The Hague in the world and the World in The Hague
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
Click here for more pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/
On Tuesday 19 November 2013 a group of local residents, Hagnaars, and members of The Hague international community, came together for a Hague Bridge event in Valkenbos, city district Segbroek.
The internationals were from: Bhutan, Singapore, Russia, Lebanon, Cote d’Ivoire and other countries.
A varied programme was planned for the evening, which included a lecture on Dutch customs and a dance performance, that the guests enjoyed while sampling Dutch and African food.
Hague Bridge, a program of the Municipality of The Hague under the acumen management of Dr. Willem Post, has, as it’s main objective the enhancing of interaction between Hagenaars and expatriates , diplomats and internationals. On this evening this was certainly attained.
H.E. Pierre Menat, en l’honneur de la Francophonie
En l’honneur de Monsieur le Président Abdou Diouf, Secrétaire général de la Francophonie, et a l’occasion de la deuxième session de l’Assemblée des Etats Parties de la Cour pénale internationale, H.E. Ambassadeur de France aux Pays Bas, Pierre Ménat, has received selected guests for a déjeuner-buffet at his residence here in The Hague on Wednesday 20 November, Résidence de France Tobias Asserlaan 1. Click here for more pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/ 
Pictures: Emy COTTET-DUMOULIN – Ambassade de France aux Pays-Bas.
King’s Day Belgium
By Bonnie Klap.
November 15 is a special day for the Belgian Monarchy. Since 1866 the day has been marked by celebrations in honor of the Belgian Monarch. The tradition was started by King Leopold II, who was the second King of Belgium. On November 15 His Excellency Mr. Frank Geerkens, Ambassador of Belgium to The Netherlands, hosted a reception at his residence to celebrate King’s Day. The reception was attended by a great number of guests, amongst whom several well-known Dutch politicians.
For more pictures about this event and other diplomatic gatherings please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/
The Alliance Francaise awaits you!
At the Alliance Française of The Hague, a team of highly qualified teachers awaits you to meet your language needs.
The Alliance Française of the Netherlands is part of an international network, comprising of 950 centers in over 150 countries worldwide. The name “Alliance Française” is an international label: it stands for quality and efficiency for French language training and communication.
Spoken by 220 million people on all five continents, French is the official language of diplomatic exchange and is therefore one of the requirements of the most prominent international organizations including international courts and tribunals, the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union… and of course the OIF – Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. In The Hague, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yougoslavia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands, Oxfam/Novib, Schindler Elevator Corporation, and The Hague University (Department of Law) already figure amongst our current clients. As such, fluency in French has become a “master-key” to improving the quality of international relations and business negotiations with your French and Francophone peers.
The language courses provided by the Alliance Française de La Haye are conducted by professional and dynamic native speakers who are specialized in Business French, Legal French and Diplomatic French. Besides a solid international experience, all our teachers have obtained the relevant academic qualifications for teaching French as a foreign language thus reinforcing their skills and efficiencies.
At the Alliance Française we use a variety of learning material including authentic and original documents which are geared towards your professional, institutional or personal requirements. Working with new and updated information technology is yet another way in which we deliver the best teaching experience and this includes the use of the interactive whiteboard, as well as material from TV5 Monde and RFI – Radio France International. There is also the availability of modern multimedia and audio equipment, linked to a specific database consisting of original documents allowing you to sign up for an active and hands-on learning program. Our courses are all “tailor-made” which means that they are specifically designed for you. Rapid, efficient, immediately applicable, and most importantly, adaptable to your schedule is what the Alliance Française is prepared to offer you.
Official partner of the French Embassy in the Netherlands, the Alliance Française is also an accredited examination center for diplomas and certificates which are recognized and accepted worldwide, such as DELF/DALF, TCF, TEF, DAEFLE… Our administrative staff is more than happy to take care of all your administrative work from the organization of your classes. We offer service from A-Z including the proposal of convenient schedules, creating different groups based on individual competencies, checking the availability of learning material, as well as informing you about certificates, diplomas, and test levels. You don’t have to worry any of this. You are an individual or a corporation wishing to train staff-members in groups: we are there to take care for you!
