TheHollandTimes 02-2014

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MARS COLONY PLANNED A project by Dutch foundation Mars One aims to put humans on the red planet within the next ten years and has already begun recruiting volunteers for the one-way mission p17

NETHERLANDS CALLS FOR EU CUBA POLICY CHANGE p4

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FEBRUARY 2014 | 3

EDITORIAL

CONTENTS

A mission to Mars may sound like science fiction, but the day is getting ever closer where it becomes science fact.

That it is a Dutch-led private foundation that is making the move is a little different from the traditional view of planetary colonisation, but it should not come as a total surprise.

Between Richard Branson and Mars One, it looks like space exploration has gone almost totally private these days. While I am not normally an advocate of privatisation of essential services, in this case it looks like the fabled efficiency and drive of the private sector might pay off. Even if Declan Aylward, Editor-in-Chief it does mean we will have to put up with annoying “Diary Room” confessionals in the process. (p17) Back here on earth, supermarkets are prying into our private lives with innocuous bits of plastic (p14-15), and even as the government prepares to give individuals more freedom to decide just what kind of individual they are, (p5) it squabbles with itself over what to do with our insides. (p6) Perhaps it is not too late to sign up for the mission to Mars?

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18-03-2013 10:11:39 31-01-14 11:26

NATIONAL

4 | FEBRUARY 2014

Syria disarming proceeds

DAMASCUS | Foreign minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA) has welcomed the progress made by the joint mission of the United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), based in The Hague, in removing chemical weapons from Syria. The first consignment of chemicals that can be used to make chemical weapons left Syria on 7 January, a week after the first interim deadline expired, and will be destroyed outside the country. This is an important first step towards the complete destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.

Call for a change in EU policy on Cuba

Participation statements

THE HAGUE | Municipalities have begun to pilot projects with “participation statements” for newcomers to the Netherlands from the beginning of this year. The statements advise newcomers of their rights and obligations and of the fundamental values that underpin Dutch society, as part of a broader package of measures intended to ensure successful integration. Besides participation statements, municipalities will also be deploying other means, such as information meetings, language courses and coaches to help immigrants adapt to Dutch society as well as they can.

Criminals to pay own costs

THE HAGUE | Part of the costs incurred by the government for the investigation, prosecution and trial of criminal offences and for a stay inside a custodial institution will be recovered from the offenders. This was stated in two bills sent in January by Minister Ivo Opstelten (VVD) and State Secretary for Security and Justice Fred Teeven (VVD) for advice to various authorities, such as the Council for the Judiciary and the Public Prosecution Service. Offenders will also make a contribution to the costs of the care provided to victims of criminal offences. Part of the proceeds will therefore go to the victim care sector.

Photo: Government.nl

Nationality after 7 years

THE HAGUE | Foreigners who seek to acquire Dutch nationality will soon be eligible for it only after seven years of lawful residence here. The current requirement is five years. The Council of Ministers for the Kingdom recently approved a proposal submitted by Minister for Immigration Fred Teeven (VVD) to amend the Netherlands Nationality Act to this effect. The bill establishing the seven-year requirement will now be introduced in the House of Representatives. The requirement will take effect after the bill has passed both houses of parliament.

Photot: Rinaldo W.

A recent visit to Cuba by Frans Timmermans led to some political wave-making as he called for reforms. SOPHIA TAHA looks at the Netherlands’ relationship to Cuba and what Timmermans might have achieved.

Following a visit to Cuba by a Dutch delegation in January, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA), made some political waves by stating publicly, “I believe that the dialogue between the EU, the Netherlands and Cuba is of extreme importance for development of the whole region.”

The BBC reported that Mr Timmermans said the best way to promote change on the Communist-run Island was through dialogue, not isolation.

This engagement with Cuba breaks with the rest of the EU, where many countries still refuse to engage with the island nation that has run so afoul of the US. In 1996 the EU adopted “the common position” that said that cooperation with Cuba should only be conducted if human rights standards improve. Following an incident in 2003, the EU suspended links with Cuba and only resumed a dialogue in 2008.

Cuba and the Netherlands signed an agreement in May 2013 to spur cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, healthcare, culture and sports.

Euractiv.com reports that Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said he welcomed the opportunity to hold discussions on issues of common interest and that changes underway on the island represented an opportunity for Dutch businesses.

Full diplomatic relations between the two nations predate the Revolution that happened in 1959. The Netherlands is one of the primary destinations for exports from Cuba, particularly because of the trade in nickel.

