Periodic application for Certificate of Conduct: a tool for employers

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Periodic application for Certificate of Conduct: a tool for employers

A Certificate of Conduct (VOG) is a snapshot and sometimes provides only false security. How can employers ensure to get more security about the reliability of their staff?

By Jan Dop and Erika van Zadelhof

When hiring new staff, you as an employer may request a new employee to provide you with a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring omtrent het gedrag; VOG). It is advisable to mention this in the job posting. A Certificate of Conduct is a certificate proving that a job candidate’s judicial record is not an objection for the performance of the function in question.

The Certificate of Conduct is applied for by the employee at the Justis Service, the screening authority which is subject to the Ministry of Justice and Security. The employer guides the (prospective) employee in this process: for example, as an employer, you need to indicate how the Certificate of Conduct can be applied for (in writing or digitally) and which screening profile has to be chosen.

Assessment by screening authority Justis

Starting point for the Certificate of Conduct is the information recorded in the Judicial Documentation System (JDS, also referred to as ‘criminal record’). If the applicant has no criminal record, a Certificate of Conduct will always be issued. If the applicant does have a criminal record, Justis will use the screening profile to assess whether the criminal offences constitute an objection to performing a specific job. Someone who is guilty of a sex offence in the past has little chance of obtaining a Certificate of Conduct if they want to work in teaching, while chances are considerably higher for an administrative job at a financial institution.

Depending on the nature of the job, Justis will assess whether the application meets two criteria:

  1. The objective criterion: Would the offence committed, if repeated, be an obstacle to performing the job, given the risk to society?
  2. The subjective criterion: Here, the applicant’s interest (a new job) is weighed against the risk to society (possible danger if someone with a criminal record joins a particular job or company).

GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation sets rules regarding privacy. If you ask (prospective) employees to provide a Certificate of Conduct, you are processing their personal data. It is therefore important to comply with the requirements of the GDPR:

  1. The employer must have a legitimate interest in the request for a Certificate of Conduct.
  2. The Certificate of Conduct must be a necessary part of the screening of employees and applicants for the job in question. That is, the employer does not have less intrusive means of obtaining this information.
  3. The employer must inform the applicant or employee in advance about the application for a Certificate of Conduct.

False security

In most cases, the employee’s provision of a Certificate of Conduct at the start of the employment will be sufficient. However, as an employer, you should keep in mind that a assessment for a Certificate of Conduct is a snapshot. It only assesses whether there are any objections to its issuance as a result of offences committed in the past. There is a risk that the employee may commit offences after the Certificate of Conduct has been issued that the employer is unaware of. Also, only offences that were actually committed are included, whereas a suspicion of a criminal offence is not included in the assessment. This is why the Certificate of Conduct can be seen as false security.

Continuous screening

As in certain industries it is very important for employers to be sure that employees remain of impeccable conduct once they have been hired, continuous screening is laid down by law. Currently, this applies, for example, to people working in the taxi industry or in childcare. The Justis Service continuously checks whether there are any changes to the criminal record and notifies the supervisor of the relevant industry if it is provisionally assessed that there is an impediment to performing the job. The supervisor will pass this information on to the employer. The employee concerned will then have to apply for a new Certificate of Conduct.

Periodic application

Even in other industries, it may be advisable for you as an employer to ensure that there are still no objections to the performance of a specific job by your employees. You may choose to require all your employees to provide you with a Certificate of Conduct periodically (e.g. every year). In certain industries, such as aviation, security or ICT, it is essential for employers to ensure that employees are continuously of impeccable conduct.

Naturally, a periodic application for all your employees involves costs. For the vast majority of professions, it is not laid down by law who is to bear these costs, but it could be argued that these costs should be borne by the employer based on good employment practices. Since 1 January 2020, these costs can be reimbursed untaxed, without affecting the free space under the work-related cost scheme.

Please note that as an employer, you cannot be sure that a periodic application for a Certificate of Conduct will cover all risks: in the interim period, an employee may still commit criminal offences that you can only become aware of (much) later. So the problem of false security still plays a role.

Termination of employment

Can you dismiss your employee if the (periodically) requested Certificate of Conduct is not provided? It is possible to agree upon a resolutive condition, which says that the employment contract will end if a Certificate of Conduct is not or no longer available. However, it is essential that this condition is formulated correctly and conclusively.

The Supreme Court has ruled that an employer may only include a resolutive condition if three conditions are met:

  1. The resolutive condition must not violate the closed system of dismissal law;
  2. The fulfilment of the resolutive condition does not depend on the subjective judgment of either employer or employee;
  3. Once the resolutive condition has been fulfilled, the employment contract can no longer actually be fulfilled (’empty shell’).

If the employee has deliberately concealed a criminal offence, and the employer is of the opinion that this hinders the proper performance of the job, the employer can also request the subdistrict court to dissolve the employment contract, for example on the basis of the h-ground.