Please contact Morgane THEBAULT for more information and a personal appointment: pedagogie@aflahaye.nl We will be more than happy to collaborate with you and to contribute to your success.
À très bientôt
Martin Beyer, director
Spoken by 220 million people on all five continents, French is the official language of diplomatic exchange and is therefore one of the requirements of the most prominent international organizations including international courts and tribunals, the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union… and of course the OIF – Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie. In The Hague, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yougoslavia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands, Oxfam/Novib, Schindler Elevator Corporation, and The Hague University (Department of Law) already figure amongst our current clients. As such, fluency in French has become a “master-key” to improving the quality of international relations and business negotiations with your French and Francophone peers.
The language courses provided by the Alliance Française de La Haye are conducted by professional and dynamic native speakers who are specialized in Business French, Legal French and Diplomatic French. Besides a solid international experience, all our teachers have obtained the relevant academic qualifications for teaching French as a foreign language thus reinforcing their skills and efficiencies.
At the Alliance Française we use a variety of learning material including authentic and original documents which are geared towards your professional, institutional or personal requirements. Working with new and updated information technology is yet another way in which we deliver the best teaching experience and this includes the use of the interactive whiteboard, as well as material from TV5 Monde and RFI – Radio France International. There is also the availability of modern multimedia and audio equipment, linked to a specific database consisting of original documents allowing you to sign up for an active and hands-on learning program. Our courses are all “tailor-made” which means that they are specifically designed for you. Rapid, efficient, immediately applicable, and most importantly, adaptable to your schedule is what the Alliance Française is prepared to offer you.
Official partner of the French Embassy in the Netherlands, the Alliance Française is also an accredited examination center for diplomas and certificates which are recognized and accepted worldwide, such as DELF/DALF, TCF, TEF, DAEFLE… Our administrative staff is more than happy to take care of all your administrative work from the organization of your classes. We offer service from A-Z including the proposal of convenient schedules, creating different groups based on individual competencies, checking the availability of learning material, as well as informing you about certificates, diplomas, and test levels. You don’t have to worry any of this. You are an individual or a corporation wishing to train staff-members in groups: we are there to take care for you!
Please contact Morgane THEBAULT for more information and a personal appointment: pedagogie@aflahaye.nl We will be more than happy to collaborate with you and to contribute to your success.
À très bientôt
Martin Beyer, director Tropenmuseum expands its photo collection
The Tropenmuseum commissioned Anoek Steketee to photograph an remarkable phenomenon in Indonesia: ‘plesiran tempo doeloe’. A new leisure activity in which men and women, young and old, recreate aspects of the colonial past by dressing in period costumes and role play. This commission is the first in a series in which the Tropenmuseum invites leading contemporary photographers to respond to the historical photo collection of the Royal Tropical Institute.
http://www.tropenmuseum.com/-/MUS/5341/Tropenmuseum
Ambassador Karabaranga present credentials at OPCW
By: Willem Versteegh, Communication Expert at Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda.
On Wednesday October 9, 2013 Ambassador Jean Pierre KARABARANGA presented the credentials letters to the Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons/OPCW Ambassador Ahmet Uzumcu. Ambassador Jean Pierre was accompanied by Minister Counselor Guillaume KAVARUGANDA.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an intergovernmental Organizations located in The Hague. The Organization promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention which prohibits of the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction. The organization is not an agency of the United Nations but cooperates both on policy and practical issues. The headquarters were officially opened by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on 20 May 1998.
During their discussion Ambassador Jean Pierre KARABARANGA informed the Director General of the OPCW that the Republic of Rwanda does not possess chemical weapons and assure him the willingness of the Government of Rwanda to cooperate fully with the OPCW Secretariat in eradication of the chemical weapons worldwide. Ambassador KARABARANGA informed him that Rwanda has a national law dedicated specifically to the chemical weapons. He emphasizes that the Rwandan National Police and other relevant institutions has received proper trainings to deal with the use of chemicals weapons in case of need. KARABARANGA reiterate the need to work together to avoid that Chemical weapons gets in hands of terrorist groups.
