Dominican way for Diplomats Meet & Greet, impressive !!!

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Dominican way for Diplomats Meet & Greet, impressive !!!
By Robert Buurke, Publisher. The Dominican Republic Embassy hosted an outstanding, not to say out of the box diplomatic meet & greet last Thursday 3 April at Carlton Ambassador Hotel.   For a complete photo album click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157643453081323/

For more recent diplomatic events click here: https://diplomatmagazine.eu/category/event/

On the opinion of Dominican expats  coming from Amsterdam, Haarlem, Den Haag and other cities “it was the best attended and the highest quality event ever presented by the Dominican Embassy in the Netherlands”. Indeed, first class venue together with  200+ renowned dignitaries and guests sharing a unique diplomatic ambiance. One shall mention the warmth reception of the staff of Carlton Ambassador and butlers from The International Butlers Academy from Valkenburg followed by a line of reception headed by  H.E. Ambassador Luis Arias, members of his diplomatic staff and Dominican dancers from the Latin Dance Social Club of Haarlem and volunteers from The Hague. Dominican rum was served as a welcome drink. Top class snacks came from Amsterdam, from a new state-of-the-art catering company founded by Mrs. Guelda Almonte. Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses Archduke SĂĄndor & Archduchess Herta Margarete handled a special Flame of Peace Award   www.flameofpeace.org to Ambassador Arias, whilst the latter publicly recognized Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses’ support to peace in the world with an official certificate. Ambassador Luis Arias was not only surprised by the support he received from more than fifteen head of diplomatic missions that were present, but to the President of the International Criminal Court and five judges from international courts based in the Hague, members of the press, top Dutch entrepreneurs, officials from the Ministry of Foreign affairs, representatives from the Dominican Community in the Netherlands and the like, all paying a cordial visit to Diplomats Meet & Greet.
Ambassador Arias was very grateful to volunteers for the Dominican Embassy in coordination with Diplomat Club The Hague, Diplomat Magazine, Carlton Ambassador Hotel and sponsors.  This is the first time that during Diplomats Meet & Greet the public was immersed in dancing, this time with Dominican Bachata and Merengue. Ambassador Arias showed us his skills in Dominican music. During his welcome speech ambassador Arias was impressed by the volunteer work and engagement of jazz musicians Mrs. Sonja Langbroek and Mr. Rinus Bakker,  Mrs. Gladys Carrasco, Dominican expat living in Utrecht,    Mrs. Nucita and Miguel de los Santos from the dancing school in Haarlem,  the Dominican dancing couple from The Hague “Esperanza and Iris” that ‘switched on” the party,  the valuable help from Mrs. Rossy Mateo and the embassy’s diplomatic staff. Last but not least, Ambassador Arias mentioned the dedicated work of  his “very active Minister Counselor Eugenio Matos”.  The latter engaged in this project since early December, 2013 together with Diplomat Club The Hague’s volunteer directors Mrs. bb and Mrs. Mayelinne De Lara, Mr. Arwin Paulides, Manager of Carlton Ambassador and volunteers from Diplomat Magazine. This is another positive result from Dominican Republic Embassy’s Public Diplomacy, in addition to Keith Dinnie’s article stating this fact in https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2014/03/02/fine-art-public-diplomacy/ 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 BranCastle (known colloquially as “DraculaCastle”, www.bran-castle.com) He was lecturer at the “Instituto TecnolĂłgico de Santo Domingo”. 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 “farmers”.  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.   carlton.ambassador   Butlers-Academy    

Contemporary Tunisia

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By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief.  By invitation of the Ambassador of Tunisia and Mrs. Karim Ben BĂ©cher close to 150 guests gathered in the ‘Theater aan het Spui’ to experience a unique performance by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi, two  young, Tunisian choreographers, who derived  their inspiration from the handcraft pottery of Sejinane. As the rich, ancient culture of Tunisia is widely known, it was the Ambassador’s wish to present  the contemporary side of Tunisia’s art and culture, as well as its diversity. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dutch business community, Press and Diplomatic Corps were present, as were the Ambassadors of Tunisia’s two neighboring countries Algeria and Libya.