About the authors:

Jan Dop

Russell Advocaten Partner. Jan Dop is a specialist in employment law and corporate law. jan.dop@russell.nl +31 20 301 55 55

Erika van Zadelhof

Erika van Zadelhof / Lawyer. Erika gives advice on employment law, employee benefits and dismissals erika.vanzadelhof@russell.nl+31 20 301 55 55

Leonardo Royal Hotel and Diplomat Magazine, ten years of great collaboration

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Leonardo Royal Hotel and Diplomat Magazine, ten years of great collaboration

This year we celebrate ten years of close cooperation between Diplomat Magazine and Leonardo Royal hotel, where many great diplomatic events were hosted, over the years.

On this special occasion, we asked Mr. Patrick Aarsman, General Manager, to tell us more about it.

‘When I started as General Manager of the Leonardo Royal Hotel The Hague Promenade in 2017, there was already a collaboration in place, hosting the annual Diplomats after Summer Drink. However, there was an immediate connection and the cooperation was quickly expanded. We now welcome dozens of diplomatic events and delegations every year’.

Mr. Aarsman has reminded us also about the history of the Promenade Hotel (the initial name), which goes back to 1818. Due to its favorable location, facilities and proximity to many embassies in The Hague, the hotel has always played a prominent role in the diplomatic community.

‘The world cannot do without diplomacy, many conflicts have been prevented worldwide and much collaboration has been started and strengthened. It’s all about respect and being able to listen to each other and this is what we can generally learn from the diplomatic community. However, the conversation must take place and that is why we are so proud of our Food Festivals (4 to 6 Food Festivals per year), in collaboration with embassies and the Diplomat Magazine. This offers the opportunity for diplomacy and getting to know each other better in combination with authentic food and drinks’.

The hotel hosts dozens of diplomatic events and is generally preferred for overnight stays for many diplomats visiting from abroad. 

In addition to the Food Festivals, the hotel hosts National Day receptions, press conferences, business lunches or other get-together events for the diplomatic world in The Hague.  Leonardo Royal hotel is also the main location for all the Diplomat Magazine events.

‘Indeed, we found in Leonardo hotel a trustworthy partner. The hotel management has always had the vision, the flexibility and also the willingness to listen to our ideas and respond affirmatively to our requests’ added Dr. Mayelinne De Lara, Publisher of Diplomat Magazine.

‘We proudly continue to organize and host diplomatic events. In addition, we have been open for over a year with our restaurant concept LEO’S International Flavors, which is fully inspired by the authentic dishes we make in collaboration with the embassies. In addition, last year we renovated our entire lobby and kitchen. We continue to develop and we are now building a live cooking unit, for live cooking during breakfast, demonstrations or for the future food festivals’. (Patrick Aarsman)

Mr. Aarsman also told us that quality and above all, flexibility were some of the main keys of this fruitful collaboration between the hotel and the diplomatic community. ‘There are often many last-minute changes and we can respond very well to this. Our knowledge of the diplomatic community is an advantage that has led to many successful events.  We also offer a wide range of facilities in a quiet location, with good accessibility and great security options’.

Over the years, Leonardo Royal Hotel became the main hub for diplomatic life in the city. Its high standards for quality have been the initial reason but the openness to the multicultural world and the attention to details has certainly made the difference.

As a Dutch saying goes ‘Reputation comes on foot and goes on horseback’,   Leonardo Royal Hotel has earned its good name and intends to keep it.

‘We belong to each other, in the sense that the hotel opened its doors to us from day one.  We enjoy new ideas and we love surpass ourselves when repeating our flag formulas. The diplomatic corps is our first counterpart, we listen to their projects and adapt their insights taking into account their needs and objectives. My goal is to keep innovating, elaborating new events, building new diplomatic bridges, increase public diplomacy opportunities for embassies.  Together we achieved beautiful things and I hope that this collaboration will be maintained for many years to come!’ (Dr. Mayelinne De Lara)

Human rights challenges in interethnic conflicts

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Human rights challenges in interethnic conflicts

By Marco Pizzorno

Interethnic conflicts have been a persistent challenge throughout human history, and they continue to pose significant human rights challenges in the modern world. These conflicts occur when groups of people from different ethnic backgrounds clash due to differences in culture, religion, or language. Unfortunately, such conflicts often result in human rights violations on a massive scale, including forced displacement, torture, rape, and even genocide.

One of the primary human rights challenges in interethnic conflicts is the violation of the right to life. When groups of people are pitted against each other due to their ethnic differences, the risk of violence and death increases significantly. In many cases, individuals are targeted because of their ethnicity, and violence is used as a tool to intimidate and control entire communities. The right to life is a fundamental human right, and any attempt to violate it is a gross violation of international law.

Another significant human rights challenge in interethnic conflicts is the displacement of people. When violence erupts between different ethnic groups, people are often forced to flee their homes and communities to escape the violence. Displaced persons face a range of challenges, including lack of access to food, shelter, and healthcare. They are also vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by armed groups and other actors, including sexual violence.

