge of the Court from 1958 to 1964 and President from 1964 to 1967. Eminent Australian international lawyer, Professor James Crawford, has been nominated for election as a Judge of the Court this year.Australia and Australians have also made a noteworthy contribution in the field ofinternational criminal law. Australia played a significant role in the drafting of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and continues to work to promote its ratification. Australia has contributed financially to all the Hague-based international criminal courts and tribunals. The first Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Graham Blewitt, came to The Hague having prosecuted former Nazi war criminals in Australia. Three Australians have served as Judges of the Tribunal, including the former Governor-General of Australia, Sir Ninian Stephen, who drafted the first version of the Tribunal’s rules. Today, Australians are working in senior roles throughout the Hague-based legal institutions as investigators, prosecutors, IT specialists, defence lawyers, librarians, researchers, translators, analysts and administrators. The Presiding Judge of the Trial Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, David Re, is Australian, as is the current Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, John Hocking. The Australian Embassy continues to provide practical and diplomatic support to the international legal institutions and works to strengthen and improve their governance. Australian diplomats are active in the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, the Administrative Council of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Hague Conference on Private International Law. The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote that humankind was at its worst when separated from law and justice. This was proven almost one hundred years ago when war broke out across Europe, less than one year after the Peace Palace opened in The Hague. There is perhaps no more an important time as now to reflect on the necessity of international law and the hope of international justice. Australia is committed to working to ensure that hope becomes reality.