Sinterklaas

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By Bonnie Klap. Granted, each country has its own peculiar customs. For example,  the Halloween-parties in the US comes to mind, with its skeletons and pumpkins and ‘trick-or-treat’- traditions. Strange as that may seem, in my opinion, placing a shoe, filled with a carrot and some water and hay ( for the horse) next to the fireplace at night, in eager anticipation of finding  a gift in that very same shoe  the next morning is a lot odder! This brings me to the Dutch tradition of the annual Sinterklaas –festivities. You might be under the impression that this is primarily a children’s feast, but a  surprisingly large number of Dutch  people –children and adults alike  – enjoy celebrating  Sinterklaas. Interestingly, hundreds of years ago Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas as he actually was called, really did exist! He was a Greek bisshop in the town of Myra, which is located in present-day Turkey. The Saint-Nicholas feast used to be an occasion to help the poor and needy by putting money in their shoes, a custom, that has  evolved into putting presents in the shoes of children. Sinterklaas rides a white horse ( ‘a gray’), carries a ceremonial gold shepherd’s staff and is accompanied by one or more “Zwarte Pieten,” ( Black Peters).  The Black Peters, who are dressed up in colorful costumes resembling 17th century pages, provide a comical note and throw handsful of gingernuts to the children. Each year Sinterklaas travels by ‘steamship’ ( supposedly loaded with children’s gifts) to Holland. The tradition of travelling by ship can be traced back to the days that St. Nicholas was a famous patron of the sailors. Of late, however, dark clouds have gathered above Sinterklaas, as can be read in the Dutch newspapers. Not only will the continuing economic woes undoubtedly impact the sales of Sinterklaas-gifts and therefore make for more ‘empty children’s shoes” as a journalist gloomily remarked, but more troublesome, the ‘Zwarte Pieten,” themselves have come under attack, as this tradition is viewed by some as a throwback to slavery. The issue has initiated a lively discussion between passionate proponents and opponents of Zwarte Piet  on the internet as well as ample attention for the subject in the press.  It will be interesting to see how this thorny matter plays out.   

The Dutch learn about Diplomacy in The Hague

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The Dutch learn about Diplomacy in The Hague
By Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Justice in the Court of Appeal and honorary Special Advisor International Affairs of the Municipality of The Hague  For most people outside the diplomatic world diplomacy is something they do not know much about. They see expensive cars with chauffeurs and a CD-registration in the streets of The Hague, they see the ambassadors only with a glass of wine in their hands on photo’s in some newspapers and wonder what kind of work they do. That’s why it was a very good thing that the national Dutch quality newspaper NRC Handelsblad had a four page article on ‘Diplomatenstad Den Haag’ on Saturday November 16th. The Ambassadors of Kosovo and Spain, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mayor of The Hague, as well as I myself (The Hague’s ‘city ambassador’, the paper wrote) were interviewed for it. I think that the readers of  NRC Handelsblad do now have a much better idea about the important work of diplomacy.   The ambassador of Kosovo H.E. Vjosa Dobruna had been chosen because she had to present her credentials to the King on October 16th, in the period that the journalist wrote his article. Other new ambassadors who we welcomed were on October 9th H.E.’s Ms. Liisa Talonpoika (Finland), Mr. Ahmad Mufleh (Jordan) and Ms. Maymouna Diop Sy (Senegal), on October 16th Mr. Taher Ahmed Farahat (Egypt) and Mr. Roman Kirn (Slovenia), on October 30th Mr. Ibrahim Sorie (Sierra Leone), Mr. Petar Vico (Serbia) and Mr. Wilson Masilingi (Tanzania) and on November 6th Mr. Emilian Brenici (Moldova) and Mr. Adani Illo (Niger).   Hopefully they and other ambassadors will learn about the history of our country –in the presence of the King- on Saturday November 30th on the beach of Scheveningen, because basically with the Landing of The Prince 200 years before, the Kingdom started (in 1815).   a.beelaerts@planet.nl