Is mportant to note that interethnic conflicts are often complex, long-standing, and deeply rooted in historical, social, and political factors. Therefore, addressing the human rights challenges posed by interethnic conflicts requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account the underlying causes of such conflicts.

One key factor that must be addressed is discrimination. Discrimination based on ethnicity is a fundamental violation of human rights and can perpetuate interethnic tensions and conflicts. Governments must work to ensure that all individuals are treated equally and with respect, regardless of their ethnicity. This can include enacting and enforcing anti-discrimination laws, promoting diversity and inclusion in all aspects of society, and providing equal access to economic and political opportunities.

The impact of “erga-omnes” violations in inter-ethnic conflicts

Erga omnes violations are violations of fundamental human rights that are considered to be of such gravity that they affect the whole of humanity. They are violations that are not only harmful to the immediate victims but also to the wider society as a whole. In the context of inter-ethnic conflicts, erga omnes violations can take various forms, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Genocide is a term used to describe the deliberate and systematic destruction of a particular ethnic group. It involves acts such as killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life on the group that are intended to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.

Crimes against humanity involve acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack. These acts can include murder, enslavement, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence, forced displacement, and enforced disappearance.

War crimes are violations of the laws and customs of war and are committed during armed conflict. These crimes can include intentionally targeting civilians, using prohibited weapons, and subjecting prisoners of war to inhumane treatment.

Erga omnes violations in inter-ethnic conflicts have a devastating impact on the victims and their communities. They can lead to long-lasting trauma, displacement, and a breakdown in social cohesion. They also have wider implications for the international community, as they threaten regional and global stability and security.

To prevent erga omnes violations in inter-ethnic conflicts, it is essential to address the root causes of the conflicts and to promote dialogue, reconciliation, and respect for human rights. Governments and other actors must take proactive measures to prevent conflicts from escalating and to hold those responsible for violations accountable. The international community also has a responsibility to support efforts to prevent and respond to inter-ethnic conflicts and to provide assistance to victims and their communities.

In conclusion, interethnic conflicts pose significant human rights challenges that require a concerted effort from governments, civil society organizations, and the international community to address. By promoting dialogue and understanding, holding those responsible for human rights violations accountable, providing support to victims, and working together to promote human rights, we can work towards a world where interethnic conflicts are resolved peacefully, and human rights are respected for all.

The Ocean Cleanup Returns To Guatemala – Second Attempt 

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The Ocean Cleanup Returns To Guatemala – Second Attempt 

“At The Ocean Cleanup, our mission is to rid the oceans of plastic”. Ocean plastic pollution is a global emergency requiring immediate action, which starts by rapidly cutting the massive yearly inflows of plastic into the oceans from rivers.

“We deploy our Interceptors in some of the highest polluting rivers on Earth, providing practical and innovative ways to stop plastic reaching the seas and keep our oceans clean in areas where we can have maximum impact.” said The Ocean Cleanup’s representative.

2022 saw The Ocean Cleanup’s first attempt to stop the trash tsunamis flowing from Guatemala’s Rio Las Vacas into the Rio Motagua and from there into the Caribbean Sea. For this, they trialed the Interceptor Trashfence: an 8 meter high fence that was designed to let water pass but block the trash.

Despite initially holding back the tons of waste rushing downstream, the trial was unsuccessful and most of the trash was lost. “Now deploying a new type of Interceptor in an attempt to finish the job we started one year ago”.

This river presents challenges like no other. If successful, we believe this project will have a major impact on ocean plastic pollution in the Gulf of Honduras, and contribute to cleaner and healthier waters for Guatemala and the wider international region.

The Rio Motagua

The Rio Motagua is Guatemala’s largest river, and suffers a variety of circumstances and challenges that have resulted in a significant source of plastic pollution into the ocean from within and around Guatemala City.

The Rio Las Vacas, a tributary of the Rio Motagua, is located close to Guatemala City – a sprawling and growing community of one million people. Like many populous cities in the region, Guatemala City faces challenges in the development of waste management and sanitation systems, particularly in response to extreme weather events. Every year, seasonal rains cause flash floods which bring massive amounts of trash through the Rio Las Vacas, into the Rio Motagua, and on to the open sea.

 Plastic pollution on the river bed of Rio Las Vacas

The typical challenges of waste management are exacerbated by illegal dumping – plastic and other waste disposed of directly into the river both in Guatemala City itself and in other regions. Local authorities are committed to addressing these issues through a range of initiatives, but these solutions require time to implement successfully – while each year the tsunamis of trash continue to spew into the ocean.

The First Encounter

In 2022, The Ocean Cleanup trialed the experimental Interceptor Trashfence in the Rio Las Vacas.