IWC Culinary Odyssey

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IWC Culinary Odyssey
 By Sonia MEIJER. It was my turn to organize the Culinary Odyssey Luncheon for the International Women’s.
   After been on the Board in 2009 , in spite of my very busy life  within my Language Institute Direct Languages Center, I still remain a member at the IWC due to the so many wonderful activities the Club has. The Culinary Odyssey Committee is to savor the delights of the best restaurants in The Hague, and what better than Impero Romano,  where yesterday the food and the personal were  excellent . At the Luncheon we had the chance to talk with all our fellow members and get to know eachother more.  I was also happy to have at this luncheon friends who enjoy to come to the IWC , among them were this distinguish ladies : Wive’s of the Ambassador of El Salvador, of Guatemala and Mexico and one special new guest, Dr.Mayelienne Lara, wife of Dr. Eugenio Matos G, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic and Honorary Associate Publisher of  Diplomat Magazine. Last but not least like Philosopher  HipĂłcraes said ” Let food be the nutrition and your Medicine “.

Guatemala and the integration process CACM & SICA

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Guatemala and the integration process CACM & SICA
                            By Roy Lie-A-Tjam.
Guatemala is already very active economically  in the Mesoamerican, Western Caribbean and Latin American region. However, the country is now looking to Europe and other potential investors. It’s pioneering country in the region; the first to promote Central America,  the first free trade zone in the world. Guatemala has been a member of the Central America Common Market (CACM) since it’s foundation on 13 December 1960, when the original four member states were Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Two years later Costa Rica was also admitted to the group. The CACM main exports are primarily directed to the US, Mexico, Central American markets and then to Europe in fourth place. The high level of cooperation and solidarity in the Central American region is notable. There is a healthy level of interdependence of which the respective sovereign states are very much aware and are acting to improve. The Tegucigalpa Protocol of 13 December 1991 agreed the need to jointly address regional challenges. The five governments of CACM and Panama signed the protocol Sistema de la IntegraciĂłn Centroamericana – SICA (Central American Integration System) in 1991. This protocol aims to consolidate peace, liberty, democracy and development in the region, the fundamental objectives of SICA. The Dominican Republic and Belize have more recently gained access to SICA. SICA represents a market of eight countries with more than 54 million inhabitants where around 28% of the SICA population lives in Guatemala. The aggregated GNP of SICA is about 255 billion US$ and Guatemala represents 20% or 50 billion US$ from the region. Guatemala is currently involved in a border, island and continental waters dispute with Belize. However, a referendum is set to be held in both countries in the very near future, after which it will be decided whether to take the matter to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The Organization of American States (OAS) will facilitate the process. Ambassador of Guatemala, Jorge Lemcke hopes to see a solution to the lengthy border dispute between Guatemala and Belize.  

Interview with Mrs. Besma Fayed

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Interview with Mrs. Besma Fayed
By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief In our series of interviews with spouses of  Diplomats,  this month I sit down with  Mrs. Besma Fayed, wife of His Excellency Dr. Saad Ibrahim Al Ali, Ambassador of Iraq. She welcomes us in their residence, which is arguably one of the most spectacular residences  in Wassenaar. Q: You are yourself a highly educated woman holding a degree in biochemistry. What can you tell us about women-participation in higher education in Iraq? A: “Women play a major role in education at all levels  in Iraq. In higher education 40-50% of the students are female and 35% of the teaching staff  are female, so that gives you an idea of their participation. Most females prefer the fields of  science, medicine or engineering, and the proportion of females in science colleges is higher than it is in the areas of the humanitarian fields. I  myself chose the field of biochemistry because it is very broad and provides many career possibilities.” Q: Of course there are big differences between Iraq and The Netherlands, but can you also name one or two similarities? A: “Certainly there are many differences between any two countries and Iraq and The Netherlands are no exception, but you cannot say that there are big differences. It is better to rephrase your question, what are the differences? I will say that there are many differences, such as the open society, freedom, democracy, infrastructure, technology and so on. Social life, even in Iraq,  varies between different places. Life differs from very conservative to liberal. There are places in Iraq, where people live the same way as is the case in the West and some are not. What I like in The Netherlands is family life. In the weekends when we go to restaurants, we see families together, grandparents, parents and children. There is respect for the elderly. I love this. The other thing that I appreciate most is Dutch tolerance and respect for non-Dutch people and we are always treated well by the people here.” Q: What is your favorite place(s) in The Netherlands? A: “I like everything! It is a beautiful country, but we always enjoy  going to Giethoorn and the seaside at Noordwijk, Katwijk and Scheveningen. I also love Delft and enjoy taking boattrips with the Spido-boat through the harbor of Rotterdam. Just yesterday I visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam with a friend. It was magnificent, but I have to go back, because I could not see it all, it was so much. Of course we will also visit the Tefaf, which is a big experience for me to learn more. The PAN was wonderful as well. Everything is beautiful and we, as a family,  are very happy here.”