Water Security and Peace

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Water Security and Peace
  By Fieke Maas Geesteranus, Freelance Reporter for UPEACE Centre The Hague and Henk van Schaik, Board Member UPEACE Centre The Hague In a recent article in the September edition of this magazine, Henk van Schaik, Board Member of UPEACE Centre The Hague and Chairman of the international conference ‘Water Security and Peace’, advocated that water security demands water diplomacy. He cited Kofi Annan: “Water is mostly a shared resource that can be a catalyst for cooperation if we work together” (January 2002) and Van Schaik stated that “its realization will require stepping up of the efforts among all stakeholders towards cooperation”. To address Water Cooperation and Peace, the Water Diplomacy Consortium[1] organised the international two day working conference ‘Water Security and Peace’ on 14 and 15 November 2013. The conference was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Municipality of The Hague and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. The consortium aspires to become an international knowledge hub for water diplomacy, governance and law, and to contribute to conflict prevention and conflict resolution related to intrastate and transboundary water management. The conference took place at the Academy Building of the Peace Palace in The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice, and was part of its centennial celebration. Moreover, it contributed to the UN International Year of Water Cooperation, wherein the celebrations on 21 March of World Water Day in The Hague took place as well. Over 200 people from more than 60 countries actively participated in the conference, amongst others diplomats, scientists, civil society leaders, lawyers and other professionals from international, national and local organisations, all dealing with water-related disputes. Alexander Verbeek, Strategic Policy Advisor at the Climate, Energy, Environment and Water Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, argued that water diplomacy is an essential tool for the prevention of water conflicts around the world: “Water has no boundaries. Therefore it is imperative that we cooperate on a global scale and promote the two Water Conventions from the UN and UNECE to live up to that ambition.” He continued: “It is a real challenge to take into account multi-level interests while we see water resources becoming scarce – a task for which diplomacy is well-equipped.” However, this takes time. Verbeek concluded: “In the end, it’s about trying to create a win-win situation for all and to develop equitable and sustainable distribution and usage of water.” Sustainable water management links up with one of the main outcomes of the Rio+20 conference which was held in June 2012: drafting a set of Sustainable Development Goals. In order to propose on these goals, an Open Working Group of the General Assembly has been created. Its first session in March 2013, was co-chaired by the Permanent Representative of Hungary. BalĂĄzs Attila Heincz works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary and as organizer was present at the Budapest Water Summit last October, that strongly recommended the development of a dedicated and comprehensive Sustainable Development Goal on Water. Speaking to him, Heincz said: “I see many parallel processes between the Budapest Water Summit and this conference organized by the Water Diplomacy Consortium. At the Summit, water diplomacy was emphasized as a tool to build trust and to harness opportunities for shared benefits as well.” Heincz mentioned that he was pleased to hear that the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation announced on the margins of the UN General Assembly this year, that a Sustainable Development Goal for water within the post-2015 development agenda is imperative. He added: “It is very important that the member states are aligned and that we share knowledge.” The importance of knowledge sharing on Water Diplomacy was well illustrated by Carel de Villeneuve, Senior Policy Advisor for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. Within the UNECE Water Convention, which he chaired in the past, the Netherlands has organized several training sessions on transboundary monitoring, and took the initiative for creating a Task Force on Water and Climate Adaptation, stimulating mutual research and interactions between policy and technical developments. “The importance of such lies in its transboundary effect: the mutual research and extensive discussions on water and climate adaptation lead to a guidance document which is followed by a number of pilot studies, and besides, is being consulted outside of the European region as well.” This fostered a global outreach; even South-Asia for example is interested in the workshop outputs and lessons learned. De Villeneuve added: “Global knowledge sharing has a positive impact on the international water debate and should be a continuous process.” This conference on water security and peace aimed exactly to do so, addressing the growing needs for water conflict prevention and resolution. As water resources are becoming scarce and further polluted in the years ahead, the participants of the international conference ‘Water Security and Peace”, indeed made a strong case for international cooperation to strengthen resilience and to find ways to ward off future water conflicts.
  • ·         The key note Opening presentations and the final plenary of the conference can be viewed on: www.thewaterchannel.tv/peace
 

[1]The consortium consists of five partners: The Hague Institute for Global Justice, UPEACE Centre The Hague, Clingendael, UNESCO-IHE and the Water Governance Center.

Royal Sunset and the Anastasia Controversy.

