Invitation to IWC Open Day

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The International Women’s Contact (IWC) The Hague is an association, which brings together expatriate women living in the Netherlands as well as Dutch women with an international perspective. We count more than 300 members and represent over 50 nationalities. Our aim is to provide ample opportunities to share each other’s cultures and interests. We offer various activities such as lectures, excursions, art-, book- and language and sports clubs, as well as social gatherings and organize on a regular basis Monthly meetings with guest speakers.

Allow me to take this opportunity to invite ladies from the expat and diplomatic community to our

 Open Day on Monday, September16th from 11am to 12:30

CrownePlaza Den Haag, Van Stolkweg 1, 2585 JL The Hague.

  This is an ideal occasion to learn more about the wide range of activities ladies can participate in and meet other like-minded women. We look forward to welcoming interested ladies in our circle and have openings for new membership. Please sign up for the Open Day via pr@iwcthehague.nl. Entrance is free. For more information about the IWC visit also our website www.iwcthehague.nl. Looking forward to seeing you soon Karin O’Flynn President  IWC The Hague

“Gift of Heart”

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From the Polish Embassy in The Hague. “Gift of Heart” – a unique initiative of Polish cardiologists in Amsterdam 90 cardiac surgeons from all over Poland will take part in a cruise “Thank you Netherlands”. Their ship will dock in Amsterdam. Through “Cruise to Heart” they want to honor and say thank you to the Dutch society for a life-saving project in the years 1983-1990, thanks to which over 400 Polish children with congenital heart defects had the chance to undergo surgery in the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht free of charge Another successful part of this project was training by the Dutch of over 30 Polish doctors, nurses and perfusionists (specialists dealing with cardiopulmonary bypass), who contributed to the development of Polish cardiology and cardiac surgery. Prof Maria Hoffman, prof Witold Rużyłło, prof Krystyna Kubicka and prof Wanda Kawalec were responsible for this project and its implementation in Poland. There will be a ceremony on board the polish tall ship “Dar Młodzieży” in the harbor of Amsterdam, during which the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Kingdom of the Netherlands will be honoring the Dutch doctors, who were exceptionally engaged in the project. “Bene Merito” decorations will be given to: the head of Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht in the years 1973-1992, prof Walter Stoop, the leader of the surgery team prof Francois Hitchcock and intense therapy and anesthesia specialist, dr. Marianne Karelse-Nijsen. The organization Terre Des Hommes Netherland will also be credited for comprehensive support and input in developing the modern children’s cardiology and cardiac surgery in Poland during the years 1982-2002. After the official part, there will be performances on board the ship. The performing bands will be “Mitomani” – from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, Anja Kozieł – performing shanties and sea songs, and “Kardioband” – a band of excellent cardiology-musicians, members of the “Cruise for Heart”. Important: Polish tall ship “Dar Młodzieży” will be anchored in Amsterdam at Javakade 2 and will be open for public on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of September between 10-12 am and 1-6 pm.  

Official celebration 100 years Peace Palace

On Wednesday 28 August, 2013, the official celebration of the Peace Palace’s 100th anniversary took place. His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Mayor of The Hague Jozias van Aartsen took part in the ceremony. Watch the video of the commemoration on the Homepage. August 28th marks the centennial anniversary of the Peace Palace in The Hague. Since its inauguration, the Peace Palace has become a worldwide icon of Peace and Justice. A chain of special events are scheduled between August 28th and September 21st, the UN Day of Peace, to emphasize The Netherlands’ unwavering commitment to a better world in which conflicts are settled peacefully.   Italy offered a unique wine, the Wine of Peace.Produced since 1985 in the Vineyard of the World of Cormons, in the north-east Friuli-Venezia Giulia (see attachment), it is the result of the mixing of more than 600 vines from all over the world. A symbol of the coming together of so many different nationalities within the Italian millenarian tradition of wine-making. Each bottle is decorated with an artistic label, designed and written by famous painters and artists from different countries, changing every year.  Bottles of the Wine of Peace have been offered in the past to many international Authorities, political and religious, as a token of the peaceful settlement of disputes and as the symbol of mankind’s striving for peace. The true soul of the world, brotherhood and reconciliation, all in a glass of wine!  To know more about the Wine of Peace: www.cormons.com