“Our initial trial with the Interceptor Trashfence was unsuccessful because the composition of trash in the river meant that once the river met the fence, the water flow was impeded to a greater degree than anticipated. As the water wasn’t flowing through the fence as freely as anticipated, this caused the water to be pushed downwards towards the foundations of the fence, causing rapid erosion of the riverbed around these foundations. The erosion damage caused the fence to give way under the massive forces of the flooding water and tons of trash.”

Interceptor Trashfence, Guatemala, Rio Las Vacas. First attempt of The Ocean Cleanup’s Trashfence in 2022
(2022) Interceptor Trashfence, in Las Vacas river, Guatemala. Damaged after the flash flood.

The new Interceptor Barricade is a system of extremely heavy duty floating booms placed throughout the river to efficiently capture plastic, while allowing the water to pass freely below the surface.

The Rio Las Vacas river in Guatemala

The Rio Las Vacas river in Guatemala

The Interceptor Barricade is placed in a hydropower reservoir lake, in the Rio Las Vacas close to the city of Chinautla, around 16 km north of Guatemala City.

Because the flow speed here is expected to be lower than at the original location (500 meters further upstream), pressures on the system will be lessened. To design and construct the Interceptor Barricade, The Ocean Cleanup collaborated with Worthington Products, a US-based company specializing in river debris control solutions.

Rendering of the Interceptor Barricade (2023)

Global Challenges, Local Partners

Through their support of The Ocean Cleanup and Interceptor 006, the Municipality of Guatemala City have shown their commitment to taking meaningful action on plastic pollution in the Rio Motagua, as part of their wider initiative to protect the environment in and around Guatemala City. The Ocean Cleanup will also be exploring ways to work together to prevent further plastic from entering the river in the first place.

“Our collaborators in Guatemala are also vital for managing the trash we intercept. After the trash has been removed from the Interceptor Barricade (using excavators operated from the shore) it will be weighed on-site to determine the total catch quantities; as with all our deployments these quantities will be verified in collaboration with DNV.”

The plastic catch then passes to local partners and waste management authorities. “In collaboration with Guatemalan NGO BiosferaGT (with the support of The Coca-Cola Company) we have set up a waste sorting center staffed by members of the local community to trial recycling operations for some of our extracted waste. Should this trial prove successful we will look to scale up this scheme.”

Waste sorting center staffed by members of the local community Waste Manager Enock Namwoyo (left) from The Ocean Cleanup and Mario Zea director from BiosferaGT at their sorting center Waste sorting center by BiosferaGT

“Ridding the oceans of plastic is an ambitious goal, and The Ocean Cleanup can’t do it alone. We hope to continue working on plastic pollution in Guatemala by expanding our operations across the country, working with both municipal and national government to address any remaining leakage to the ocean.”

Finish What We Started

“We came to Guatemala to help prevent an environmental emergency that causes devastation to the marine environment and has serious impacts in the local area and beyond. That ambition has not changed.”

The most efficient way to clean our oceans is to prevent plastic entering the oceans in the first place, and the most impactful way to do this is to provide interception solutions in areas with the highest levels of plastic leakage into the ocean.

When life throws rocks at you, build a castle … an Indonesian diplomatic story

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When life throws rocks at you, build a castle … an Indonesian diplomatic story

By Alexandra Paucescu

Lona Hutapea Tanasale is a warm, smart and accomplished Indonesian woman, who mastered the art of reinvention and understood from the very beginning the need of continuous education, while traveling the world with her diplomat husband.

I must confess that this was one of the easiest interviews that I have conducted so far, in the three years that I have been presenting diplomatic life stories to you. I had barely anything to edit or rephrase. Her words were so clear and perfectly put together.

So, please enjoy Lona’s story, in her own words.

‘I was born in Ambon, the capital of Moluccas, the “one-thousand-island province”. Small as it is, Moluccas had its own place in world history, being “the spice islands” that attracted Europeans, for its clove and nutmeg, back in the 16th century. Things were very different back then during my childhood. Our small town had only one bookstore; we practically didn’t have access to information. I owe my dream of seeing the world to my father, who brought all kinds of books home, every time he travelled. Those books were literally my window to the world.

I left to pursue the undergraduate and master degrees in Agricultural Economics in Bogor, a neighboring city of Jakarta. Right after I graduated I started working at several companies – mostly in retailing, sales and marketing – where I met my husband, Charles Hutapea, before he joined Indonesia’s foreign diplomatic service.

Charles’ first diplomatic assignment was in Osaka. Our apartment in Shukugawa was just across the Sakura Garden where people came for hanami, enjoying sakura’s full bloom in spring time. Life was relatively easy. The Japanese people were friendly and helpful; we had many local friends who loved Indonesian culture and eagerly participated in our cultural events.

Lona Hutapea Tanasale, Book discussion at IFI Jakarta, January 2016

While there attended Japanese language classes, got the Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken certificates and participated in Japanese-English Bilingual Speech Contest. I also did a series of presentation on Indonesia at local schools and associations.