Diplomacy in a digital world

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Diplomacy in a digital world
By Jan Melissen, senior research fellow at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’. Diplomatic studies at Clingendael. Diplomats based in The Netherlands can benefit from The Hague as a hub for the study of diplomacy. It is for instance the editorial home of The Hague Journal of Diplomacy (HJD), a research journal with a steadily growing global readership. In 2013 HJD received submissions from twenty countries in all of the world’s continents. Researchers at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ are looking at future challenges confronting diplomacy and diplomats. They engage actively with think tanks and foreign ministries, particularly in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas. The digital age In 2012 the Clingendael Institute produced a widely cited Report entitled Futures for Diplomacy: Integrative Diplomacy in the 21st Century (http://www.clingendael.nl/publication/futures-diplomacy-integrative-diplomacy-21st-century). A subsequent conference with MFAs from all over the world was held in 2013. The aim of Futures for Diplomacy was to analyze the often confusing – and confused – discussions regarding the character and significance of diplomacy in the 21st century environment. In a new and more focused project, like the 2012 project commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brian Hocking and Jan Melissen take a deeper and broader look at diplomacy in the digital age. They welcome partner countries that may wish to join and support this exciting venture. Discussions concerning the impact of, for example, web 2.0 and the growth of social media on diplomacy tend to embrace a range of concepts and quite loosely argued propositions. As with the ‘CNN effect’ in an earlier era, their impact has sometimes been exaggerated. The discussion can however also embrace much broader issues such as those of e-governance, performance enhancement in key areas of MFA activity like consular diplomacy, participation in policy processes at all levels, and governments’ planning capacity. Just a new forum? The environment of diplomacy looks very different even from that of the 1990s. This Clingendael project examines the extent to which the digital world can be viewed as a new forum for traditional diplomacy, or whether it fundamentally transforms diplomacy. A 2011 report from the so-called Toronto Group meeting of MFA secretaries-general noted that in the pre-conference survey participants ranked ‘new communication tools/social media/next generation public diplomacy’ second in terms of importance.  Most of the MFAs surveyed have or are developing an active web presence.  Increasingly these platforms are highly interactive and include social media connectivity primarily via Facebook and Twitter. Contrasting diplomatic futures But there are broader questions that need to be addressed: Will some of the traditional fields of diplomacy become obsolete because of the digital revolution? Does the digital revolution require a fundamental re-evaluation of the rules and practices of a state based diplomatic system?  Does this demand a reappraisal of, for example, key principles of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations? What are the implications of widespread use of social media for relationships with host governments? Answering these and other questions, Clingendael will develop contrasting models of possible diplomatic futures. Seminar for diplomats in The Hague Foreign diplomats in The Hague will be kept informed about the main outputs of the project, including a Report to be completed in the spring of 2015 and an international conference for MFAs and other experts. A seminar for the local diplomatic corps is also envisaged, counting on your participation and expertise.   Jan Melissen is a senior research fellow at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’, Professor at the University of Antwerp and founding co-editor of The Hague Journal of Diplomacy. Brian Hocking is a senior visiting fellow at Clingendael and visiting professor at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium.

Trade missions: a challenge for commercial diplomats

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Trade missions: a challenge for commercial diplomats

By Dr. Huub Ruel, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences – Zwolle

A trade mission is a key instrument in today’s commercial diplomacy. National and local governments and business associations initiate and organise trade missions in order to support businesses gaining access to new markets abroad. Embassies are very often involved in trade missions as they help to provide the networks to arrange match-making and business partner search, and visiting the home country embassy of a target country is usually part of the program. Commercial diplomats can help home country businesses to overcome barriers in doing business in the trade mission target country.

However, how effective a trade mission is still remains a bit of a mystery. Governments like to claim that trade missions boost a country’s exports, but research on this issue is not overwhelmingly convincing. Studies do show that trade missions are indeed an effective instrument for companies to expand internationally and explore new markets. They are a useful way to support individual companies to cross national borders and to invite foreign investors to the home country.

Commercial diplomats play a crucial role in organizing effective trade missions, but they face a number of challenges. In one of the studies conducted by the international business research group at Windesheim University, nineteen commercial diplomats from different OECD countries were interviewed, and all were involved in organizing trade missions.