AROUND THE WORLD IN ONE DAY

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AT THE EMBASSY FESTIVAL IN THE HAGUE On Saturday, 7 September the first edition of the Embassy Festival will take festival goers around the world in one exciting day. The picturesque Lange Voorhout provides the backdrop for a cultural journey of discovery offering music, art, dance, food & drink, debates and lectures from 12:00 until 21:00. Wander the national themed pavilions, be entertained at the music podiums and cross cultural borders at the Creative Arena. The taste buds will be working overtime with mouth-watering wine, sausages, cakes, cheese fondue, sandwiches and plenty of traditional snacks from near and far. The festival kicks off early in the afternoon, with a musical world tour offering several genres including soul, jazz, pop, folk, funk, hip-hop and classical. Besides a rich culinary and musical offering, festival goers can get creative with Balkan Artists from the project DeZoep, while Nieuwe Garde Den Haag demonstrates the creative richness that can be found in the international city of The Hague. The Embassy Festival is an all-rounder, offering a programme which promises to shape the trip you’ve always dreamed of. The musical adventure starts early on in the day, kick starting a unique festival which seeks extremes. The Dutch star violist FREDERIEKE SAEIJS whose performance on the classical podium includes works by Bach, while on the other side of the festival terrein, warm-blooded flamenco sounds by PRIMOS DEL NORTE can be heard. The wayward soul sensation from Sweden, SAMSON FOR PRESIDENT, will have audiences on their feet, while the beautiful Australian saxophonist AMY DICKSON plays pieces by Debussy and Fauré. The Finnish-Dutch band TOWN OF SAINTS sweeps audiences up into a whirlwind of folk with a touch of punk, while sopranos STEFANIE TRUE from Canada and JULIA KOGAN (Ukraine / USA) ignite the romantic fire with their enchanting voices. From her parents’ Turkish restaurant to Carnegie Hall, multi-talented KARSU, the Dutch Norah Jones, makes a pitt-stop at the Embassy Festival continuing her journey to world fame. The Belgian KOEN PLAETINCK hypnotizes with his virtuoso marimba performance. M.T.T. TRIO FT PIOTR WOJTASIK proves that Poland has a sensational jazz scene. Meanwhile, HARI offers audiences an impressive KATHAK DANCE featuring hundreds of ankles bells. JON TARIFA, the son of the first Albanian ambassader in the Netherlands, performs an energetic blend of funk and hip-hop. SIMON MURPHY (violist and conductor of the New Dutch Academy) seduces audiences with his viola. Norwegianaccordeonist FRODE HALTLI brings atmospheric Norwegian jazz to the stage with the REMBRANDT FRERICHS TRIO. Also from Norway, PETTER CARLSEN brings the Embassy Festival to a festive close with the RED LIMO STRING QUARTET (known from Kyteman and Janne Schra) with a performance guaranteed to induce goosebumps. INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CITY The Hague has every right to call itself an international city. With the presence of the many embassies, NGOs and multinationals the city enjoys continuous interaction with the rest of the world. The first edition of the Embassy Festival presents visitors with a beautiful compilation of international culture that can be seen, heard and tasted. The Embassy Festival is a sequel to The European Life I Live and is organised by Prooost, the organisation behind the annual Life I Live Festival and several other Hague-based events.

