Need to “Pick Up Pace”

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Need to “Pick Up Pace”

Director-General: Need to “Pick Up Pace” In Removing Chemicals from Syria

Directly from the OPCW, The Hague.

In a meeting of the OPCW Executive Council yesterday, Director-General Ahmet ÜzĂŒmcĂŒ briefed the Council on efforts underway to expedite the process of removing Syrian chemicals that have been identified for destruction outside Syrian territory. “While the two shipments (of chemicals) this month represent a start, the need for the process to pick up pace is obvious,” the Director-General told the Council. “Ways and means must be found to establish continuity and predictability of shipments to assure States Parties that the programme, while delayed, is not deferred.” The Director-General briefed the Council about his exchanges with senior Syrian officials in which he has underlined the need for a timeframe to be provided by the Syrian Government for the removal of chemicals. The Syrian government, while expressing concerns about the current security situation, has reiterated its commitment to completing the programme and assured that it is working on a schedule for the transport and removal of the chemicals. The Director-General and the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke recently and agreed that the removal process must be accelerated. Since the commencement of the mission in Syria, the Council has met regularly to oversee the implementation of its decisions pertaining to the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. Yesterday’s meeting took stock of the work of the OPCW-UN Joint Mission and the latest developments as reported by the Director-General in his recent monthly report and oral update. There was a shared sentiment in favour of more rapid progress given that the multinational effort in support of the removal and destruction programme has committed significant resources. The Council decided to reconvene on 21 February to continue its deliberations.

Recent Events from Jan. till Feb 10th,2014

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Recent Events from Jan. till Feb 10th,2014

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 Ubi Kirindongo

For photo album click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/  In excess of fifty larger and smaller sculptures provide an overview of the exceptional oeuvre of this Antillean, who creates sculptures from recycled waste material and objects he has found.  The work of the celebrated and award-winning Yubi Kirindongo (Willemstad, 1946) has been seen throughout the world, both in galleries and at international exhibitions such as the Biennials of Havana, Johannesburg and São Paulo. His work is accessible, but not ‘uncomplicated’. Until now, Kirindongo’s recycling art has seldom been seen in the Netherlands. With more than sixty works created in the period from the 1970s to the present day, Museum Beelden aan Zee is presenting the first major retrospective of the oeuvre of the Antilles’ most important artist. To be seen are sculptures made from car bumpers and other vehicle components. But Kirindongo also fashions other waste materials and discarded objects into meaningful and socially engaged sculptures. More info http://www.beeldenaanzee.nl/en/grote-zaal/Yubi-Kirindongo-Rebel-in-Art-Soul

Serbia National Day in The Hague.

