Carlton Ambassador Europe’s best Luxury City Hotel
Carlton Ambassador Hotel selected as Europe’s best Luxury City Hotel
Boutique hotel in The Hague receives World Luxury Hotel Award 2013
THE HAGUE, 7 NOVEMBER 2013. The Carlton Ambassador Hotel has been presented with the prestigious World Luxury Hotel Award. This four-star boutique hotel in The Hague has been selected as Europe’s best ‘Luxury City Hotel’. This award reflects international hotel guests’ appreciation of the Carlton Ambassador’s renovation and introduction of the Signature Rooms, in which the hotel recently invested to enhance its luxury boutique elegance.
The World Luxury Hotel Award is accepted as the world’s most prestigious and exclusive award in the luxury hotel sector. More than a thousand hotels, lodges and resorts from 87 countries were nominated in fifty categories in 2013. Award winners were announced during the annual World Luxury Hotel Awards gala in Phuket, Thailand. The Carlton Ambassador Hotel in The Hague was proclaimed best ‘Luxury City Hotel’ in Europe.
Marinique de Wet, Director at World Luxury Hotel Award, editor’s choice notes state: “A lane bordered by old chestnut trees, a fitting environment for this quiet, elegant boutique hotel with its tasteful interior and superb service that is The Carlton Ambassador Hotel, situated in the city centre of The Hague. Experiencing this exquisite hotel as a haven of relaxation is only one of the many things guests had to say. There are also the people who like adventures and discovering the city of The Hague with its elegant town houses, renowned museums and variety of beautiful stories, theatres and art galleries. Going home to this hotel is pure bliss, this is made more special because of their culinary excellence.”
“We are incredibly proud to have won this international award for our new boutique style”, said Arwin Paulides, General Manager of the Carlton Ambassador Hotel. “The granting of this World Luxury Hotel Award is an endorsement of our hotel’s unique and charming character. The new Signature Rooms certainly do seem to have the ‘wow’ factor for our guests. The room styling combines luxury elements and modern technology with attention given to the smallest details.”
Rooms with a Signature
The new Signature Rooms ensure the Carlton Ambassador is a prominent boutique hotel with international allure. The new room type is decorated in a Dutch boutique style with elements from Hindeloopen, Delft Blue accessories and ‘Hague Blue’ upholstery. The rooms are equipped with a modern one-touch panel and the first wireless music system developed specially for the hotel industry, which enables guests to enjoy their own music via a bluetooth connection. The Signature Rooms are furnished with flat screens, Nespresso coffee machines and of course, the highest quality beds and bedding.
The Hague grand city trip
The Carlton Ambassador is one of the pearls of the Carlton Hotel Collection and is renowned in The Hague. The hotel’s charming character and boutique style offers a unique experience, not only for diplomatic and business guests but for leisure travellers too. Carlton Ambassador guests find themselves within a stone’s throw of the Binnenhof, Paleis Noordeinde, art galleries, shops, bars and restaurants, and the beach.
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End. For further information please contact The Carlton Ambassador Hotel:
Nienke Bons| +31 (0)70 36 30 363 | nbons@ambassador.carlton.nl
About the Carlton Ambassador Hotel The Hague
The four-star Carlton Ambassador boutique hotel is located in the centre of The Hague, a stone’s throw from the Binnenhof and Noordeinde with its many art galleries, shops, bars and restaurants. This distinctive hotel with 78 charming guest rooms and suites is characterised by its uniquely elegant building, stylish ambiance and sublime and attentive service. The recent addition of twenty beautiful Signature Rooms, furnished entirely to optimise guest comfort, makes the Carlton Ambassador Hotel an excellent base for business, diplomatic and leisure guests. The Carlton Ambassador is part of the Carlton Hotel Collection, with hotels including The Dominican in Brussels and Banks Mansion in Amsterdam. These hotels have received many prestigious awards. The Carlton Hotel Collection has hotels in UK, Netherlands and Belgium.
Carlton Ambassador Hotel
Simply the best hotel for diplomats in The Hague.
www.carlton.nl/ambassador/default-en.html
Bringing the Heritage of Past into the Future
By Randy Berry, Consul General of the United States of America in Amsterdam.