Diplomacy and the Unsaid

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By Biljana Scott. Professor at Oxford University, Senior Lecturer at DiploFoundation and Visiting Professor at the London Academy of Diplomacy. ‘Diplomatic language’ has a bad name, carrying connotations of equivocation, obfuscation and prevarication. And yet, as this article sets out to show, diplomatic language involves a valuable skill: knowing how to detect and deploy the unsaid. I define the ‘unsaid’ as ‘meaning conveyed implicitly through language’ rather than that which is not communicated at all or non-verbally through body language, and I suggest that a mastery of the unsaid is essential both to international and interpersonal diplomacy. There are several good reasons for resorting to the unsaid: (1) we can keep our options open longer through equivocation; (2) we secure room for manoeuver through ambiguity; (3) we may plausibly deny what has been implied but not said explicitly; (4) we can persuade others better by priming them with stories-in-a-capsule (such as metaphors). And should you question whether these are ‘good’ reasons, then consider the following: (5) we can show tact and save face through indirectness; (6) we can enhance in-group identity and affirm community membership through tacit understanding  (what need not be said because it is understood). And finally (7), since interpretation involves speculation, we are being true to our cognitive make-up when we fill in the gaps of sensory input (including linguistic input), with informed guesses about what that input might mean. Having outlined the key functions of the unsaid, the remainder of this article identifies and exemplifies four types of implicit communication found in diplomatic discourse. 1. ‘Mind the Gap’ Gaps abound at many levels of language. At word-level, we find gaps between compound terms such as Public Diplomacy (diplomacy by, for or with the public?), and climate security (securing the climate against human emissions, or humans against climate change?). Between sentences we find gaps between the juxtapositions of parataxis (Have children. Will travel), a device repeatedly used by President Bush in the countdown to war in Iraq in order to associate Saddam Hussein with 9/11 in people’s minds: “Saddam Hussein is a threat to our nation. September 11 changed the strategic thinking, at least as far as I was concerned, for how to protect our country.” Gaps may also be inserted through the device of scope ambiguity in order to give rise to multiple interpretations. Does the scope of the negative in The President may not ratify the treaty indicate that he is not allowed to, or that he is in two minds over ratifying it. Does the scope of ‘Olympic’ in No demonstrations are allowed in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas, extend to and include ‘other areas’? Scope ambiguity is frequently encountered in UNSC Resolutions. Gaps can also be inserted through the addition of contrastive stress (‘Now this is worth considering’), and through the addition of prepositions in ‘power to’ or ‘power over’; ‘fear of’ or ‘fear for’; ‘to laugh with’ or ‘to laugh at’. Further gaps abound between connotations and denotations, between intended and possible meanings (both within and across cultures), and between literal and ironical meanings. It is when we bridge gaps unwittingly, as we so often do, that they may prove misleading. 