Our second posting in Paris was a completely different story. Living among Parisians with their unique character, it was the first time I’d ever experienced culture shock. I was already anxious the moment my husband announced this assignment, scared of having to learn the language I’ve always thought to be the most difficult on earth, and a little intimidated by the stereotypes. On the other hand, this “cité de la lumière” had so much to offer. With so many new things to learn, I felt the need for a cathartic release. That was when writing came to the rescue. I started to write about the real daily life, the experiences of living as a resident, compared to merely a tourist’s perspective.

One thing leads to another. From submitting articles to social blogs, I ended up writing my first memoire, “Paris – C’est Ma Vie”, launched only a few months before going back home.

My second memoire, “Voilà La France”, was published in April 2015. I was so honored with the opportunity to have a book discussion held at Institut Français d’Indonésie in Jakarta.

At the same time, publishing my two books made me realize how colorful the lives of diplomatic families really are. There are many life stories to be discovered. I tried to invite fellow spouses to write together. Seven of us were finally able to publish “Behind the Gates”, an anthology of diplomatic spouses’ tales. The anthology, endorsed by our Foreign Affairs’ Minister, was launched in June 2016.

During our home posting, I joined the Board of the Foreign Ministry’s Spouses Association in Indonesia (DWP). I was one of the editors, overseeing the quarterly-published magazine, editing the articles we received and supervising the process up to the publication.

Lona Hutapea Tanasale’s three books.

Our third posting in Rome was another particular chapter. I was more involved with the diplomatic spouses’ associations this time (“Insieme a Roma”, part of ACDMAE, and UNWG at FAO). I joined the Board of the UNWG as Newsletter Editor for almost two years. I also became the Chairman of DWP at the Indonesian Embassy, during our final year in Rome.

Another important highlight for me was the opportunity to attend two summer courses at Sapienza University (“Women, Peace and Security” (UNSCR 1325) and “Religions & Peaceful Coexistence”). I intended to apply for a PhD at first, but with so much going on, it just wasn’t possible yet.

I would say that each posting was special to me in its own way. It’s like you can never pick a favorite among your own children. Overall, Osaka served as a nice ‘take-off’ for our family’s diplomatic journey. Paris got me writing, which opened the door to a lot more possibilities. And Rome rekindled in me a long dormant dream of going back to school.

We left Rome just as the pandemic started to take its toll. This time our two children stayed behind in Paris and Rome, to continue their studies, leaving us with an empty nest. So I finally had the time to continue my education. In February 2021 I managed to sign up for a doctoral program in International Relations at Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung. Apparently both the pandemic and the long struggle as a trailing spouse had their blessings in disguise. I decided to write a dissertation about the role of diplomatic spouses in Indonesia’s diplomacy, a little discussed topic.      

I also got the chance to rejoin DWP’s Board, as one of the editors of the magazine. Furthermore, the previous anthology writers regrouped and launched another initiative. One of us was a presenter at a video-radio platform, so during the pandemic we started a talk show program via Zoom and YouTube channel, covering various topics related to diplo spouses’ contribution to diplomacy.

After browsing hundreds of articles for my research, I can confirm two facts: firstly, the role of diplomatic spouse is a completely under acknowledged one.  However, the limited available resources related to it recognize their significant role, directly influencing diplomats’ performance, and potentially having indirect impact on the mission.

Diplomatic spouses are usually seen in terms of their informal, domestic role within the private sphere, as the backbone of the family, especially during the adjustment process in a new place. On the other hand, the role in public sphere as diplomatic actors is still rarely mentioned, due to the ambiguity of the status. In reality, the spouses’ contribution should not be taken for granted.

On a practical level, there may be differences on diplomatic practices between countries. For example, in Indonesia, spouses are encouraged to fully participate based on the principle of “total diplomacy”. Through the years diplomatic spouses have played a significant role as front liners in supporting Indonesia’s soft power diplomacy.

One of the concepts in International Relations that caught my attention was Constructivism, which basically sees the world as socially constructed: “reality is always under construction”. According to the constructivists, structures do constrain agents; however agents can also transform structures by acting on them in new ways.

Based on the quote by Alexander Wendt, the pioneer of Constructivism: “Anarchy is what the states make of it”, I’d like to say: “Empowerment is what the spouses make of it”. The ambiguity of the diplomatic spouse status, the obstacles from continuous moving life cycles, or the stagnant career, are structural problems faced by spouses, nonetheless how one responds to it depends mostly (if not entirely) on one’s own agency.

I believe the majority of diplo spouses are capable agents despite all the odds of diplomatic life’s structure. There are many brilliant examples we can refer to, the spouses that have passed with flying colors, victoriously turning the challenges into opportunities. They have been successfully absorbing various new skill and knowledge attained during foreign assignments and transferring them into favorable outcomes.

Definitely the “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” or “when life throws rocks at you, build a castle” kind of resilience helps to thrive anywhere in life.’