When I took up my post as Consul General for the United States in Amsterdam, I was keenly aware that I’d inherited a rich and complicated legacy in the form of the building in which the current Consulate General is housed. As a former history teacher, I have been enthralled with proper study and researching the past; as a diplomat, I’m cognizant of the need not only to preserve cultural heritage, but also to project a hopeful and inclusive image for the future.
The current location of the Consulate General began its existence one century ago as a home in the prestigious Museumplein region of Amsterdam. Mr.Willem Frederick van Heukelom, a prosperous trader in the Dutch East Indies, purchased the lot at Museumplein 19 in 1912 and hired architects T.G. Schill and D.H. Haverkamp to design a villa for his family. Van Heukelom also hired Johan Adam Pool of the highly regarded furniture workshop Onderden St. Maarten to design the interior of the house as a fitting showcase for his collection of Chinese porcelain, the most valuable in the Netherlands at that time.
The Van Heukelom family owned Museumplein 19 until January 1938, when Willem Frederick’s widow, Catharina Digna Peereboom Voller, sold it to the German government to be used as its consulate. Germany declared war on the Netherlands in May 1940, and a year later, Dr. Hans Böhmker, the Deputy Reichskommissar for Occupied Holland, established his office at Museumplein 19. The occupation transformed the district into Nazi headquarters, as the German army and police moved into buildings adjacent to Museumplein 19. The green space of the museum square became the location, first, of rallies in support of the Nazi cause, and, later, of barricades, barbed wire, and bunkers as Allied bombers flew overhead.
After World War II ended, the transition of Museumplein 19 back to peacetime functions took place rapidly. Less than a month after Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945, U.S. Consul General Albert M. Doyle visited Amsterdam in search of a building in which to reopen the Consulate General of the United States of America. By the beginning of August, Doyle hadsettled on Museumplein 19 as the location, subject to permission from the Dutch government, which was subsequently granted. Doyle and his colleagues offered the first consular services from the building on September 6, 1945, and the United States of America purchased the building from the Dutch government in March 1948. The Consulate General has called Museumplein 19 its home ever since.
The villa’s historic and architectural significance wassolidifiedwhen it was designated by the Netherlands government as a Rijksmonumentin 1996. As stewards of a property vital to the urban design history of the city, the State Department’s Office of Overseas Buildings and its newly created Cultural Preservation Department teamed up with the Consulate Generaland
several students of the University of Amsterdamto createa detailed historic structures report. The aim is to document the development, significant features, and condition of the stately villa atMuseumplein 19. It will also determine a period of significance indicating in which era the building had its most noteworthyperiod of history.The report is expected to be released in the coming months and this“period of significance”will serve as a blue print and guide on how to best conserveour “home”in Amsterdam.
In an effort to be thorough, we visited a number of institutions such as the Stadsarchief and Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies in the Netherlands who helped us assemble accurate information needed to create the Historical Structures report. In just a few weeks, February 2014to be exact, we will publish the final report on our websitewhich will includesubstantial new information regarding the history and use of our building gleaned from Amsterdam’s various historical archives. The partnership and supportwe’ve received from Amsterdam-area institutions and individuals has been tremendous, and I’m particularly happy that our research project was undertaken with key student support.
The historical information unearthed will form the backdrop, not onlyfor ongoing restoration work in the villa, but also futureprograms, engagement, and discussions centering on the essential values of diversity, inclusivity, and multiculturalism –key elements, indeed, that both America and the Netherlands share as part of our national identities.We anticipate that 2014 and 2015 will see these programs take shape, and I look forward to sharing that with you in the future.
When I took up my post as Consul General for the United States in Amsterdam, I was keenly aware that I’d inherited a rich and complicated legacy in the form of the building in which the current Consulate General is housed. As a former history teacher, I have been enthralled with proper study and researching the past; as a diplomat, I’m cognizant of the need not only to preserve cultural heritage, but also to project a hopeful and inclusive image for the future.
The current location of the Consulate General began its existence one century ago as a home in the prestigious Museumplein region of Amsterdam. Mr.Willem Frederick van Heukelom, a prosperous trader in the Dutch East Indies, purchased the lot at Museumplein 19 in 1912 and hired architects T.G. Schill and D.H. Haverkamp to design a villa for his family. Van Heukelom also hired Johan Adam Pool of the highly regarded furniture workshop Onderden St. Maarten to design the interior of the house as a fitting showcase for his collection of Chinese porcelain, the most valuable in the Netherlands at that time.