2:  Stories in a capsule One of the most effective forms of persuasion involves the manipulation of inference. By providing a narrative, we can structure our interlocutor’s perceptions and influence their actions. Narratives may be found in connotations, for instance, which tell a story by foregrounding certain attributes and backgrounding others (as in security fence vs apartheid wall). Metaphors and analogies similarly invite the listener to articulate the larger significance of what little has been said (bankers are wolves in shepherds’ clothing). Listeners can be covertly guided in their understanding of causes, consequences and ethics through the framing power of figures of speech. Priming is particularly effective where values are implied. In the case of the Roadmap to Peace, the prior existence and attainability of ‘Peace’ as a destination is assumed by the metaphor, as is the resourcefulness of the various teams involved. The only reason, therefore, why the destination might not be successfully reached, allowing for a few trials and tribulations along the way, is because of lack of will power. Or so the metaphor would have us believe. Change the metaphor, and you change the associated expectations and value judgments. 3:  Ambiguities There are many different forms of ambiguity, from vagueness to homophony, all of which depend on focus: how far one zooms out to a (potentially) deceptive larger picture, and how far one zooms into linguistic features or hidden assumptions. Vagueness is canonically exemplified by the underspecification involved in the ‘One China’ policy (which China: PRC or ROC?), and by UNSC Resolution 242 where the absence of the article ‘the’ in “demands immediate withdrawal … from [the] territories occupied in the recent conflict.” raises the possibility of withdrawal from only ‘some’ territories, not ‘all’. Vagueness is also involved in the exact referent of special and differential treatment, reasonable force and Socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the other end of the scale, lexical ambiguity concerns the presence or absence of particular features. Thus, sorry has the features [±responsibility]: (I’m sorry I hurt you vs I’m sorry the weather is bad), an ambiguity capitalised upon by the ‘Letter of the two sorries’ issued by the US over the Hainan Island Incident. Similarly ‘to sex up’ is ambiguous between the features [±mendacity], as Lord Hutton acknowledged in his summing up of the Iraq inquiry. Homophony is another source of ambiguity potentially relevant to diplomacy. A play on cross-linguistic puns was initiated by Sir Charles Napier, who sent a one-word telegram in 1844 on the capture of Sindh consisting of the Latin word  ‘peccavi’, Latin for ‘I have sinned’, homophonous with ‘I have Sindh’. Current examples of punning used in order to evade political censorship may be found in Chinese, a language which is naturally rich in homophones. The image of a river crab wearing three wrist-watches, for instance, is a popular icon derived from the homophony between  the word for ‘river crab’ 河蟹 héxiè, and that for ‘harmony’,和谐, héxié, which occurs in a government policy on the ‘Harmonious Society’ that has come to symbolise official censorship. Similarly, ‘to wear a watch’ 戴表 dài biǎo, is homophonous with the word ‘represent’ 代表 dài biǎo, which occurs in another government policy that has come to be identified with censorship, namely the ‘Three Represents’. 4:  Indirect Speech Acts There are several ‘unsaids’ involved in courtesy, arising from the close correlation between directness and discourtesy: the more frank we are, the more face-threatening we seem. Conversely, tact invariably has recourse to implicit communication. One of the most pervasive reasons for cross-cultural (or indeed interpersonal), misunderstanding is the failure to recognise the discrepancy between what people say and what they mean by what they say. As in the joke about “what is the difference between a diplomat and a lady”, a seemingly simple utterances such as yes, no and maybe, can perform different actions depending on who is saying it, to whom, with what intention. * Since implicit communication is a particularly useful resource in diplomacy, for the reasons outlined in the introduction, it seems advisable to master the unsaid rather than be mastered by it. In order to do so, one needs to understand how the unsaid works and where it is most likely to arise and thrive. This summary of four categories of the unsaid provides a preview of how such an understanding might best be secured.