H.E. Petar Vico, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in the Netherlands received Friday 14 February members of the diplomatic corps and special guests to celebrate Serbia’s National Day.  On the occasion of the day, which falls on Saturday (February 15), Ambassador Vico expressed his satisfaction at the excellent bilateral relations between Serbia and the Netherlands.
Farewell, Ambassador  Gharib Abadi By Bonnie Klap. An endless stream of cars filled the street leading up to the residence of His Excellency Mr. Gharib Abadi in Wassenaar, as hundreds of guests attended the reception hosted by Ambassador Gharib  Abadi on the occasion of the 35th  Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and to bid farewell. Ambassador Gharib  Abadi will return to Iran after serving his country as Ambassador of Iran  to The Netherlands for 4 years. In his speech he touched on the relations between Iran and The Netherlands which date back  400 years. Ambassador  Gharib Abadi also emphasized the fact that Iran is a peace-loving nation.  
      DMG,  hosted by Colombia. By Bonnie Klap. His Excellency Mr. Eduardo Pizarro LeongĂłmez, Ambassador of Colombia, hosted this month’s  Diplomats Meet and Greet in the Carlton Ambassador Hotel. Despite the chilly Dutch weather outside,  this gathering had a  vibrant, South-American atmosphere.  A touch of Colombia could also be sampled,  as the Colombian Cocktail “GĂŒipa,” was generously offered to every guest.  GĂŒipa is a tasty cocktail made of Aguardiente, Lulo juice, ginger, mint and anis syrup.  The monthly Meet and Greet once again proved a great success for the diplomats to mingle and catch up in an informal setting.
Sri Lanka, Wonder of Asia By Bonnie Klap. Scores of guests braved the wind and the rain to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Buddhi K. Athauda, Ambassador of Sri Lanka, on the 66th National Day of Sri Lanka. Ambassador Athauda hosted a reception at his residence on the occasion of the National Day. A large number of Diplomats were present as were members of the Business Community. Guests could treat themselves to delicious Sri Lankan dishes, while enjoying musical entertainment by the young Sri Lankan opera singer, Ms.Menak Senn, accompanied by piano music.
Visegrad Karma The annus mirabilis: the year of miracles.  By Drs. Eva Maria E. Mennes. H.E. Mr. Gyula Sumeghy and Mr. Jozias van Aartsen, Mayor of The Hague opened in the atrium of our City Hall and in the presence of many European ambassadors the exposition of Reflections of a political change: Posters of 1989.At the start of 1989 there was nothing to indicate the revolutionary events that were to follow, eventually marking the year as the turning point in history that it would become. In Prague the police had broken up a demonstration in memory of Jan Palach who, precisely 20 years before, had publicly set himself alight in protest. By the end of that very same year: the Wall had fallen, along with the rest of the Iron Curtain, set in motion by courageous Hungarians. On Wenceslas Square a huge crowd cheered their new President, a man who just a year before had been a political prisoner: Vaclav Havel.Posters played an important role in the ‘Velvet Revolution’ as a means of communication. They were the Social Media, the Twitter and Facebook of the day. They provided an important historical source for present and future generations and also bears witness to the rebirth of a part of Central European culture, resulting in the Visegrad group. The jewel in the crown of this alliance was the accession in 2004 of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary to the European Union. This important travelling exhibition is now in The Hague to the commemoration of the unforgettable events of 1989. Events which led to the restoration of Europe as an entity. In peace and in freedom.
    “Kunst en Cultuur aan Huis” (Arts and Culture Home) By Nicole H Pierre On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of “Arts and Culture Home in 2013/2014”,  Frank Geerkens, Ambassador of Belgium in the Netherlands,  welcomed members of the International community to his residence in The Hague. In fact, “Arts and Culture Home” is an annual exhibition of the works of artists from Belgium which can be seen at different reception areas at the Ambassador’s residence. The aim of the exhibition is to create greater visibility for these artists but also to encourage young talents to become more acquainted with each other’s work. This year’s exhibition was done in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Limburg under the theme “First we take The Hague then we take Berlin”. The evening began with a welcome reception followed by presentations of the cultural agenda. Among the speakers were Ambassador Frank Geerkens himself as well as Igor Philtjens, Deputy of the province of Limburg (Belgium). In the framework of “Kunst en Cultuur aan Huis”, the works of five young Belgian artist can currently be seen at the World Trade Center until April 2014.
 

Incredible India

By Bonnie Klap. For photo album click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/  His Excellency Mr. Rajesh Nandan Prasad, Ambassador of India, hosted a reception to commemorate the 65th Republic Day of India. India became independent of the United Kingdom in 1947, but it did not have a permanent constitution at this time. In India Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into force. Republic Day represents the true spirit of the independent India. The reception was extremely well attended by a high number of Ambassadors, business people and other dignitaries.
 

Rijswijk & The Hague

By Roy Lie A Tjam. The Hague’s deputy mayor, Marjolein de Jong (Culture, City Centre, and International Affairs), together with her counterpart from Rijswijk, Alderman RenĂ© van Hemert (Economy and Spatial Planning), signed an important partnership agreement on Monday 3 February 2014 at a launch event in The Hague International Centre (THIC). This agreement means that skilled migrants living in Rijswijk can now make use of the one-stop registration facility at The Hague International Centre (THIC) to obtain their residence permit from the IND, register with the municipality and receive their social security number (BSN). The launch of this initiative follows the formal establishment of a working agreement by all parties involved in the registration process: the municipalities of The Hague and Rijswijk, IND and the expat organisation ACCESS. A similar successful collaboration between The Hague and the municipalities of Delft and Leidschendam-Voorburg is already in place. According to Alderman RenĂ© van Hemert of Gemeente Rijswijk: “We are now in a position to provide even better services to those expats within our city borders; thus creating an even stronger, internationally attractive region.
 