They expressed that evaluating the effectiveness of trade missions is complicated. The benefits perceived by participating firms are diverse, and expressing them in dollars, euros, or other quantifiable terms is difficult. The commercial diplomats interviewed try to do so, but end up only with subjective outcomes most of the time.

Another issue that arose from the interviews was the follow-up of trade missions. Commercial diplomats lack the resources to actively monitor the progress of participating firms in terms of contracts, deals and agreements.

Some commercial diplomats interviewed also suggested that it could be beneficial to organize joint trade missions by several countries. For example, EU countries could combine their efforts and visit a target country together. Rather than competing, they could look for complementory goals.

But what does the future of trade missions look like? Are they still relevant in a world economy that is becoming more and more digital, and as a result may be percieved as ‘flat’? Or has this digitization only shown how culturally diverse and complex the world is? Will trade missions become even more important for that reason as a physical and real-life experience for business to explore potential new markets?

In a new study currently being carried out by the international business research group at Windesheim University, we are trying to find answers to these kinds of questions. In another study, we are developing a new format for trade missions that pays more attention to the preparation of participating firms and to follow-up.

Trade missions can be a great opportunity for business representatives to explore foreign markets, but are a challenge for commercial diplomats to provide formats that work. I will keep you posted!

Sochi: The Environmentally hostile Games

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Sochi: The Environmentally hostile Games

Sochi the war against the environment

The Sochi Olympic Games are over and it is about time to start considering their controversial environmental heritage. By Antoine Duval, Senior Researcher at the Asser Institute  in The Hague At the beginning there was a lie. The Organizing Committee for Sochi promised “to apply a sustainable management system to the development of facilities and operations, sustainable design principles in construction and improved measures for waste collection, processing and disposal.” However, confronted with the contradictory evidence, it is no longer possible to even confer the slightest credibility to what should be seen as a misleading and hypocritical statement. Moreover, this is not the story of an unforeseen development; the evaluation commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself had highlighted that the organization of the Winter Games in Sochi would be potentially destructive for the environment. NGOs have not ceased in pointing out the total neglect for environmental concerns at Sochi’s construction sites. But, the IOC has turned a deaf ear to the many SOS’s sent out by environmental organizations. Organized irresponsibility at the IOC The German sociologist Ulrich Beck has developed, in his work on the Risk Society, the concept of organized irresponsibility to qualify the fact that we live in a society where nobody seems to be held accountable for the (environmental) risks one gives rise to. This concept fits well the attitude of the IOC. Here, we have an institution that calls into being every second year a gargantuan sporting event producing massive strains on the environment, without considering itself in any way responsible. It is only by submitting the IOC to the close scrutiny of the global public sphere that it might be coerced into enforcing its own values and principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter. A modest proposal: take the Olympic Charter Seriously! This implies that the values and principles highlighted as fundamental by the Olympic Charter, particularly in its preamble (one thinks also, in the context of Sochi, of the principle of non-discrimination), be considered as such in the IOC’s administrative practice. This would mean for example that the environmental criterion, which is nowadays allocated little weight, should be upgraded and considered a fundamental pillar in the evaluation process of the candidate cities. In addition to that, such an ex ante mechanism could be bundled in with binding commitments enforced by independent third-parties (environmental NGOs) that could be integrated into the existing ex post monitoring mechanisms used to oversee the organization of the games (e.g. the host-city contract). Thus, the IOC’s blackmailing on financial conditions and infrastructural investments, could be turned into a “whitemailing” forcing the host city to adopt certain environmental and human rights standards under the shadow of withdrawing the Games. Indeed, the IOC is far from being deprived of means to enforce environmental and human rights standards. To this end, it only needs to give flesh to those fundamental principles anchored in the suave wording of the Olympic Charter.