According to Xinhuanet, the Dutch trade volume with Cuba reached 792 million US dollars in 2012. There is also a large tourism industry with about 30,000 Dutch vacationers visiting Cuba in 2013, according to the island’s National Statistics Bureau (NSB). Currently the Netherlands is the second largest business partner of Cuba after Spain.

On the second day of the visit, Mr Timmermans said that the relationship with Cuba and the EU needed to be adjusted. “Havana through the centuries has been a meeting point between Europe and the Americas

and I believe it still has an important role to play in this regard,” the Guardian quotes him as saying.

Reuters reports that, “Cuba recently opened a Chinese-style special economic zone and is preparing a new foreign investment law.” Any capital investment needs to be approved by the government but the Netherlands’ two-day visit has meant that the continuing relationship between the two nations is safer.

Reuters goes on to report that, “A delegation of businessmen accompanied Timmermans on his visit, the first by a Dutch foreign minister since the 1959 Cuban Revolution.”

Despite the strong commercial ties with the island of Cuba, the Netherlands is a staunch supporter of human rights and democracy. Reuters reports that the Netherlands actively supports dissident groups within Cuba. When asked to speak on this, a prominent NGO that works within Cuba said that it could not give any official comment.

As well as business partners and officials, the Dutch delegation brought footballers with them, who

ran a football training camp in Havana. This cultural exchange – as well as the economic ties – is intended to strengthen the move towards a more open government within Cuba.

This is not the first meeting between the two nations. On 20 December 2013 the Ambassador of Cuba had a meeting with Dutch officials, in which he discussed topics such as the economic situation within Cuba and the current state of the bi-lateral relations between the two nations.

The event also had a cultural element with a performance of Cuban music.

Attendees also discussed the Cuban Five, the five intelligence officers accused of espionage within the US following an event at the embassy in September; a documentary was watched and a letter from their relatives was delivered to those who attended.

Whether the move by Timmermans will have any lasting impact on Cuban-EU relations remains to be seen, but it seems certain that the Netherlands is committed to a continuing dialogue; both with the Cuban people and their government.

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NATIONAL

FEBRUARY 2014 | 5

New law for transgender identity

Sentencing centralised

THE HAGUE | Prison sentences, fines and other criminal judgments will, from now on, be managed by a single central office: the Administrative Information Centre for the Execution of Judgments (Administratief Informatie Centrum voor de Executieketen, AICE). It is hoped this will prevent occasions where judicial authorities work independently of each other. Before the AICE, there was no central office, so it was possible that various agencies had information available about the same person without either knowing.

Lebanon trial praised

THE HAGUE | Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA) has praised the recent opening of the first trial of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. “The opening of the trial is a major milestone for the Lebanon tribunal and a positive step in the fight against impunity for the many politically-motivated attacks in Lebanon.” The Tribunal, which is based in The Hague, was established to investigate the bomb attack that killed the ex-prime minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, and 22 others on 14 February 2005. The Lebanese authorities have not succeeded in apprehending the suspects, and the trial will therefore be conducted in absentia.

EU agreements not binding

Photo: Brian Turner

Recent legislation changes the way in which transgender people in the Netherlands can identify their gender. ALICE BURKE looks at the law and asks if it is doing enough.

Landmark legislation passed by the Netherlands in December will finally allow transgender persons to choose their own gender without surgical proof of having changed their gender.

The passing of the legislation, which will come into effect in July of this year, has made the news worldwide, largely as it is a very significant step in an area that is not legislated for in many countries.

Transgender people over the age of 16 must now file a request to have their gender changed on legal documentation, and this must be accompanied by an, “expert statement affirming the person’s permanent commitment to belong to another gender.” This legislation abolishes previous requirements such as taking hormones and undergoing surgery, including sterilisation.

International rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) have welcomed the decision, but insist that further steps can be taken to strive for full equality. They have advised against setting the minimum age at 16 but deciding in a case-by-case basis instead.

The Netherlands was one of the first countries to enact legislation to allow legal recognition of a change of gender, reports HRW, but this 1985

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legislation has been long criticised by rights groups for its strict rulings on hormone use and surgery.

Boris Dittrich, advocacy director of HRW’s LGBT Rights Program, is optimistic but hopes for greater autonomy on the part of transgender people in the future.

“The requirement for an expert opinion in the new law undermines the right of transgender people to determine their own identity without interference of a third party,” Dittrich explains. “The new law is a good step forward, but the Netherlands should move quickly to complete personal autonomy in letting people determine their gender identity.”

To get a closer look at what this legislation means to members of the transgender community around the world, the Holland Times spoke to some members of transgender rights organisations and those in the community to find out more.