Dominican Republic celebrating “Our Lady of Altagracia” in Utrecht

By Dr. Eugenio Matos G. Minister Counselor, Dominican Republic Embassy. A group of dedicated Dominican expats  celebrated Our Lady of Altagracia  during a well attended mass at the Hispanic Church in Utrecht. The Dominican Embassy contributed with a violin and piano repertoire from Dominican and international composers. It was followed by a reception and dinner, featuring a delicious Sancocho sponsored by Mrs. Gladys Carrasco and distinguished Dominican ladies. Our Lady of Altagracia is  the patron saint of the Dominican Republic. Every year, on January 21st, thousands of Dominican pilgrims visit La Basilica de Higuey. It is a national holiday in the Dominican Republic. January 21st is marked by all-night church services and special festivals all over the country. The Dominican Republic Embassy is already developing and supporting special Dominican cultural projects around the Netherlands, which include direct participation with Dutch volunteer citizens- during 2014.  The diplomatic mission is honored to host “Diplomats Meet & Greet” within few weeks at Carlton Ambassador hotel, showcasing “A taste of  Dominican Carnival”, with dancers and typical music in the presence of head of diplomatic missions, dignitaries, Dutch journalists and special guests. An important painting exhibit is expected next fall 2014 in Wassenaar organized by the Dominican Embassy.

Royal Thai Invitation = Harmony.

By Drs. Eva Maria Elisabeth Mennes. Have you ever seen three ambassadors making music together in harmony? Well, you could have, if you had been at the Royal Thai Invitation of the informal January Meet and Greet of the Diplomat Club The Hague. H.E the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand, Dr. Virachai Plasai and Mrs. Elizabeth Plasai, were the gentle hosts of a great evening. The friendly Thai welcome and drinks, Thai beer or a Mojito made with Thai Rum, and later the Thai saté were very much appreciated by all the guests. White  orchids  beautifully decorated the room. You could have met the ambassadors of Pakistan, India, Ireland, France, Israel, The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tunesia and other members of the diplomatic corps. Just to mention some other guests,  I also spoke to Frans Engering, the former Dutch ambassador to South Africa and his charming wife Louise, Dr. Richard Ruijgrok, Honorary Consul General of Thailand and Tasoula Georgiou Hadjitofi who has done so much for the preservation of the art of  Cyprus. But of course the best part was the intercontinental harmony by music with  the Thai, Canadian and French ambassadors, playing guitar and piano and singing international songs with all the guests and the staff of the Diplomat Club. It was again a very pleasant evening at the Rubens Bar in Carlton Ambassador Hotel in The Hague.

Awards Ceremony at Japan residence

By Robert Buurke. On the occasion of the outstanding contribution by Prof. Dr Rien T. Segers, the Founding Director of the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of Groningen and currently Profesor of Asian Business Strategies at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen and who studied the business culture of Japan and conducted comparative research on business cultures of other countries, to promoting mutual understanding between Japan and The Netherlands, the new Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Masaru Tsuji organized in his residence an award ceremony of the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for Prof Dr Rien T. Segers on Tuesday 21th of January. Dr Rien T Segers held a short presentation on the social-economic matters in both Japan as well as The Netherlands followed by a comparison of the chosen solutions.

Brunch at The Duin & Kruidberg Estate

Robert Buurke. In one of the most beautiful estates of Holland, The Duin & Kruidberg Estate inSantpoort-Noord on Sunday 19th of January an internationally streamed brunchwas hosted by EVA ARTPRODUCTIONS FOUNDATION from Wassenaar incoordination with Sculpture Network in Munich, Germany. The lunch could beseen simultaneously in 14 countries and 43 cities. H. E. The Ambassador ofGuatemala Mr Jorge Alfredo Lemcke Arevalo represented his country and thefamous artist José Toledo.  José will join the sculpture garden, which will beopened on May 8th from 17 to 19 h. for the whole summer season at the samelocation. It was a pleasant afternoon with very interesting international sculptorsand collectors.

Sweden “kick-off”

By Robert Buurke. On the occasion of the celebration of 400 years diplomatic relations between Sweden and The Netherlands the embassies of Sweden in The Hague and The Netherlands in Stockholm, Sweden, organized a so-called: “kick-off” reception on Friday 17th January at Korzo Theater in The Hague. In 2014 several events will be held to mark the friendship between these two countries. On www.swe400nl.com the agenda for these events is shown.

Sociëteit De Witte by our Editor

By Drs. Eva Maria Elisabeth Mennes.  Diplomat Magazine Editor. Just back from the New Years Reception from my club the Nieuwe of LittĂ©raire SociĂ«teit De Witte‹at Plein 24, ‘s-Gravenhage I really feel the urge to present this illustrious club to you. The Society owns this beautiful place downtown The Hague, where you can meet friends and excellently invite others. In summertime we meet at the Paviljoen De Witte ‹Pellenaerstraat 4, Scheveningen. I assure you, you cannot find a better place to have your drink at the beach. DE WITTE THE HAGUEBut it is not only socializing I am talking about. At the different ‘tables’ (the structure of the club) you can find the most interesting subjects to be discussed. The best thing to get informed is to visit the website of the SociĂ«teit De Witte www.societeitdewitte.nl , otherwise I can’t stop writing. But before I forget: one of the most interesting assets of the Societeit De Witte are the sister clubs all over the world. Home from home everywhere! Just where we belong.  