The Van Heukelom family owned Museumplein 19 until January 1938, when Willem Frederick’s widow, Catharina Digna Peereboom Voller, sold it to the German government to be used as its consulate. Germany declared war on the Netherlands in May 1940, and a year later, Dr. Hans Böhmker, the Deputy Reichskommissar for Occupied Holland, established his office at Museumplein 19. The occupation transformed the district into Nazi headquarters, as the German army and police moved into buildings adjacent to Museumplein 19. The green space of the museum square became the location, first, of rallies in support of the Nazi cause, and, later, of barricades, barbed wire, and bunkers as Allied bombers flew overhead.
After World War II ended, the transition of Museumplein 19 back to peacetime functions took place rapidly. Less than a month after Victory in Europe Day on May 8, 1945, U.S. Consul General Albert M. Doyle visited Amsterdam in search of a building in which to reopen the Consulate General of the United States of America. By the beginning of August, Doyle hadsettled on Museumplein 19 as the location, subject to permission from the Dutch government, which was subsequently granted. Doyle and his colleagues offered the first consular services from the building on September 6, 1945, and the United States of America purchased the building from the Dutch government in March 1948. The Consulate General has called Museumplein 19 its home ever since.
The villa’s historic and architectural significance wassolidifiedwhen it was designated by the Netherlands government as a Rijksmonumentin 1996. As stewards of a property vital to the urban design history of the city, the State Department’s Office of Overseas Buildings and its newly created Cultural Preservation Department teamed up with the Consulate Generaland
several students of the University of Amsterdamto createa detailed historic structures report. The aim is to document the development, significant features, and condition of the stately villa atMuseumplein 19. It will also determine a period of significance indicating in which era the building had its most noteworthyperiod of history.The report is expected to be released in the coming months and this“period of significance”will serve as a blue print and guide on how to best conserveour “home”in Amsterdam.
In an effort to be thorough, we visited a number of institutions such as the Stadsarchief and Netherlands Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies in the Netherlands who helped us assemble accurate information needed to create the Historical Structures report. In just a few weeks, February 2014to be exact, we will publish the final report on our websitewhich will includesubstantial new information regarding the history and use of our building gleaned from Amsterdam’s various historical archives. The partnership and supportwe’ve received from Amsterdam-area institutions and individuals has been tremendous, and I’m particularly happy that our research project was undertaken with key student support.
The historical information unearthed will form the backdrop, not onlyfor ongoing restoration work in the villa, but also futureprograms, engagement, and discussions centering on the essential values of diversity, inclusivity, and multiculturalism –key elements, indeed, that both America and the Netherlands share as part of our national identities.We anticipate that 2014 and 2015 will see these programs take shape, and I look forward to sharing that with you in the future. Integrity and Good Governance
About how to regain the pleasure of a job well done at the service of society.
By Henk Bruning, author International expert and trainer Integrity, Good Governance and HRM.
Professional dilemma: Dutch Government criticizes your country? As a diplomat you recognize this but you know it is a sensitive issue in your country? Do you honestly express your opinion to your government? To strengthen and recover peoples’ confidence in Government is an actual objective for many governments and their diplomats. The image of public administration and elected politicians is not positive everywhere. That hurts, because the majority of politicians and civil servants have good intentions in serving and improving society. However, it’s not easy to prevent conflicts of interest, to explain clearly taking decisions in case of moral dilemmas and to maintain integrity in public organisations.
In July 2013 publisher Adams published a new book about integrity, good governance and human resources management in Madrid. The book (136 pages) is a clear and inspiring invitation to politicians and professional civil servants to discuss and to improve the integrity. It is not much of a secret that many dilemmas arise from different positions and the difficulty to cooperate. Politics and professionalism sometimes clash. The book is very practical due to the proven experience of the author in public administration in different countries. The description of recognizable situations, and how to handle difficult and doubtful problems makes the book a kind of cook book for strengthening integrity. To send a clear message is the common responsibility and joint effort of both elected politicians and professional civil servants for the integrity of their organisations, not only for the benefit of society but also for the well-being and happiness of its servants and diplomats.
Original title: Integridad y Buen Gobierno. Sobre cómo recuperar el placer del trabajo
bien hecho al servicio de la sociedad.
ISBN: 978-84-9025-556-8
Contact
+31 65515 79 16
+34 67371 94 94
henkbruning@me.com
Ambassador Sri Lanka to chair three key global organizations
By Bonnie Klap.