What more to add?… than just to thank Lona for this wonderful life story which still has many more interesting pages to write.


About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Author of “Just a Diplomatic Spouse” Romanian, management graduate with a Master in business, cultural diplomacy and international relations studies.

She speaks Romanian, English, French, German and Italian,  gives lectures on intercultural communication and is an active NGO volunteer.

The National Day of the Italian Republic

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The National Day of the Italian Republic

Text and pictures by John Dunkelgrün

June 2nd is the National Day of the Italian Republic. H.E. Mr. Giorgio Novello decided to mark this day in a very special manner. The reception was held in the Louwman Museum, amidst one of the finest collections of antique and special automobiles anywhere.

Following drinks surrounded by stands with Italian specialties, the guests were led into the auditorium, where the Ambassador, flanked by his wife Bianca, gave the opening speech. In – as far as your correspondent knows – a first for such receptions, he invited the entire staff of the Embassy and the Consular Offices, some 30 people, to come forward and make a line in front of the podium. The line stretched the entire width of the podium! He then proceeded to introduce every one of them to the public with a sentence or two for each person. He ended with a smiling warning that they’d better be at their best as an official review team from the ministry was about to arrive.

The entire staff of the Italian Embassy and the Consular Offices lining up with Ambassador Novello.

The reception was sponsored by several companies and the ambassador not only thanked them, as is usual, but invited their representatives to give a brief introduction of their companies. The last speaker was the Dutch parliamentarian Mr. Ulysse Ellian who is a close friend of the ambassador and his wife. He told about the efforts Mr. Novello had made to coordinate the fight against organized crime between Italy and The Netherlands.

The formal part was followed by a wonderful concert, by opera singer Carla Regina and her group, a musical trip from the founding of the Italian Republic to the present.

Bianca, ambassador Giorgio Novello and the parliamentarian Mr. Ulysse Ellian.

In the main hall of the museum, there were wine and prosecco bars as well as half a dozen stands with Italian specialties.

One especially caught my attention. Most of the Southern Europe countryside suffers from desertion by the youth. Big cities offer better-paid jobs. North of Rome many olive orchards were deserted, the owners too old or passed away and their children unwilling to take over. Thousands of olive trees were unkept, and their bounty perished.

Mr. Pierluigi Presciuttini of Frantoio Presciutini.

Mr. Pierluigi Presciuttini of Frantoio Presciutini has bought or leased many of these deserted olive orchards to save the old trees and to make his olive oil in a very special way. It is called ‘olio di notte’, and of course, it is pure  ‘EVO’ (extra virgin olive oil). It is called di notte, because it is harvested at night, allowing the pressing process to start early in the morning.

This minimizes the time between harvesting and processing, resulting in a sweeter, less acidic oil.

In this way, the National Day of the Italian Republic was not only a feast for all senses but also a little learning experience.

HRH Princess Beatrix opens Voorhout Monumental Exhibition

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HRH Princess Beatrix opens Voorhout Monumental Exhibition

Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands will open the second edition of the Voorhout Monumental open-air exhibition on the Lange Voorhout in The Hague on Saturday afternoon, June 3 at 4:00 PM.

Princess Beatrix, patron of Pulchri Studio, will receive the first copy of the catalog of the exhibition with more than 20 monumental sculptures with which the exhibition will be opened.

Artist society Pulchri Studio is organizing the second edition of the sculpture exhibition Voorhout Monumental on the Lange Voorhout in The Hague. From 3 June to 20 August, there will be more than twenty monumental sculptures and installations by our own artist members and other sculptors in the middle of the bustling Museum Quarter of The Hague.

Monumental sculptures will be displayed outside on the shell path under the title ‘Voorhout Monumental 2023’ and various sculptures will be shown for the first time in an additional exhibition in the Kloosterkerk. In addition, paintings, sculptures and video works of a monumental character can be viewed in exhibitions in the building and the inner garden of Pulchri Studio.

The curators are sculptor Piet Warffemius and art collector Jan van Huizen, both members of Pulchri Studio. “It will be an exhibition that the city of The Hague can be proud of.”

Elisabeth Stienstra – Eva gekozen beeld

Theme:
In 2021 the theme of the sculpture exhibition was freedom. In the midst of all kinds of restrictive measures due to the pandemic, the need for freedom could not be greater. For the 2023 edition, we reflect on the MC Escher and Louis Couperus year.

June 17, 2023 is the 125th birthday of MC Escher. The artist from Leeuwarden is known for his woodcuts, wood engravings and lithographs, in which he often played with mathematical principles. His engravings often depict impossible constructions, studies of infinity and interlocking geometric patterns (divisions of planes) that gradually change into completely different forms.

On July 16, 2023, it will be 100 years since the Hague writer Louis Couperus passed away at the age of 60. His work spans a wide variety of literary genres. He made his debut with poetry, but soon turned to psychological novels. He also wrote cultural fairy tales, historical novels, travel reports and columns. He is generally seen as one of the most important writers in the canon of Dutch literature.