Cuba host CELAC Summit

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Cuba host CELAC Summit
Picture: President Danilo Medina (Dominican Republic), Raul Castro (Cuba) and President  Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela, minutes before attending the CELAC in la Havana.   By Roy Lie A Tjam. On Tuesday 28 January, President of Cuba RaĂșl Castro opened the II Cumbre de la Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribeños (CELAC) = second) Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit in Havana, 28-29 January 2014. The summit brought together representatives from the 33-nation group. On Wednesday participants will sign a more than 80-point declaration covering issues; support Argentina’s claims over the Falklands; condemn US blockade of Cuba, declare the area a region of peace and free of colonies, and probably call for Puerto Rico to join Celac.CELAC.HAVANA.2014 Dominican Republic (DR) President, Danilo  Medina, delivered an energetic speech before the chiefs of State and heads of governments. He  unequivocally made his country’s position  clear on the protection of human rights. Medina  was alluding to  Haitians residing in his country. President Medina reiterated that Dominicans have been the people most in solidarity with Haiti, and he cited that there are nearly a million Haitians living in the DR. However, the Dominican Republic will not accept any foreign infringement in her  internal immigration affairs, said President Medina during his address in la Havana.  

Interview with Linda Divon

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Interview with Linda Divon
By Bonnie Klap. In our monthly interviews with spouses of Diplomats, we strive to get to know the man or woman behind the serving Diplomat.  This month it is the turn of Linda Divon, wife of His Excellency Mr. Haim Divon, Ambassador of Israel. As we arrive at her  residence, Linda Divon turns out to be an elegant, soft-spoken lady, who likes to paint with water colors and oils , but of course there is more to her than meets the eye. Who is Linda Divon? Linda Divon has lived in a variety of countries with her husband and children before arriving in The Netherlands almost two and a half years ago. “We have had postings in India, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and Canada twice and in every country we have made life-long friendships with locals as well as with other expatriates.   Before coming to The Netherlands we already had Dutch friends. In the mid to late nineties we flew to The Netherlands twice for family cycling holidays.  We stayed with our friends in Baarn and from there took the train to a destination where we started our 4-day cycling tour. Every day we would cycle something like 50-60 kilometers!” Mrs. Divon tells me. So Linda Divon is obviously an active lady. “Yes, I go to the gym very regularly and have a personal trainer. I love walking in The Hague and I also cycle when weather permits. My husband is even more dedicated to sports- almost obsessed!  He’ll even go to the gym when he’s sick!”she laughs. In addition to her active physical lifestyle, Mrs. Divon also takes Dutch lessons and devotes a great deal of her time serving as President of the AWC, the American Women’s Club of The Hague. Just before starting this interview she was busy working on her speech and agenda for the Annual General Meeting at her club. She would love to get back to her art lessons and to painting and says that this is her New Year’s Resolution. “Due to the many country moves, I have always had to be flexible and to adapt to new situations as quickly as possible. I think that the wife/mother is the rock in a diplomatic family. She is the glue that keeps it all together.” “This is our very first posting without children. Today our children are living all over the world- in Israel, Toronto-Canada and Boston-U.S. I think that we were lucky to have been able to expose our children to various cultures. It taught them to be open minded and accepting of all peoples. It definitely made them worldly.” “During our posting in Canada our youngest daughter Michal, who was 17 at the time, started a peace building initiative. It is called Peace Camp Canada.  It was a program which brought Palestinian and Israeli youth together for a two week program with the aim of breaking down stereotypes and building bridges. It indeed was a life changing experience for all,”  explains Linda. After returning to Israel Linda became the Regional Director. In addition to the summer program Linda arranged workshops for the youth in Haifa. Linda together with her daughter Michal and son Elan continued with this initiative for 4 years. In 2007 they received a full grant from the government of Canada for their program. Linda continues to stay in touch with all the Peace Camp Canada participants. In what way does she support her husband? “ We met when we were so young- 19 or 20. Being an adventurous young girl I decided to study overseas at the Hebrew University for one year. During that time I did some volunteer work at Hadassah Hospital and my future husband was there as a patient, recovering from an injury. That’s how it started and the rest is history!” I realized very early that with a career diplomat as a husband I would not be able to have and to build my own career. I have encouraged and supported my husband throughout his 30+ year career.   When we are overseas at a posting I am totally involved and committed to being a good ambassador for Israel. We are a team and we truly complement one another. I accompany my husband to many functions in The Hague as well as throughout The Netherlands. Whether it be visiting the Mayor of Kampen or the Mayor of Middleburg or the Lieutenant Governor of a Province, or going down to the Phillips Headquarters in Eindhoven or meeting with the CEO of Ten Cate or visiting one of the Jewish communities in Maastricht or Enschede or when he is a guest speaker, I will be by his side. Her impression of her new home town, The Hague? “I love it. It’s a green and elegant city. It has the feel of a big village. Everything is accessible and there is a good quality of life here in The Hague.” In concluding the interview, Linda ended by saying that in spite of all the difficulties of moving and raising children all over the world, she feels blessed for such an interesting, exciting and enriching life. The experiences that she has had and the wonderful multicultural friendships that she has made all over the world far outweigh those difficult times.