Interview with Arwin Paulides

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Interview with Arwin Paulides
By Bonnie Klap, Editor in Chief. After  being allowed a sneak peek in the tastefully  refurbished  “Signature”-rooms of the Carlton Ambassador, I sit down with Mr.  Arwin Paulides, General-Manager of the hotel and ask him my first question. Q 1: The name Carlton Ambassador Hotel implies a link to the Diplomatic Community. Is this correct and how did this originate? Absolutely, it starts with the fact that our hotel is surrounded by Embassies as we are located in the middle of the Embassy “district”. Furthermore Carlton Ambassador has been the starting point for many Ambassador’s offering their credentials to H.E. King Willem Alexander. We had so many already, but each ceremony with carriages and horses brings some magic to our lane bordered with old chestnut trees. Over the years many Embassies have found their way to our hotel, to celebrate their National Day, to organise an official lunch or dinner or to offer their guests a “home” in The Hague. In close co-operation with the team of Diplomat Magazine we have created an informal get together with the launch of the monthly “diplomats meet & greet”. Fantastic to experience that this monthly event is much appreciated within the diplomatic world. It emphasizes that our hotel is an excellent base for all diplomatic business. We cannot wait to welcome all Ambassadors for the first “Ambassador of the Year Awards, 2014” party in October! Q2: The Carlton Ambassador Hotel is a small boutique-hotel. How do you set yourself apart from the larger hotels in The Hague? First of all the hotels of Carlton Hotel Collection are all carefully tailored to its specific market and location in order to meet the demands of  individual guests. As a general manager I have to run this hotel as an entrepreneur, we do not have a head office like the (big) chain hotels. We are far from standardized, which gives us all opportunities to be different and keep focus on a “everything is possible” mentality. At the Carlton Ambassador we aim to be a “local hero” in the city. The fact that we are far from standard already starts with our residential building oozing classic charm and character. A sincere and warm welcome in a homely atmosphere gives many guests the feeling of being a guest in their own private mansion. This combined with personalized service and real interest in guests makes a great difference. In the end the team members are really able to exceed guest expectations. At the Ambassador they are not overloaded with rules and standards they always have to use. They really have the opportunity to listen to the guest and even more important to use their own unique character to ensure memorable stays. Talking about boutique
..! Our new room type “Signature” emphasizes the boutique style in the best possible way. These rooms have been decorated with meticulous attention to detail in a Dutch Boutique style with Hindeloopen elements, Hague Blue fabrics as well as Delft Blue bathrooms and accessories. To ensure the most comfortable of stays, an array of contemporary features and modern technology is included in all rooms. A “for your comfort” panel allows you to individually control lighting, temperature and window shades of the room with one single touch. The Signature rooms create a sense of arrival, so that guests are immediately aware of their surroundings. Be all welcome to experience this yourself!Carlton.Ambassador.2 Q3: What would you specifically like to  share with the readers of the Diplomat Magazine? I would like to thank all readers again who have voted for us in last year’s “World Luxury Hotel Award” competition. After we have been selected as Europe’s best “Luxury City Hotel” in 2013, we are nominated again for this prestigious and exclusive award in the luxury hotel sector for 2014! We are incredibly proud to have won this international award for our new boutique style which is an endorsement of our hotel’s unique and charming character. Even more important is that our guests really experienced outstanding service, flexibility and true freedom of choice.    

‘It was truly gezellig !’

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‘It was truly gezellig !’
by Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland Justice (Judge) in the Court of Appeal and Special Advisor International Affairs of the Municipality of The Hague The Nucleair Security Summit 2014 in The Hague on March 24 and 25 was in many ways a success. Over fifty world leaders, together with 5.000 delegates and 3.000 journalists made The Hague for two days world news. For a lot of you these must have been very busy days, with your Head of State, Prime Minister or Minister of Foreign Affairs here. The central person was of course US-President Obama, the man of the initiative for the four summits on nucleair security, of which this was the third one. Not only the President of the USA, but also a warm person and nice guest with his charming conclusion: ‘It was truly gezellig’. For those who do not know the Dutch word ‘gezellig’: it is so typically Dutch, that I am sorry not to be able to translate it.  It is different from and more than ‘cozy’, ‘nice’ etc. It was a race against the clock who would be first in The Hague: President Obama or the new US-ambassador H.E. Mr. Timothy Broas, but at last the ambassador ‘won’. He presented his credentials to the King only five days before the Presidents arrival.  The Hague is glad that there is now –after several years without one- a new US-ambassador, who by the way also turned 60 in the few days between the King and the President. Congratulations with all this, Mr Broas ! H.E. Mr. Timothy Broas had previously been an attorney at law all his life. So was I during almost thirty years (as well as President of the Bar Association), so welcome him as a former colleague as well. More good news from the US embassy: at last the building of a new embassy between The Hague and Wassenaar started. In a few years H.E. Mr. Broas will open it, we hope. And, yes, that will be also ‘truly gezellig’. a.beelaerts@planet.nl  
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