Mr. Buddhi Athauda, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to The Netherlands, was unanimously elected to chair three world renowned organizations based in The Hague. No less than 115 member states elected Ambassador Athauda to lead the Budget Committee as Chairman for the Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA), as Chairperson for the year 2014 for the Common Fund for Commodities ( CFC) at the 25th Annual Meeting of Governing Council and as Vice-Chairman of the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to Chemical Weapons Convention at the inauguration of the essions at the World Forum in The Hague . Regarding the PCA it is interesting to mention that ts conceptualization dates as far back as 1899 and it was established in 1907 in The Hague to acilitate arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between states, evolving into the modern arbitral institution that it is today.
Ambassdor Athauda, who is both a humble and extremely well-
liked Diplomat, also made the following remarks: “I am honored that my colleague Ambassadors unanimoulsy elected me for the post of Vice-Chair and I am also very proud of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the efforts made by the Technical Secretariat and the Member countries towards elimination of chemical weapons from this entire world. In fact, the OPCW was recognized with the Nobel Peace Award 2013 for the efforts made towards reaching universality of Chemical Weapons Convention.” Ambassador Athauda was understandably pleased with the endorsement of his fellow Ambassadors, extending his special thanks to the Ambassadorsof India, Pakistan, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Portugal, Australia, Croatia and Italy for their extraordinary support during the election.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic
The Kyrgyz Republic.
The Kyrgyz Republic is a country in the heart of Central Asia with a developed democratic system. The country has a multi-party parliamentary system and a democratically elected coalition government. Civil society and private sector are able to play an active role in the democratic and the economic systems. The Kyrgyz Republic enjoys rich natural resources, a skilled labor force, a strategic location and a supportive government. Foreign investors will find outstanding opportunities in this beautiful country. The mission of the Chamber The Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a non-profit, non-governmentalorganization made up of a team of experts. For this moment it has around 700 members, as well as 20.000 associate-member companies, which is around half of all the companies in the country.
The membership includes consultancy firms, universities, banks and companies from all sectors. Membership in the Chamber is voluntary but our members understand that working together in this organization is the best way to achieve results. The Chamber also serves as a platform for making connections between local companies and foreign investors and partners. To promote international ties, the
Chamber regularly organize meetings, business trips and exhibitions. The mission of the Chamber is to promote and support the local private sector and to play a leading role in forming partnerships between local and international companies.
Promotion of Kyrgyz private sector
The most important focus of the Chamber is to support small and medium-sizes enterprises, which make up more than 80% of all members. Another priority is to foster public-private partnerships because we believe business development cannot succeed without such partnerships. The Chamber initiated the concept of public-private partnerships here and serves as the main liaison between the business sector and official government bodies concerning these initiatives. Now the Kyrgyz Republic has 18 public-private-partnership projects underway. To support these projects, the Chamber created the Department of New Projects that includes eight committees of experts in major sectors, from agriculture to tourism. Next year the Chamber will represent the Kyrgyz Republic at Expo 2015 in Milan. Representative in The Netherlands
As representative of the Chamber in The Netherlands my motto is POP³:
Progress and Opportunities for People Planet Profit.
I make the connection between the Dutch experience and Kyrgyz ambition for making a sustainable social economic development with a focus on trade,environment, water management and infrastructure. For me it is also important to deliver a contribution and create a platform for knowledge exchange in the field of education, culture and healthcare.
What are the threats and challenges?
by Barend ter Haar. Clingendael Institute.
As part of an OSCE-wide project we interviewed representatives of almost all Dutch ministries and advisory councils in order to learn how they perceive the main threats and challenges for the Netherlands, now and in the coming 10 to 20 years. The results will be published by Clingendael[1].
Last summer a conference organised by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) led to the foundation of an OSCE wide Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions. This network decided to make a study of threat perceptions in the OSCE area to provide a more solid background for current and future debates within the OSCE.
The first phase of this project, undertaken by twenty think tanks in OSCE countries, is a quick scan of the threat perceptions of relevant state actors in these countries.
The outcome of the 24 interviews that we conducted in the Netherlands is that most of the perceived threats and challenges fall in two broad categories:
(1) the adverse consequences of technological development and economic growth and
(2) the lack of adequate responsiveness of governments and public to these adverse consequences.