On 30 April 2004, Rwanda becomes the 162nd State Party to the OPCW. At that time there were 40 African countries that were Member States in the said Organization. As of today 190 countries are members of the OPCW. Rwanda joined the OPCW together with Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, Libya and Chad.
On the 12 May 2011, Rwanda acceded to the Executive Council of the OPCW until May 2013. The Executive Council consists of 41 members who are elected by the Conference of State Parties for a term of two years.
On 1st – 3rd November, 2011- The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Technical Secretariat carried out a Technical Assistance Visit (TAV) to Rwanda.
The Director General thanked the Rwandan Government for their tangible results in the promotion of the total elimination worldwide of chemical weapons.
MUSICA, symphony orchestra based in DH
Musica is an amateur symphony orchestra based in The Hague with over 70 very enthusiastic members and an inspiring young conductor. Twice a year we give concerts in The Hague; weekly rehearsals take place at the Vrije School, Waalsdorperweg 12, The Hague, on Tuesday evenings from 7.30 – 10.15 pm. We take our music seriously but social gatherings are equally important, such as the annual BBQ at the beach and the chamber music evening at the beginning of the year.
Expats have regularly found their way to our orchestra. They enjoyed playing with us and we enjoyed having them! See for yourself what they said about their experiences at our website www.musicadenhaag.nl (homepage, under “english”).
Would you like to know more about Musica? Would you like join the orchestra? Then why not come along to a rehearsal, so you can experience the atmosphere and the music we play. We are especially keen to hear from viola players and double basses. Please contact our Secretary at mail@musicadenhaag.nl or telephone: +31-(0)70-3262460.
We would like to invite you to our summer concert with Musica’s Chamber Orchestra. Saturday the 22nd of June Musica will give a concert in the Maranathakerk (2e Sweelinckstraat 156, Den Haag), starting 08.15 pm. Please find hereby the flyer.
We hope to see you!
Would you like to know more about Musica? Would you like join the orchestra? Then why not come along to a rehearsal, so you can experience the atmosphere and the music we play. We are especially keen to hear from viola players and double basses. Please contact our Secretary at mail@musicadenhaag.nl or telephone: +31-(0)70-3262460.
We would like to invite you to our summer concert with Musica’s Chamber Orchestra. Saturday the 22nd of June Musica will give a concert in the Maranathakerk (2e Sweelinckstraat 156, Den Haag), starting 08.15 pm. Please find hereby the flyer.
We hope to see you! The Dutch: Direct or Blunt?
By Bonnie Klap.
Having interviewed dozens of Ambassadors over the past two years, I think it is safe to say, that I have some idea what the general impression of many diplomats is of the Dutch. What struck me, was their recurring remark about the Dutch: “The Dutch are very direct.” Now what exactly was the underlying message of this remark? Was this a subtle way of telling the Dutch that they are a little too straightforward, perhaps even a tad rude? Surprisingly all the Ambassadors who discussed this topic, admitted that they were, at first, a bit taken aback by this bluntness, if you will, but over time they even came to appreciate this unique character trait, although it must have been nothing short of a ‘culture shock’ from time to time.
Especially for people from the Far East this way of personal interaction must have taken quite some getting used to, as their own customs require careful and extremely polite interaction with each other. An example: a person from the Far East would never bluntly say “No,” if he or she disagrees, but would carefully craft a tactful answer, going to great lengths not to hurt the other person’s feelings, but at the same time getting across the same message. So what is the conclusion here? Are the Dutch constantly stepping on toes with their direct behavior and making the foreigners in general and diplomats in particular feel awkward in doing so? The answer might surprise you.
While the many diplomats who experienced this directness, admitted being a bit bewildered at first, later on they genuinely came to value this trait. To underscore my point, allow me to quote an excerpt from the interview I did for the Wassenaarse Krant with Mr. Paul Arkwright, the former Ambassador of the UK to The Netherlands, who has since returned to his country.