Panama’s President Martinelli in The Hague, a successful visit

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By Robert Buurke, Publisher. Panama’s President Ricardo Martinelli ended his three-day successful stay to the Netherlands with a visit to His Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and PM, Mark Rutte. The latter addressed issues of commercial relations between both countries. According to diplomatic sources in The Hague, President Martinelli met with businessmen and government officials seeking new trade and investment possibilities for Panama. Martinelli took the opportunity to meet the president of the Netherlands Confederation of Industrialists and Employers, Mr. Bernard Wintjes, and took part in roundtable with representatives of 15 key Dutch entrepreneurs interested in Panama. President Martinelli said that there are significant business opportunities in his country, especially in the Maritime Sector, tourism industry, energy and real estate. Dutch businessmen showed interested in the investment opportunities offered by the Panama Canal’s expansion project, port construction and the energy market. IMG_0154The Panamanian delegation was let by Foreign Minister Fernando Nunez, Minister of Trade and Industries Ricardo Quijano, Minister of Panama Canal Affairs and Secretary of the Subway Roberto Roy.  His Excellency, Jose Teran, Ambassador to the Netherlands, achieved a tight but very successful-productive agenda for his government.      

Climbing Mount Kinabalu: For the Adventurers in Us All

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By Katarina Daniels, MAGIK TOURS, Montreal With the increasing popularity of adventure tourism, MAGIK TOURS gave me the opportunity to travel to the Malaysian state of Sabah, located on the northeast part of the island of Borneo. My mission was to climb Mount Kinabalu, the tallest peak in South East Asia, reaching 4,095 metres (13,435 feet) above sea level, and to discover the various adventure and cultural offerings of this exceptional part of the world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kinabalu National Park is one of the most important biological sites in the world, with flora of Himalayan, Australasian, and Indomalayan origin, and local fauna including orangutans and deer, and over 300 species of birds. Strict national park regulations function to protect the unique ecosystem; these regulations also require that you hike up the mountain with an accredited guide. katerinaThe traditional hike is done over the course of two days along the Timpohon Gate path, and is suitable for hikers of any level. Indeed, our tour group passed children as young as 10 and adults nearing the age of 80! On the first day, your guide will take you on a 6km trek your dormitory-style chalet, located at around 3250 metres above sea level. This scenic hike takes approximately 4 hours, after which you are rewarded with a warm buffet dinner and a few hours of rest. Day two begins at 2am, when your guide comes to fetch you for your sunrise hike to the summit (Low’s Peak). This steep trek in the pitch dark will likely take you close to 3 hours, just enough time to reach the summit for sunrise. Be sure to bring layers along to protect yourself from the cold mountain air. Once at the peak, take the obligatory photo with the park sign marking a successful hike, take in the breathtaking views, and start the descent. In fact, the most spectacular part of the hike awaits you on your way down, as you finally see the path you climbed up just hours earlier. The sharp descent makes for many picture-perfect moments, and your guide will be happy to take photos for you throughout your climb. Once you reach the bottom of the mountain, we recommend a relaxing day at the spa before setting off to discover the rest of this vibrant region: visit the traditional Rungus in their longhouses, experience ecotourism in the Danum Valley, meet orangutans in Sepilok, and enjoy world-class diving off Sipadan Island. Visit www.magiktours.com or contact us at info@magiktours.com for more information or to plan your next adventure holiday.

King William-Alexander granted Order to Ambassador of Bolivia

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After almost six years in duty as Ambassador of Bolivia to The Netherlands, H.E. Ambassador Calzadilla was granted, on behalf of the government and people of the Netherlands- the Order of Orange Nassau Ritter degree Grootkruis from His Majesty, Kind William-Alexander. It is a recognition of the good and friendly relations between Bolivia and and the Netherlands. Before departing to London, Ambassador Calzadilla expressed his recognition to Diplomatic Magazine. “Diplomat Magazine has been well received and will undoubtedly be part of the enthusiasm and spirit shared  by the large international community in The Hague. This community needs and deserves a medium of communication not only for its own internal uses but more importantly as a means of communication with the larger local community”, expressed Ambassador Calzadilla.  “I wholeheartedly wish all the best fort Diplomatic Magazine and congratulate you again all those who have made Diplomat Magazine possible”, concluded the Ambassador of Bolivia.