Tränenflut Sarah Reinbold

Participating artists (location Lange Voorhout):
Armando, David Bade, Marieke Bolhuis, Sjoerd Buisman, Harmke Datema Chang, Michael Jacklin, Theo Jansen, André Kruysen, Joep van Lieshout, Lon Pennock, Zeger Reyers, Marisja Smit & Thijs Trompert (ATM Atmosphere), Brigitte Spiegeler, Elisabet Stienstra, Joost van den Toorn, Carel Visser, Andre Volten, Dré Wapenaar, Ronald A. Westerhuis.

Participating artists (location Kloosterkerk):
Hans van Bentem, Bob Bonies, Cor van Dijk, Guido Geelen, Heringa/Van Kalsbeek, Theo Jansen, Hieke Luik, Narges Mohammadi, Jan van Munster, Sarah Reinbold, Maria Roosen, Joost van den Toorn, Auke de Vries, Jan de Weerd .

Andre Volten – gekozen beeld (bruikleen van stichting)

Participating artists (location Pulchri Studio inner garden):
Coby Brinkers, Lon Buttstedt, Babette Degraeve, Theo ten Have, Judith Heinsohn, Ruben Koerhuis, Marina van der Kooi, Kim Kroes, Frans de Leef, Louis Niënhuis, Guido Sprenkels, Albert in ‘t Veld, Aat Increase, Vera Whistler.

Curatorial Statement:
Voorhout Monumental 2023 must become an outdoor exhibition of high-quality, creative and monumental images that together – in their diversity – form a whole and can also make a statement in themselves compared to the sometimes 600-year-old and historic buildings on the Lange Voorhout that look at the estimated 20 images.

The images must have expressiveness and an undeniable originality. The diversity of the exhibition should be reflected in the variety of materials, art forms, colors and designs. Monumental means, among other things, grand and impressive and the statues should be that too.

Theo Jansen – Modularius zij aangezicht

Grand and impressive does not only mean big, but also glorious, phenomenal and proud. The pride has to splash of the images because that is what the artists want. An image and a display that the city of The Hague can be proud of. Above all, the event must be accessible and be an ode to three-dimensional art, appealing to both occasional art viewers and art professionals.

The Nakba before the Nakba

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The Nakba before the Nakba

By John Dunkelgrün

On May 15th the United Nations officially commemorated the Nakba, the disaster, as the Palestinians describe the events around the formation of the State of Israel. There is good reason to think of this event as a disaster for Palestinians. Almost three-quarters of them fled on the advice of their leaders, others were actively ‘encouraged’ to flee by the new Israelis. 

But hold on a second, what caused this disaster? After several attempts by the British to find an equitable division of the land, the young United Nations had divided the former British Mandate area into three parts, a Palestinian part attached to the Transjordan Kingdom, an Arab part along the Mediterranean that became known as the Gaza Strip, and a Jewish part. The new Jewish State accepted that division, but its Arab neighbors did not.

The armies of five nations invaded the new state with the expressed aim of driving all Jews into the sea. Some 700,000 local Muslim residents fled and were confined in refugee camps. As time went on the inhabitants of these camps became known as Palestinians. It is odd to realize that before 1948 there were neither Palestinians nor Israelis. Both had been residents of the Ottoman Empire and later the British Mandate called Palestine. It is less known that after the event more than 800,000 Jews were expelled from Arab countries. They went mainly to Israel, France, and French Canada, where they adjusted, and rebuilt their lives. The Arab fugitives in the camps were unable to do so, being denied citizenship or work permits. They survived with help from the UNWRA, a UN organization that treats these people much more favorably than any other displaced people.

There is much talk about how in 1967 Israel captured the West Bank, including Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Gaza Strip. It is usually omitted that capture was the outcome of a war started by Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. It is not uncommon that if an aggressor country loses the war, it will have to cede territory. Hungary, seen as one of the culprits of WWI, was shorn of huge swathes of its land to Romania, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. Austria, Germany, and Japan all suffered territorial losses.

The U.N. condemns only Israel for not reaching an agreement with its aggressors. There have been many peace talks and attempts at a two-state solution, but every time talks were broken off at the last minute by Palestinian leaders. Israel made peace with President Sadat and returned the Sinai to Egypt. Sadat wisely backed off the Gaza Strip but was murdered for his efforts. Until the Abraham Accords, no other Arab country was interested in peace. Hamas and Hezbollah, clients of Iran, are run from luxury hotels in Dubai by men who have no interest in peace or the well-being of the people who now identify as Palestinians.

Muslims in Israel proper have all the rights of Jewish and Christian citizens. They can and do take part in the political system, sit on even the highest courts, and get senior government jobs. In no way is Israel an apartheid state. 