“The Dutch can also be very direct. They are blunter than the British, but as a diplomat, bluntness saves time. Sometimes, if I have little time and want to speed up a meeting, I say: ‘I want to be Dutch now,’ meaning that I give short, clear answers. Having been a diplomat for 26 years, I can be as polite and longwinded as necessary, but sometimes I borrow the Dutch way to get on with it.” End of quote by, then, Ambassador Paul Arkwright. So I repeat my question: Direct or blunt? You tell me!
IWC’s Lecture
By Karin O’Flynn, President IWC.
International Women’s Contact The Hague looks into European History in a lecture about the role and influence of Royal Dynasties at the beginning of the 20th Century.
IWC Guest Speaker, Malcolm Ewans , is passionate about history and enjoys delving into topics that are controversial and not always part of standard history books. In former meetings he unfolded the “Shakespeare Conspiracy “ or questioned the “Wagner Cult”
In his presentation “The Royal Sunset” he shows in a truly entertaining way, connections between different European Royal families at the start of the 20th and how this influenced politics at the time. His talks are full of astonishing facts, his theories are always backed up by clear facts and his interpretation of history thought provoking.
An interested audience of about 140 IWC members and their guests , al l ladies with an international background , followed his lecture with pleasure and had a lively discussion afterwards
Monthly lectures on a wide range of topics reaching from art, over history , science and much more , are only one activity on the program, the International Women’s contact has to offer . Special interests groups meet for excursion, sports and many other activities. The International Women’s Contact, with more than 300 members representing around 50 different nationalities, is a social club, that promotes cultural understanding and exchange.
For more information on the current program browse through the IWC website. www.iwcthehague.nl. New members are most welcome. 
Dutch King Visits Russia: Diplomacy, Tension and the Media
By Mitesh D. Mistry – Diplomat Magazine’s Associate Editor in the United Kingdom
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima arrived in Russia on Friday 8 November for a visit aimed at celebrating the two nations’ historical ties that date back 400 years; a momentous occasion which can be celebrated by the international community. When we look back at the history between the two countries, it becomes clear just how significant and historic the relationship is. Whilst on his tour of Western Europe during the 17th Century, Peter the Great visited The Netherlands and worked with Dutch maritime experts to establish the Russian Navy. This cooperation between Peter the Great and the Dutch signaled the start of a long and prosperous diplomatic and military relationship that continues today. However in-light of recent events in The Hague and in Moscow, many would not have imagined the two statesman’s greeting and welcoming each other – let alone standing in the same room.
With all this tension and diplomatic stress being reported in the media across the world, surely it was not a good idea for King Willem-Alexander and President Putin to meet. The reality is this; the idea of resolving conflict through diplomacy, mediation and discretion is more effective than shifting the blame; and unfortunately some media institutions worldwide fail to acknowledge this. The culture of ‘yellow journalism’ has grown so much that now the idea of having formal and peaceful discussions to ease tensions seems to have been underestimated or forgotten. Therefore it is important for the media to emphasize the positive aspects of diplomacy and in this case, King Willem-Alexander’s visit and President Putin’s warm welcome. It is due to this celebratory visit and the cooperation of both men that the 400 year-old Dutch-Russian relationship will continue to thrive – despite small occurrences that nudge tensions.
At Diplomatic Magazine, our primary aim is to promote diplomacy. We understand that the role of the media is to inform the public of global events. We also feel that though it is important to acknowledge the negative aspects of diplomatic relations, it is more important to celebrate the positive aspects of diplomacy and what it can achieve. The Dutch-Russian relationship has evolved through diplomacy and without it, Russia and The Netherlands would not be the countries that they are today; highly developed, historical and cultural nations who play a vital role in the global arena.
Although we cannot shy away from the recent events that have maybe ‘soured’ the Dutch-Russian relationship and increased tension, at times like this it is important to remember the historic diplomatic ties between the two countries and how, despite two World Wars and the rise and fall of different Government regimes, the relationship continue and grows stronger every year. King Willem-Alexander’s visit and President Putin’s warm welcome towards the Dutch royals is not only a sign that diplomacy is the best method of resolving conflict, it is surely a testament to the 400 year old history that lives on today and rightfully so, is being celebrated in Russia and The Netherlands.