Sochi-delegation debate

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Sochi-delegation debate
By Bonnie Klap. In The Netherlands there is always some kind of national debate going on. Last December it was the debate about “Sinterklaas” and his “Zwarte Piet,” or  Black Peter, whom some viewed as racist and a throwback to the times of slavery. This  time there is a fierce debate going on  about what is referred to in the press as the ‘Sochi-delegation.’  His Majesty  King Willem-Alexander, Her Majesty Queen Maxima, Prime-Minister Mark Rutte and Minister of Sports, Mrs. Edith Schippers,  will  attend the Sochi  2014 Wintergames. The fact that such a  top-level delegation will travel to Sochi does not sit well with some, as they see the attendance of a King, a Queen, a Prime-Minister and one of his Cabinet-Ministers as an act of condonation  toward the handling of gay rights in Russia. Passionate statements are being made on both sides of the issue. Truth be told, The Netherlands is – and always has been – protective of the rights of gay people. Not only do prominent politicians and other dignitaries make it  a point of being highly visible at the Annual Gay Parade in Amsterdam, but The Netherlands has even put  the rights of gays, lesbians and transgenders on the UN-agenda as one of its key points. Moreover, unlike  The Netherlands, its allies  such as the US, Germany and France have made a clear decision not to send a high level delegation to Sochi.   Hence, the opponents of the Dutch delegation attending the Sochi-wintergames argue that, at the very least, The Netherlands is sending Russia mixed signals. Not so, the proponents counter. Sports and politics should at all times remain totally separated and the two have nothing to do with each other. Indeed, so the proponents  argue,  the very fact that this high-level delegation includes  Royalty and a Prime-Minister, will facilitate the dialogue on this heated topic between Prime-Minister Mark Rutte and Russian dignitaries. Prime-Minister Mark Rutte finds himself in a hardly enviable position, certainly now that several well-known VVD-party colleagues of his, such as EU-commissioner Mrs. Neelie Kroes, have  recently openly questioned the wisdom of  his decision to attend. Certainly something can be said for both sides and the Prime-Minister is probably  handling this thorny issue in the best way he can. In part coerced by several vocal Members of Parliament, Prime-Minister Rutte has promised to “discuss” the rights of homosexuals during his trip to Sochi and “if possible” even mention it to Russian President Putin.

King and Queen visit Italy

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King and Queen visit Italy
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Måxima bring Her Majesty Queen paid an introductory visit to Italy on Thursday, January 23, 2014. They are regularly accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans. The King and Queen in the Palazzo del Quirinale were received by President Giorgio Napolitano in Rome. After a lunch meeting with Prime Minister Enrico Letta in the Palazzo Chigi a meeting with the President of the Senate, Pietro Grasso, followed in the Palazzo Giustiniani. Photo: Frank van Beek.