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Royal Sunset and the Anastasia Controversy.
   By Malcolm McEwan. The World War of 1914-1918 brought to an end three powerful European Imperial Dynasties  – the Romanovs, the Hohenzollerns and the Habsburgs. What was the role of these dynasties in bringing about their own demise? This is the topic of a fascinating book by Gordon Brook-Shepherd and the subject of a recent talk I presented to the IWC in the Hague. Alliances between the major powers changed dramatically between 1870 and 1914: Germany was close to Russia until Bismarck was pushed aside by Emperor Wilhelm II in 1890. Russia then sided with France. When Queen Victoria died in 1901 and her successor Edward brought about the “Entente Cordiale “ with France,  Germany and Austria were “surrounded ”.  The assassination of the Austrian Crown prince Frans Ferdinand in Sarajevo led to a chain reaction: Austria declared war on Serbia, Russia mobilised and Germany declared war on Russia, and attacked her ally, France, through Belgium. The families of the British, Russian and German dynasties were very closely linked – for example King Eward VII (ruled 1901-1910) was seen as the “Uncle of Europe and a photo shows a family gathering of the Russian and British royal families on the Isle of Wight in 1909. During the war brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles etc found themselves on opposite sides. During the revolution in Russia of February/March 1917  the position of the Tsar was undermined  by divisions among the Romanovs. When the Russian Imperial family were imprisoned by the new Provisional Government asylum in England was refused by King George V, the cousin of Tsar Nicholas, with tragic consequencies. But did all of the Imperial Family die? In my talk I review the life of “Anna” – she appeared in Berlin in 1920 and died in America in 1984. She claimed to be Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nocholas. She shocked and divided European royalty and was, I believe, the media sensation of the 20th century – headlines, Hollywood films, Broadway Plays, Cartoon films and controversy – over more than six decades. She was positively recognised as Anastasia by Romanovs and others who knew Anastasia from before the revolution, and a German expert testified in court that photos support her claim – for example:  Anastasia 1917  “Anna” in New York, 1928 DNA evidence has been produced that “proves” she was a factory worker born in a peasant family in Poland who escaped from a Berlin asylum in March 1920.  Do we believe this or do we trust our own eyes?

In Support of “Silent Night”

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In Support of “Silent Night”
    In a  series of “wonderfully awful” decisions which have seemingly sprung straight from the pages of ”How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, Dr. Seuss’ beloved mid century children’s story, the news  broke on Friday, November 15, that “Silent Night” had been scrapped from the Dutch Catholic Churchs’ newly published song book (liedboek).  One day later, in a brief, but well placed  announcement in the “Nieuws” section of  the NRC Handelsblad, readers learned that  “Silent Night”, or “Stille Nacht”, as it is known in Dutch, was “redacted” by the Dutch bishops from the approved song list along with 300-400 other “traditional songs”.  As is commonly known, the media, especially the Dutch media, is often dismissive, if not outright contemptuous, of the Catholic Church, so one must first ask, can it really be true?  Has a surreptitious attempt been made to secretively silence the singing of “Silent Night”? If asked, Norbertine monk, Joost Jansen, director of the Berne Abbey in Heeswijk-Dinther, where the song books are published, would likely respond positively.  In fact, he already has. In recent interviews, he has cited a number of reasons for the bishops’ decision to scuttle the song, but is courageously singing  it out, for there will be no silencing of  the joy of “Silent Night” in his abbey during Advent!  The Christmas carol controversy shows no signs of being quelled. Two days ago, Bishop Jan Liesen of Breda, in an open letter published on the official website of the Roman Catholic Church (RKKerk.nl), clearly stated that “folk” songs require approval by both the Dutch Bishops Conference, presumably in the form of a valid decree, and the Holy See and that this has been the case since 2001. Conspicuously absent from the letter, however, is any  reference to the “Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy”, published by the Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, which is available for review on the Holy See’s official website. To date—it seems that none of the parties weighing in on the matter have referred to the guidelines.  In stark contrast to the various opinions being expressed locally, on the subject of traditional songs such as “Silent Night, Holy Night”; the directory, formally introduced by papal decree and in a 21 September, 2001 address by His Holiness, Bl. John Paul II, actively encourages the use of popular devotions and pious practices such as the singing of traditional songs during Advent. In fact, bishops have been called  to take a “positive and encouraging stance with regard to popular religiosity, unless there are patently obvious reason to the contrary”. While all of this may sound like “much ado about nothing”, serious singers should be asking, why has “Silent Night, Holy Night” become a subject of so much discussion?  According to Michael Neureiter, President of the Silent Night Society , in a press release published electronically on the society’s website;  Silent Night,  is above all, a “Carol of Peace”.  Nearly  200 years after the song was performed for the first time before an appreciative public;  it has spread across the world and been translated into more than 300 languages and dialects.  In the process, it has become a “fixed part of festivals and celebrations” during the Advent season.   In 2011, the Silent Night Society successfully applied to UNESCO to have the song included on Austria’s national list of UNESCO’s Immaterial Cultural Heritage.   More recently, the society applied for the European Cultural Heritage Label, an EU initiative, which in the words of the Society’s  spokesmen Michael Neureiter and Eva Reinecker, “has evolved to commend historical sites and places of cultural interest, which symbolize and emphasize European integration, the ideals and history of the European Union”—reason enough, it would seem for the “universality” of this cherished Christmas carol to warrant safeguarding it as a symbol of both Christian and cultural heritage by continuing to include it in the Dutch song book.    