European Elections are National Elections as well

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By Hans van Baalen, leader of VVD in The European Parliament, member of the Bureau of the ALDE Group in the EP and President of Liberal International. In May 2014, the citizens of 28 EU member states will elect the 754 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Many argue that these elections are exclusively European-wide elections and that national parties should be replaced by trans-European lists. As a former Member of the Second Chamber of Dutch Parliament for VVD, current leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in the European Parliament (EP), and as elected front-runner for VVD in the coming European Elections, I know that a rift between European and national politics is bad for both. If the EP is solely elected through trans-European lists, its legitimacy will be further weakened. As a VVD MEP, I have a strong position in Dutch politics which helps me to strengthen the VVD delegation in the EP in Brussels and Strasbourg. I have a standing invitation to attend the meetings of VVD Groups in both the Second Chamber (the House) and the First Chamber (the Senate) of Parliament. I am advisory member of the National Executive Committee of the party and I am member of the so-called Core Group which is composed of Prime Minister Marc Rutte, VVD leaders in the House Halbe Zijlstra and Loek Hermans in the Senate, VVD chief whip in the House Tamara Venrooy and party chairman Benk Korthals. Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) and I work closely together regarding the agenda of both the European Council and the EP. With VVD (and PvdA) Ministers and State Secretaries, I do the same concerning the meetings of the Council of Ministers. I would not have this position if I were a trans-European MEP without a solid foundation in my national party. On the other hand, I can lobby for European compromises reached by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) of which VVD is a member. To cut these ties would be very counter-productive. Furthermore, although I operate from the benches of ALDE in the EP, I see myself and I am seen by the Dutch public as their representative. I consider it part of my duties to accept invitations by late night shows such as Pauw & Witteman, The Wereld Draait Door, Knevel & Van den Brink, NOS News Hour as well as giving interviews in Dutch magazines and newspapers. For these reasons, I do not live in Brussels and Strasbourg but I commute between The Hague and both European seats of the EP, or I book hotels. An extra dimension to both my European and my national work is given by the fact that I am President of Liberal International (LI). LI is the world federation of liberal and democratic parties, which includes the British LibDems and the German FDP. LI works in different capacities with more than 100 parties and organisations around the globe, including the US Democrats. Leading VVD in the 2014 EP elections, together with my team, I will focus on a Europe which strikes a balance between European and Dutch national interests. This means a focus on the Common Market, International Trade, a stable European currency, energy self-sufficiency, the Digital Agenda and all other areas which contribute to a strong economy, growth and jobs. The Union should do what the member states cannot do, or cannot do as efficiently or as effectively as the Union. We do not believe in an “Ever Closer Union” but in a Union that makes the member states and its citizens stronger. This means taking clear position. No against EU bashing. No against EU federalism. No to Eurobonds.  Yes to growth! Yes to close co-operation! Yes to the UK in the EU!        

Snowden

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By Peter Knoope. Today my local newspaper is dominated by the search for the previously unknown Mr. Snowden. The man who recently acquired world fame with his revelations on the intelligence gathering methods of the US and UK governments.  He gives a whole new meaning to the word refugee. Travelling the world in search of protection and asylum. What is Mr. Snowdon trying to tell us? What exactly has he exposed? And how should we judge him and his contribution to security? Of course history will judge him. But let us take a closer look at his message and its relevance. An opinion poll in the Netherlands revealed that the actions referred to as “Prism” by the NSA are supported by 75 percent of the public. That is if these activities help to prevent terrorist attacks! This reminds me of a quote by London police commissioner Remmington who said that “terrorism is defeated by communities not by law enforcement”. This is most probably true to a very large extent. Community resilience is a decisive factor in early warning and early action. Recognising signals of radicalism and its consequences when it happens, by fathers, teachers, social workers, religious leaders and local police officers accounts for a large number of thwarted attacks. This is not what I reckon or think. It is what research shows us. 80 percent of thwarted terrorist attacks in the US were prevented because these were initially signalled by the people within, or in close contact with, communities. Suspicious behaviour, training, recruiting and other early signals were brought to the attention of the police and started the process that led to the prevention of attacks. This is the preventative action that is of such relevance to all of us and why the general Dutch public does not mind Prism-type of activities. But Prism is not about community engagement and resilience. On the contrary, it seems to contradict and ignore just that. Isn’t resilience about trust building and relationships between communities and government officials? And isn’t trust exactly what this is all about? The real issue here is not what the US and the UK government do. The real issue is the apparent mistrust somewhere in the space between government, citizens and communities. Mistrust that leads to unease on the side of governments and civil society alike. Terrorist organisations capitalise on that fear and mistrust. That is exactly the breeding ground that serves their purpose. Maybe this is what Mr. Snowden exposed; the real victory of terrorism: damaging the trust relationship between governments and communities. Did he help to fix the problem? Again, history will judge him. Who am I to do that? But my concern is that “Snowden” is not the start of a new paradigm in counter-terrorism. This will not necessarily or automatically lead to more trust and increased resilience. We need more than Mr. Snowden. Or maybe we need something completely different: investment in community engagement and trust building measures to seriously prevent terrorism. My advice would therefore be to ignore the search for the elusive Mr. Snowden and start working on the real challenges. We deserve it. History will do the rest.