“I think the change in law comes at a crucial time in the worldwide transgender movement,” says Kylar Broadus, Senior Policy Counsel with the Transgender Civil Rights Project, an organisation based in Washington DC. “The Netherlands has always been a leader in setting policy and law in this arena and continues to do

so by removing the surgical requirement for individuals. In fact, we’ve seen other countries and even policies in the US – such as our passport policy – remove the surgical requirement. The realisation is that being transgender isn’t about body parts and as more legislators embrace this concept the march for transgender equality will forge ahead.”

Stephanie Lourenco, a transgender female living in Portland, US, told the Holland Times that living as a transgender person, she feels “that acceptance of transgender persons and transgender rights have come a long way in the last 15 years. I continue to be very hopeful about the future of both issues in the [US].”

Vanessa Lacey, Health and Education Officer at the Transgender Equality Network in Ireland and a transgender female who has spoken widely on the need for recognition of transgender rights, told the Holland Times that the Dutch legislation is a welcome move, but on a day-today basis, there is a long way to go for equality. “I certainly welcome the recent developments in Holland in regard to legislation for transgender people,” comments Vanessa. “I would also hope as an Irish citizen that the legislative process in [Ireland] will

move swiftly and we can finally be recognised in our preferred gender.

However I feel personally that as much as this process has moved on worldwide and certainly more countries are enacting legislation for Trans people, I find it amazing the certain terms and conditions that are put in front of us to be recognised as the people that we feel we are.”

Ms. Lacey dealt with a much stricter society than that found in the Netherlands during her own formative years, yet remains clear that even a relatively liberal Dutch society can put a lot of unfair pressure on transgender people.

“In my opinion being born transgender in 1960s in Ireland and having to overcome so many barriers and obstacles, the main one I feel was, and is, societal attitudes,” she explains.

“The impact of these obstacles on my mental health has been enormous, not including the mental health of my family, and I am sure many others did not ask to be born in a particular way, we had no choice in the matter, we are who we are. The least our legislators, health care workers, educators, media sources etc. can afford us is our basic human rights, we are a diverse human race, allow us be who we are without pre-conditions.”

THE HAGUE | The European Council has not taken a final decision on introducing contractual arrangements on reform with member states. However, Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) said at a recent European summit that it has been agreed that member states and their national parliaments will continue to determine which reforms they implement.

The President of the European Council, will work with the European Commission and the member states to further develop the proposal. A final decision can then be taken in October 2014.

Photo: Government.nl

New Bar supervision

THE HAGUE | State Secretary of Security and Justice Fred Teeven (VVD) has made a proposal for supervision of the Dutch Bar. This clears the way for a supervisory system that is independent, transparent and effective. The formation of a supervisory board consisting of three members with a national president is central in the plan. The board will determine the supervision policy and the requirements the supervision of all lawyers has to meet. The board can make recommendations to the local presidents, supervises the work of those presidents and issues annual public reports on the results.

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NATIONAL

6 | FEBRUARY 2014

Manure fraud tackled

BERLIN | Minister for Agriculture Sharon

Dijksma (PvdA) has made agreements with Germany to restrict manure fraud in livestock farming. This was the result of the Dreiländertreffen in Berlin, a meeting with two of the Netherlands’ most important export destinations: North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. German arable farmers like to use Dutch manure because its mineral composition is known, as it is compulsory to report this in the Netherlands. However, it is currently unclear what happens to the manure after it is transported across the border.

Organ donations scheme uncertain

Polish labour agreement

THE HAGUE | The Dutch Social Affairs and Employment Inspectorate and the Polish National Labour Inspectorate have concluded an agreement on cooperation in the fight against abuses in their countries’ labour markets.

The agreement was signed by Dutch Inspector-General Jan van den Bos and Polish Chief Labour Inspector Iwona Hickiewicz. The agreement’s main aim is to step up exchanges of information between the two inspectorates, particularly concerning sham employment arrangements, rogue employment agencies and companies that violate labour laws.

New shopkeeper support

THE HAGUE | Shopkeepers who have become the victim of a raid can now also call on the expertise and support of Netherlands Victim Support Services.

Besides the emotional support, the organisation offers shopkeepers legal support. It will be considered, for instance, whether the affected shopkeepers can get compensation and can be prepared for criminal proceedings. This extends collaboration between private and public parties to aftercare and support.

To make the extension possible, State Secretary of Security and Justice Fred Teeven (VVD) granted approval.