Non-proliferation education and outreach

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Non-proliferation education and outreach
By Onur GĂŒven, researcher public international law on arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation at the T.M.C. Asser Institute. Already known as the legal capital of the world, The Hague is also, together with Geneva, Vienna and New York City, one of the international centres on disarmament and non-proliferation. To sum some of the qualities in this matter: the city will house the third Nuclear Security Summit in March 2014, the region facilitated the conclusion and establishment of related international treaties and instruments,[1] and most importantly the city is seat for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). On December 10 the Nobel Peace Prize Lecture will be held in Oslo as part of the Award Ceremony. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the OPCW with the Nobel Peace Prize for its “extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons [CW]”,[2] thereby honouring The Hague community with another Nobel Peace Prize winner. The OPCW carries extensive efforts, not only to eliminate CW, but also to prevent their reemergence. And it is this latter responsibility, non-proliferation, which is perhaps, in the long run and without underestimating the complexity of the challenges in CW disarmament, a more lasting challenge. The effects of information and communications technology combined with globalisation have rapidly altered our social environment. These changes are amplified by various other scientific and technological developments, including the convergence of chemistry and biology, the advancements in the life sciences, the continuous increase of processing power, and the emergence of applied nanotechnology and 3D-printing. All of these developments carry a dual-use nature, the potential to use them both for peaceful purposes and for hostile purposes. But the line where we have to differentiate between these purposes may not always be evident. These challenges and opportunities underline the importance of raising awareness of the dual-use nature of science and technology and of the ethical framework of conducting research. And of course the importance of the legal framework with regard to the licensing and trading of technology; which surprised the scientists close by in Rotterdam when they published their H5N1 research only to found out that they were required to obtain an export licensing permit in accordance with the Dutch code implementing the Australia Group Common Control List.[3] Media exposure, while perhaps effective on raising awareness on the effects of WMD use and the importance of WMD destruction, may not always suffice. Proliferation risks posed by new technologies may not be so readily identifiable for audiences as the effects of the CW use in Syria entering our household screens. Education and outreach is therefore vital to address some of the core non-proliferations concerns, namely: the role of researchers and the general public in preventing the proliferation of WMDs and their delivery systems. And in this matter The Hague is becoming increasingly prominent through the synergy between the international organisations and community it houses and the various knowledge centres and platforms in nurtures.  

[1]These are: the Hague Declaration concerning Asphyxiating Gases, the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, and the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.
[2]‘The Nobel Peace Prize for 2013’, The Norwegian Nobel Committee, 11 October 2013.
[3]The question remains to be further settled at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal and with potential consequences in the EU and among the Australia Group members.
 