Growing inequality was on top of many lists, referring to a widening gap between highly educated, healthy and wealthy citizens that benefit from globalization and less educated citizens who feel victimized by globalization. The inequality is illustrated by the fact that the highest educated segment of Dutch society can on average expect twenty more years of healthy life than the lowest educated segment.
Most respondents felt that the direct impact of climate change and loss of biodiversity on the Netherlands and Europe will probably remain manageable, but that they might lead to disasters and instability in other parts of the world.
International cooperation in a time of geopolitical change requires great skills of all parties involved anyway, but the combination with climate change, scarcities and failing states will make this challenge even greater.
Many felt that the vulnerability of our ICT infrastructure is underestimated.
If managed wisely at local, national, regional and global level, growing scarcities of water and raw materials do not have to lead to armed conflict and disaster, but our interlocutors were more optimistic about finding technical solutions for these scarcities than about the political handling of these problems.
Many of our respondents pointed at the difficulty governments have to react adequately to new threats, either overreacting, as in the case of terrorism, or postponing necessary changes of policy year after year. This shortsightedness might be provoked by the capriciousness of voters, but threatens to undermine the trustworthiness and legitimacy of governments.
Agricultural development
By Buonamassa W.G., Photography and reporter.
Interview with Robbert de Jong, Manager Marketing of Looije Tomatoes.
Agricultural development based on bringing knowledge.
Company history and facts,
Loije Tomato is an old company founded in 1946 by J.M. Looije, father of the actual owner Jos Looije.
The principal main idea , was to cultivate vegetables. In that time where no green houses, therefore the production was only based on the weather climate. In 1970 the son Jos Looije, decided to take over the company and cultivate tomatoes in his best possible way. He started to build a green house and cultivate different kind of tomatoes. In the edges of the normal season he used heating system in the green house so ; he could supply tomatoes to the market with big profit in those periods.
Jos Looije experimented cultivation of different kind of tomatoes such as the well known little cherry tomatoes which gives more manual work. In the year 1998 they started a company in Spain with idea to produce from December to march tomatoes using the climate there.
With the introduction of special lights and heating system in the green houses in Holland , was not need for Spain anymore. Their main export market are West Europe and the Scandinavian countries but Japan and the Middle East are becoming new export market.
They are aware of the food problem in the world and started a project in Kenya in collaboration with several farmers. They give them only support and advice how to grow vegetables. Twice every year their team goes there for several weeks visiting their cultivation and give advice on how to sell their products and develop quality norms such as in Holland. They have also visited China to discus collaboration possibilities.
Their best product at the moment is the Honey tomatoes to find only in special shops. But is only 20 percent of their production selected as Honey tomatoes. Specialist are working in their company to harvest and promote this unique product. Even is chosen and used for ice cream and filling in chocolate bonbons .
The only 35 percent of honey tomatoes is sold in Netherlands and the rest is selected for export.
The price is higher because of quality, low production quantity, intense control, limited shops that may sell it.
A remarkable new year in The Hague
By Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland, Judge in the Court of Appeal and Special Advisor International Affairs of the Municipality of The Hague.
For those of you who arrived in The Netherlands in 2013 from abroad, the turning of the year must have almost sounded as if a war was going on. A lot of other countries do have fireworks organized by the government, but in The Netherlands it is still allowed to set off fireworks privately. The American Embassy –still without an Ambassador- had rightly warned the Americans in The Netherlands about this Dutch habit with all its extreme noise. The new year in The Hague started with some New Year receptions by Dutch authorities where not only the Dutch were welcome but the international communities in The Hague as well. The Mayor of The Hague Mr Jozias van Aartsen welcomed hundreds of citizens in the enormous Atrium of the Municipality and so did some days later the military Governor in the century artists society Pulchri Studio at the splendid and very old Lange Voorhout in the centre of the city. We have seen a lot of ambassadors and other diplomats at both receptions. The year 2014 will be important for The Hague for several reasons. On March 24 and 25 the third Nuclear Security Summit will take place in The Hague with the presidents of all mayor states of the world and 5.000 delegates as well as 3.000 journalists. Please realize that for security reasons The Hague will be a kind of military fortress these days with many inconveniences for every citizen. Much more friendly will be the World Championships Field till June 15th the yearly ‘Prinsjesdag’ will be a very special one: it will be theone. We will inform you about these and other highlights during 2014 in this Magazine.