Diplomatic work as seen from within by a local employee

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Diplomatic work as seen from within by a local employee
  By C.J. (Niels) Marselis, Political Analyst & Multilateral Assistant, Embassy of Hungary . As a Dutchman growing up largely abroad, I had always envisioned to have an international career. Upon finishing my studies in political science and law at Leiden University, I found a vacancy at the Embassy of Hungary, as a “political analyst”. The job description hugely appealed to me and after a successful interview, I was hired to take up my duties in April 2010. Our working language would be English. Besides analysing and reporting on Dutch politics by attending Parliamentary debates and immersing myself into newspapers, journals and the internet, I was soon involved in the multilateral work at the embassy, above all at the OPCW. By this time I had discovered that I was the only Dutchman working at and representing a foreign country at the OPCW, ICC and the PCA. As a result, I found myself in the unusual but privileged position to be able to meet and get to know colleagues from around the world, whom I would otherwise hardly ever see. I became Secretary of the Alternates, Advisers and Associates (AAA) Club, the informal delegates club linked to the OPCW, and I started to become a regular at exhibitions, receptions and other such events. Whereas the Dutch Foreign Service employs many locals at embassies abroad to do substantive work, nor the Hungarian Foreign Service or any other Foreign Services that I am aware of do so on such a large scale. The main reason to hire a local would be his or her knowledge of the language, culture, customs and (political) history, adding much to the quality and value of the reports being sent back to the capital. A few of the reasons that I have heard that would bar engaging a local employee in this way are security, nationality requirement, tradition, or funding. Having now held this position for almost four years, I can honestly say that it has been a pleasure and privilege to be involved in the life and work of the Diplomatic Corps in The Hague. I have made many friends from around the world, and I have had the honour to learn about other countries and cultures; from Afghanistan to Hungary, to Viet Nam. I look forward to continuing my international career, in The Netherlands or elsewhere!

Making Mali a safer place

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Making Mali a safer place
By Peter Knoope. “Quarter-makers” is the word that the Dutch use for those military people that left for Mali recently. They live up to their name. They prepare the quarters for the contingent of Dutch soldiers that will be part of MINUSMA. Making Mali a safer place is their mission. Creating conditions for stability and for development is their contribution. After the Afghanistan and Iraq wars however, we all wonder if this will be the case. We hope to succeed, we fear to fail. With this in mind Parliament discussed the issue and sought experts’ input to ask the right questions and ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the mission. I was one of these experts. Now we know there are no easy answers and predicting the future is impossible, so I told them about competing propositions. I talked about the youngster in Kirdal in Northern Mali who gets to choose: On the one hand, a life filled with excitement, fast and big money, part of the gang, cool with the bandits that cross the Sahara smuggling drugs and cigarettes. Or the other life filled with comradeship and a new identity, heroic and with a political mission, something to live and die for with the boys in AQIM or MUJAO. Or else the alternative proposition of the government, with no future prospects, noeducation, no government services but with the traditional social ties that relate to historic values. What the young boy, idle and faced with these options will choose, depends on the attractiveness of the proposition. The goal of MINUSMA therefore is to increase the attractiveness of the governments proposition. And it needs to move fast to guarantee that the other options in the marketplace become irrelevant and unattractive. Because we know that once you are in, be it the criminal gang or the political movement, getting out is not easy- desertion unacceptable. I also talked about security and what that really means. Increasing stability requires security. But security is often looked at from the perspective of the State. States organize and guarantee state security. And rightly so. It means securing the states’ institutions and those that work for the State. But where the State is considered corrupt, or absent or worse, where State representatives are abusive or looking after their own interests, rather than the interest of the public and the people, State security becomes “their security” rather than “our security”. The human security perspective is a fundamentally different concept in many cases. Human security starts where the peoples security is taken care of. That requires an understanding of what real people really need in terms of their security. The question: “how do we find out?” is relevant. As the concerns of the people are important as a starting point, it is equally important to identify what people really mean when they refer to their security. That may seem more complex than it really is. Recently, we had the perfect example locally. The people in Northern provinces where our national wealth is hidden in our rich soil got really worried about their security and the risks they run through the exploitation of our national resources. The earth quakes. Houses break. Security shaken. But on the other hand our national cake is at stake. The national economic, and state security clashes with peoples security. Tensions build up to the extent that some of the protesters in Groningen claimed that they did no longer exclude the use of violence
 The situation in Mali and in Groningen differ; in many respects. But the clashes of human security interests and state security interests are “look-alikes”. A thorough understanding of the clashes between security interests in an environment where the State is either regarded as inadequate, corrupted or absent is very basic. Therefore, I would like to advise our quarter-makers to start looking into these issues. Talk to the civil society organisations that do not exclude the use of violence. Understand their motives and their grievances. Understand their anger and frustrations, just like in Groningen. Weigh the national and state security concerns, that soldiers naturally represent, carefully with the human security concerns. Only then will there be an answer to the questions that linger in the minds of our Parliamentarians ever since Afghanistan and Iraq. We can succeed and we will not fail if we care to listen and understand the challenging alternative propositions that lay on shoulders of the youngsters in Kirdal and if we care to listen to human security concerns of the people. My hope lies with the quarter-makers.