Carnegie, Inspiring Diplomats

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Carnegie, Inspiring Diplomats
By Dr. Eugenio Matos G., Minister Counselor, Responsible for Public affairs, Dominican Republic Embassy in The Hague, Hon. Associate Publisher of Diplomat Magazine. Looking back a century ago,  viewed from today, Sunday December 1st, 2013*, one of humankind greatest achievements was marked by the opening of the World Court.  On August 28th, 1913, to be precise, the court opened her doors to the world for the first time and with the official opening, The Hague became home to the highest judicial institution on earth. Following nearly a half century of discussion –since 1864 with the sinking of the USS Alabama by the USS Kearsarge during the US Civil War- over the need for the creation of such a judicial entity to be commissioned with the settlement of  disputes through legal arbitration at the international level; her mission was set to begin. Today, the Court is also home to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The latter, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and to date, the ICJ has issued approximately 150 judgments and offered numerous advisory opinions to the UN Security Council. With the opening of the World Court, Andrew Carnegie’s lifelong dream took form, as is  described in “The Dreamer”, the article written for us last summer, by Dr. Willem Post, for the first issue of Diplomat Magazine.  The Peace Palace was financed by Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American industrialist, who is remembered today for having been the most well known philanthropist of his age.   In his words and writing at the time; he often referred to the Court as a “Temple of Peace.”  Carnegie was a man whose life was marked by an unwavering thirst for peace, repeatedly saying that, “peaceful arbitration is one of the few causes for which it not only justifiable, but a duty to champion.”, H. Stuart 2013. Thanks to the generous support from the media, both here in The Hague and beyond; the thoughtful input which has been freely offered from persons employed by the many NGOs in our community and the many contributions which have been received from both international volunteers in academic circles and other citizens of goodwill; promotion of public awareness of the Peace Palaces’ noble achievements of the last century to the widest public has been made possible.  Here, in The Hague, we as look to the future, we continue to be inspired by Andrew Carnegie. In June, 2013, diplomats and selected Dutch citizens were moved, during the yearlong centennial of the PeacePalace, to found Diplomat Magazine (DM), the first official diplomatic magazine in the Netherlands.  Honorable Steven van Hoogstraten, general Director of the Carnegie Foundation (Peace Palace) and Treasurer of the Hague Academy of International Law together with the Mayor of The Hague, Mr. Jozias van Aartsen were the guests of honor at the reception held at the Carlton Ambassador during the  launch of the magazine.  Many accredited ambassadors and diplomats to the Netherlands, members of Parliament and distinguished representatives from the academic sector were also present.e.matos-LuisArias-RobertoCalzadilla-ambassador.Malta-ambass.Japan-RoyLie-StevenHoogtraten Peace Palace, June, 2013. Diplomat Magazine’s founders Eugenio Matos G., ambassador Luis Arias (Dominican Republic), ambassador Roberto Calzadilla (Bolivia), Ambassador MartinValentino (Malta), Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine (Japan), Roy Lie (Associate Editor), Steven van Hoogstraten (Carnegie Foundation and one of the first DM’s contributing writers). But as novel ideas often serve to inspire others towards creativity and change, in the City of Peace and International Relations, a “newborn” to promote The Hague is now enchanting the diplomatic corps, members of international organizations and selected Dutch citizens.  This newly organized institution was very recently founded by Mrs. SBB and former Miss Dominican Republic, Mayelinne De Lara. It has been baptized in the Kingdom of the Netherlands as Diplomat Club The Hague (DCH). There is no doubt that the Vredespaleis was a source of inspiration for her as well, as Mrs. SBBlives behind the Peace Palace. To be more precise, her residence is located directly across the street, at Carnegielaan 11, a symbol for —Son meilleur voisin ? His Excellency, Monsieur Pierre MĂ©nat, Ambassadeur de France. Every morning, Mrs. SBB awakens to a view of Peace Palace silhouetted against a softly illuminated sky and, with the day’s dawn, is inspired by Mr. Carnegie’s vision and optimistic determination to use arbitration of international disputes to bring about world peace. The Hague is proud to welcome Diplomat Magazine and Diplomat Club The Hague, two newly organizations, whose members are working closely together as volunteers, to advance the lofty goals of world peace through diplomacy as articulated by Mr. Carnegie, more than a century ago.  Both DM and DCH are founded as stichtings, non-profit organizations  promoting les relations internationales et la diplomatie dans un milieu de dĂ©tente et d’informalitĂ©. Recently, they have partnered with local authorities, to successfully promote the  Vredespaleis’ magnificent centennial.  In the years to come, they will continue with their stated goal of educating the public about the work of the PeacePalace and, in the process, it is hoped that the Court’s mission and work will become better known and more understood by the world’s peace minded citizens everywhere. Before extending my seasons* greetings and wishing all of you the best for 2014, please open the following links with more info about Diplomat Club The Hague and images when Publisher Robert Buurke, Associate Editor Roy Lee and the subscriber were invited on August 28th to the centennial commemorations. https://diplomatmagazine.eu/dc/ https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2013/08/29/official-celebration-100-years-peace-palace/
* December 1st, 2013, is special for the author, the birthday of his beloved son Paul Matos (15), currently in Ottawa, Canada, and date of the 6th edition of Diplomat Magazine.
         