But Israel has made its own serious mistakes. There is much private hate and discrimination and the government has not done nearly enough to counter that. It has also been much less forthcoming in giving Arab towns their fair share of services. It also allowed many unplanned scattered settlements on the West Bank, making the formation of a separate state very difficult. And with the political and demographic developments in Israel today, it is hard to see any positive initiatives coming from that side.

Until Iran becomes a normal country that doesn’t sponsor private armies to attack its imagined foe Israel, and until Israel gets a government of decent people, a true solution will sadly remain a chimera to the detriment of mainly the Palestinian people.

Algeria to host “CHEMEX Africa 2023, Capacity Building within the Framework of South-South Cooperation”  

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Algeria to host “CHEMEX Africa 2023, Capacity Building within the Framework of South-South Cooperation”  

Algiers, September 23rd – October 04th, 2023

Algeria attended, with a large delegation, the 5th Review Conference on the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, held in The Hague from 15 to 19 May 2023.

This participation was rendered even more high-profiled and distinctive by the convening, in close coordination with the Technical Secretariat of OPCW, of a very well-attended side-event, on 15 May 2023 in The Hague, dubbed “CHEMEX Africa 2023, Capacity building within the framework of South-South Cooperation”. Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Canada, Sweden, South-Africa, Namibia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Cuba and Vietnam and other Ambassadors, top officials of the Organisation, diplomats and experts of different nationalities attended the event and interacted with the speakers.

Algeria to host “CHEMEX Africa 2023 at OPCW.

In her opening address at the side-event, Ambassador Salima Abdelhak reiterated Algeria’s full commitment to disarmament, chemical disarmament included. She stressed also the prominent role of Algeria and its contributions in the implementation OPCW’s capacity building activities, especially in Africa. Afterwards, the Permanent Representative of Canada, Ambassador Lisa Helfand reaffirmed her country’s support as major donor to CHEMEX Africa 2023 in Algiers.

The other members of the Algerian delegation namely Mr Boualem Belhadj,   Executive Secretary of the National Authority and its board members presented this national mechanism designed to ensure full implementation of the Convention on Chemical Weapons as well as Algeria’s efforts to promote South-South cooperation within the scope of OPCW’s activities.   

They also outlined the state of preparations for “CHEMEX Africa”, due to take pace in Algiers from September 23 to October 04, 2023. This landmark event is a pan-African multi-component emergency response exercise and demonstration. It aims at developing counter-chemical capability in Africa in order to mitigate, investigate, respond and recover from chemical incidents or attacks involving chemical weapons and toxic industrial chemicals. It also intends to foster ‘South-South’ cooperation by encouraging broad participation of African instructors and to check and improve preparedness of African countries to respond to chemical-related incidents.

Representative of the Algerian National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology attended as well the event and gave a presentation on the expertise of this major scientific hub.  

For their part, senior officials of the Technical secretariat of OPCW presented “CHEMTECH Centre” and its foreseen involvement in capacity building in Africa.      

It is worth noting that “CHEMEX Africa 2023” will run over a period of 02 weeks and comprises 05 phases: Phase 01 – Briefing/pre-exercise Lecture/workshop (TS lead); Phase 02 – Basic Assistance and Protection Course (EAC team/mentors lead); Phase 03 – Specialised Skills Demo and Training (Supporting SP lead); Phase 04 – Field Exercise (TS/Mentorlead); and Phase 05-African stakeholders/VIP Demo and Exercise/Exhibition (TS lead).

In the meeting, attendees thoroughly discussed requirements, criteria and other specifications related to the participation to CHEMEX AFRICA 2023» such as profile and maximum number of participants each country is allowed to.

In this respect, SADDC, ECOWAS and ECCAS countries were strongly encouraged to participate in CHEMEX Africa 2023 Algiers. It is also expected that gender-sensitive policy will be implemented by encouraging more females to apply.

At the end, Ambassadors and other officials present at this side-event commanded Algeria for hosting the upcoming event.

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Algeria strengthens its cooperation with Germany under the banner of   OPCW  

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Algeria strengthens its cooperation with Germany under the banner of   OPCW  

Algeria has made another step forward upgrading its technical and scientific capabilities, with the signature of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) relating to the twinning between “the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology” (INCC) and “Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection of Germany” (WIS), in the margins of its   participation in the 5th Review Conference on the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, held in The Hague from 15 to 19 May 2023.

Germany and Algeria’s flags.

The first MoU which provides for support, under the umbrella of the OPCW’s laboratory twinning program, was signed with the OPCW Technical Secretariat, while the second was signed with “Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection of Germany Research Institute for Protective Technology and Protection against CBRN Weapons” (WIS).

This 41-months project aims to build the capacity of the Algerian Institute in areas related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention for the use of chemistry for peaceful purposes. Its objective is to improve the performance of the INCC in order to obtain the status of designated laboratory of OPCW and attest of their mastery in areas of chemical analysis and expertise related to the Convention.”

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