“Bread, freedom and social justice!”

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“Bread, freedom and social justice!”
                            By Taher Farahat, Ambassador of Egypt to The Netherlands. On January 25th, Egyptians commemorated the third Anniversary of the 25 January 2011 Revolution, a historic event that was closely followed, as it unfolded throughout its 18 days. Tahrir square, the main downtown square at the heart of the Capital Cairo, embraced the waves of Egyptians who took to the square, demanding a better tomorrow for all, with their main slogan “bread, freedom and social justice”. The square was indeed, a mosaic of Egyptians from all around the country; from various political denominations; beliefs; social strata; and educational backgrounds. Some were experienced political activists, while others were new to political activity. However, all were united in their legitimate demands, and aspirations for a better future for the generations to come. Such a revolutionary act was unthinkable for many experts in the Middle East Politics. In a country which succeeded to achieve a notable level of economic growth, before the international economic crisis, the revenues were not for the benefit of all, due to the mal-distribution of wealth. This was coupled with the stagnant political scene dominated by the then ruling National Democratic Party. Consequently and unexpectedly, Egyptians collectively decided not to tolerate such injustices, and thus the revolution was born. In the past three years, Egyptians have taken major steps forward. Political Parties with different agendas and denominations were established, ending the decades long domination of a ruling party; civil society organizations and individual initiatives embarked on several outreach activities in various parts of the country to raise political awareness. The high rates of participation in elections and referenda, including securing the right to vote for Egyptians residing abroad, freedom of expression and views witnessed a remarkable progress. The political and social scene became more inclusive allowing larger role for women and other marginalized social forces in the public sphere and ended their reluctance to engage in the political arena, and to voice their demands publicly. Nevertheless, the path to democracy continues to witness challenges. There were instances of violence, as well as the inability to achieve economic recovery, and most importantly, attempts to renounce democratic practices respected worldwide, and radically change the national identity, firmly based on moderation and openness. Eventually, the acute insurmountable predicament culminated in the outbreak of a public outrage on June 30th, widely regarded as the corrective second wave of revolution. On July 3, 2013 a Roadmap back to democracy was announced by the majority of the political forces in Egypt. This entailed the amendment of the 2012 Constitution, Parliamentary and Presidential elections to follow by summer of 2014.  A referendum on the amendments to the Constitution was held on Jan 14 and 15th of 2014, and was approved by 98% of the participants in the vote. The Presidential elections will be held shortly, by April 2014. Throughout these intense developments that took place in a relatively short course of time, Egyptians have proved to themselves and the world at large, that they are the main guardians and guarantors of their revolution and its aims. They are vehemently determined to continue along the path towards democracy and prosperity for all citizens in an equal, peaceful and inclusive manner. Such determination is the main assurance that Egyptians will eventually attain all their aspired goals.