MoMi seminar

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MoMi seminar
MoMi seminar  By Roy Lie. On Wednesday 27 November, a seminar took place which focussed on MoMi, the Modern Migration Policy Act for foreign investors and the preferential treatment of skilled migrants. The European Investment Council (EIC), under co- chairman, Nico Leerdam, co-organised the seminar with the Ministry of Security and Justice, Interconnection and Limes International, and the Dutch Chinese Young Entrepreneurs and their chair, Mrs Bonnie Xie. H.E. Mr. Fred Teeven, State Secretary of the Ministry of Security and Justice, delivered the keynote address at the event. Teeven expounded on MoMi, seen by many as his brain child, and invited the audience, and also the general public, to come forward with recommendations and constructive criticism. Interconnection explained their expat-related activities, while Limes International called for a closer cooperation between the stakeholders involved in migration. One of the prominent delegates was Dr Van Eekelen, a former government minister who attended with his wife. Van Eekelen hailed Mr Teeven for placing MoMi in the public domain for discussion. He stated that never before has a policy act for foreign investors been discussed in this way. Evaluation of the effectiveness of MoMi will take place next year and the EIC can look back on a successful seminar. For more pictures about this event click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/

FINE ARTS. FĂȘte Du Beaujolais

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FINE ARTS. FĂȘte Du Beaujolais
By Drs. Eva Maria E. Mennes.   France knows how important culture can be to promote a country. One of the most charming ways to advertise ‘La douce France’ in autumn is the FĂȘte Du Beaujolais. Every year it is a tradition at the Wittenburg Castle. Already at the gate a ‘French police man’ guided your car up to the driveway through the wood, lightened with big torches and again a ‘Police man’ helped you to find the way on the driveway. Valet parking took over and you were welcomed with French music on the stairs and at the entrance of course by the manager of the castle Mrs. Hoogeweegen. After a first glass of wine, served by ‘French waitresses’,  21 2CVs, the funny little French cars, crossed the terrace of the castle to bring ‘French Police’, ‘Cancan girls’ and last but not least the excellent chef Jan Willem Rietfeld and his staff all with the French Tricolore and magnum bottles of the new red wine, the Beaujolais Primeur up to the castle. Ralf Meppelder, the general manager of Wittenburg castle shortly greeted the many VIP guests with a charming speech. The celebration was enhanced  with life music by Michiel Borstlap and French songs of the famous Dutch singer Liesbeth List  who interpreted the French icon Edith Piaf. Her beautiful dress was a creation of the Dutch couturier Ronald Kolk, also present, who could easily compete with the best French colleagues. In the Lodewijk zaal the main sponsor of the evening, Mark van Nieuwkerk of jeweller Schaap & Citroen showed samples of the Reverso, the Master Compressor and the Atoms collections of Jaeger Le Coultre watches. The whole evening was an example of class with excellent snacks, different cru wines and of course the new French wine by Jaap and Martijn of Kwast Wijnkopers, the Beaujolais Primeur.

Exchanging experiences on economic and social development

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Exchanging experiences on economic and social development
21 participants from various part of the world participated in the training course Local Economic Development, that was organised this month by The Hague Academy for Local Governance. They discussed strategies for fostering economic growth in relation to poverty reduction and social protection. Visits were paid to the municipalities of The Hague and Westland, where they learned about projects to promote entrepreneurship, agriculture and youth employment. The participants came from:   Kenya (UNDP and Social Reform Centre) BosniaHerzegovina (Municipality of Bijeljina) Sudan (Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation) South Africa (BuffaloCity, Amathole District and GeorgeMunicipality) Palestine (Municipal Development and Lending Fund, GIZ and VNG International) Jordan (Ministry of Interior) Egypt (UNDP) Ukraine (LvivMunicipality) Ethiopia (BahirDarUniversity) Rwanda (Association of Local Government Authorities) Nepal (Gorkha District Development Committee) Bangladesh (BetagaMunicipality) Pakistan (East Karachi District) Indonesia (Article 33 – NGO)   Comments from two participants:  “Excellent course, broad scope of content, excellent presenters with broad international experience. Maybe the single biggest plus for me was the international mix of inputs and shared learning” and: “We should try to give the message that, even a country is fragile and unstable in relation to government changes, LED could still bring some positive changes.”
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