Contemporary Philanthropy for International Justice in The Hague

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Contemporary Philanthropy for International Justice in The Hague
By Steven van Hoogstraten, Carnegie Foundation, General Director. In September 2013, the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP) and the Carnegie Foundation organized a two days international symposium on peace philanthropy. The aim of this symposium was to highlight contemporary examples of peace philanthropy and to identify the role of modern philanthropists for world issues like health, justice and environmental protection. In so doing the conference paved the way for new projects to be developed. One of these projects is the long standing wish for a Peace Museum in The Hague, a pluriform showcase where academic and cultural visions of peace can collide. But also other and parallel ideas exist that aim at a dialogue in our field of expertise, and at joining the forces that make The Hague an international city of peace and justice. True and constructive dialogue is only possible if there is room for reflection, for new ideas and for well formulated critique. To put it in a different language, when UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon recently called The Hague “the world’s legal capital, the epicenter of justice and accountability”, he confirmed our mandate but at the same time challenged us to live up to this high standard. It is in the pursuit of this standard, that I suggest that we develop some new ground. This would mean that we do not limit our attention to a deepening of the classical and institutional notions of international law but that we widen our scope to include those political and legal themes that are of utmost importance for the development of a just civil society. Now that the first century of the Peace Palace is behind us, time has come for coordinated efforts in The Hague to find the eyes and ears of the philanthropic world, a world eager to invest money in the public arena for good causes. In order to do this credibly, The Hague’s institutions must show the ambition to be at the leading edge of developing new concepts for global justice and finding alternative ways for dispute resolution. Not every difficult issue can be settled by finding the right page of the law book. I refer to disputes within states, disputes about natural resources, about food and water, or cultural issues. As I see it, The Hague should not be limited to be a fine judicial machine composed of international courts and tribunals, a machine which produces positive outcomes in conflicts by using the relevance of international law. The Hague should also be the place where international legal concepts are being critically reviewed, and where the policies behind the legal rules are explored and brought up to date. In this context I am tempted to think of questions like: “What does global justice mean for the response to threats from narcotic drugs, or from corruption? “; ”How can an international justice system be created which is accessible for other entities than states ? “, and ”Is it wise for the legitimacy of the ICC to try to investigate matters in countries who are not on the list of ratifications?”. A network institution like the Hague Academic Coalition (HAC) could hold the umbrella for akind of “Hague Programme on International Justice”, in which all international organizations are partners, in cooperation with the Hague Institute for Global Justice. I have to make clear at this point that developing this type of activities, is not necessarily the first task of my Foundation as we are so tied to the well-being of the Peace Palace and its important institutions. But the Carnegie Foundation could easily take the role of facilitator/convener for the organizations in The Hague which would like to be part of such an endeavor. Even if this has not been the main focus of our activities, it is an aspect that could be developed in the near future. The Hague – as the world’s legal capital – has an apparent need to develop initiatives that promote the cohesion among its institutions and inhabitants, either local or international. A true cohesion, thus both academic and cultural, could be a very sustainable answer to this need. Our common Hague denominator is after all that each and every institution is related to the promotion of international peace and justice, both in its scope of daily work, and in the more idealistic perspective on the longer term. One aspect that definitely might attract the attention of the philanthropists is the focus on social justice by outreach activities to the different target groups within our civil society. As far as the daily practice of the institutions in the Peace Palace is concerned, the existence of a general public audience does not have a great impact. Clearly the emphasis is on governments seeking a solution, according to “peace through law”. But public support is a factor which cannot be denied. This is true for instance where peace treaties are concerned, but also counts for the overall implementation of international justice. For me, it goes without saying that in The Hague we work for a maximum impact of international justice , and take these and other innovative trends into consideration. Fortunately important work on the innovation of justice is being done by the Hague Institute for the internationalization of Law (HiiL). When looking back to the beginning of the development of the Hague as a city of international law, early 1900, the first thing we see is this collaboration between International organizations and philanthropists. It was the philanthropy of steelmaker Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) that made the creation of the Peace Palace possible in the first place. Carnegie was the classical case of the bell boy who became a millionaire. Born in Scotland, he emigrated to the USA in 1848 where he became over time the most efficient American steel producer. At the age of 60 he sold his business interests to become a philanthropist. In his view the accumulated private wealth of people like himself should serve the public good. Carnegie was passionate about public education and an idealist of international peace. He believed strongly in the then rather novel idea of arbitration as a means to settle international disputes. Today, this philanthropic approach of Carnegie is being kept alive by an international network of Carnegie inspired organizations, part of which is the Carnegie Foundation in the Netherlands. Important organizations are the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, and the 4 UK based Carnegie Institutions in Dumfernline, including the Trust for the Universities of Scotland. One of their ways of rewarding contemporary heroes of private giving is by presenting biannual awards, the so-called Carnegie Medals of Philanthropy. In October 2013, this special medal was handed to Sir Tom Hunter, the Scotsman who started his career with the selling of sports shoes from the back of a van, and once he made his fortune, became a great advocate of “giving back “. By motivating others to join him, he became a catalyst for the changes in contemporary Scotland. Evenly rewarded was her Highness Sheika Moza bin Nasser, Sheika of Qatar, for her immense support for the cause of education, peace and social reform through the Qatar Foundation founded in 1995. Another awardee, the inventor of E bay Pierre Omidyar, held an impressive talk on how empowering the internet has become for the average citizen. In his view, philanthropy should concentrate on investments with a high potential and with some risks, as opposed to safe grants for public causes which would just be spent. Receivers in the past included the great names like Ted Turner, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, the Gates family and the Rockefeller family. The point of my remarks is that nowadays there still is a lot of private money being destined forpublic causes. The Hague’s institutions should be aware of this, and could present their activitiesin such a way so as to become eligible for funding. In essence, I hope that we can find our placeat the table of international good causes. What we are engaged in here in The Hague, certainly merits the international philanthropists attention and sympathy.
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