Photo: Government.nl

Rabobank traders charged

AMSTERDAM | Three former traders at Rabobank were criminally charged in January with manipulating the Yen Libor benchmark interest rate, Reuters reports the US Department of Justice as announcing. Two former Japanese Yen derivatives traders and a third trader responsible for setting the bank’s Yen Libor rate were accused of submitting fraudulent rates in order to benefit their trading positions, the Justice Department said. In October, Rabobank paid 1 billion US dollars to resolve US and European probes into rate-rigging allegations, making it the fifth bank punished in the scandal.

Photo: Jesper2cv

The way in which Dutch residents donate organs has been up for debate in recent weeks. JOHN DONNELLY examines the details behind the arguments.

In June 2007, the Dutch television channel BNN, (Bart’s News Network; with a nod and a wink to CNN), aired a programme entitled, “De Grote Donorshow,” (The Great Donorshow).

Here, a terminally sick person with a brain tumour was to choose who would be the recipient of her kidney from three contestants who were on the waiting list for a transplant. Viewers could vote via SMS for whom they thought was the most deserving contestant.

The disgust and revulsion from viewers was as expected. However, the programme was a stunt to publicise the lack of organ donors in the Netherlands. Presenter Patrick Lodier, the completely healthy actor playing the terminal patient, and the three “contestants,” who were all in actual fact awaiting transplants, were all complicit in the plot.

The TV channel was founded by Bart de Graaf, who died at the age of 35, three years after his transplanted kidney was rejected. The programme,

which won the prize for “The TV Moment of 2007,” resulted in 12,000 viewers registering as donors, and kick-started a debate about the lack of sufficient organ donors in the Netherlands, thus succeeding in its stated aim.

As an indirect result of this stunt, six years later in August 2012, Member of Parliament, Pia Dijkstra (D66), instigated a Bill, and is now guiding it through Parliament, whereby all adults over the age of 18 would automatically be registered as donors unless they actively opt out. The proposed system would send a form to each individual in the Netherlands on their 18th birthday, informing them that, unless they replied with a negative choice, they would be automatically added to the donor register. Dijkstra’s political party has long been a proponent of an active donor registration system and is giving its enthusiastic support to the Bill.

The media is full of statistics. As of 31 December 2013, there were

13.7 million Dutch citizens over the age of 16. Of these, 5.8 million were registered donors and 1.6 million had specifically registered their wish not to have their organs transplanted.

That leaves 6.3 million “don’t-knows” or “couldn’t-care-less’es.” The Netherlands has 1,314 patients awaiting an organ transplant; 855 kidneys, 194 lungs, 165 livers, 64 hearts and 36 pancreases are needed. Annually, for 150 patients on the waiting list, the life-saving organ does not come in time.

On 23 December 2013, the Raad van State (RvS) published its findings on the Bill. The RvS is the highest advisory body in the Dutch legislative system concerning public administration. While its advice is not binding, it weighs heavily in any considerations Parliament must make.

To the disappointment of D66, it contained some negative advice. Two major criticisms were stated: the Bill in its present form would infringe the inviolability of the human body,

and also the principle that a doctor may not interfere with a human body without the express permission of the person. Dijkstra has subsequently made amendments to her Bill, but the objections of the RvS are a serious blow to the Bill’s chances of passing.

A lively debate in the media has arisen as a result of this. Two main systems have been thrown up; that suggested by Dijkstra, a considered, formal decision via the returned form; or a system whereby only registered donors will be considered for a transplant in case of illness.

Eight European countries already have the automatically-registered-unless-opted-out system; Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Sweden and Finland.

In an interview with Ton Voermans in the Algemeen Dagblad, Heleen Dupuis, former professor of medical ethics and currently a senator in the First Chamber for the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie, VVD), states that, in her opinion, the most elegant solution is that where registered donors have priority in the waiting list should they need a transplant. It is also her stated opinion that this would realise an enormous increase in registrations. As an example, she refers to Singapore, where after the implementation of the nodonor-no-priority system, the number of registered donors tripled.

There is little interest in the Second Chamber for this no-donor-nopriority system, though there is a majority within the VVD faction. Ingrained Dutch morality seems to support the principle of altruism rather than the perceived tit-for-tat commercialism of the no-donor-no-priority system.

Besides this political debate, a lively discussion in newspaper letters sections arose stressing the emotional aspects. Correspondents here were more concerned about the alcoholics and heavy smokers who receive organs. To a man, they were vehemently against organ transplants for those who are seen as having wilfully abused their own health. A particularly painful aspect of the decision-making process in the case of non-registered individuals was also highlighted in that, very often, the decision has to be made by bereaved loved ones, after an accident, when it must be taken immediately.

The question leaves everyone in a cleft stick. Doctors and patients are desperate to increase the numbers of donors while, at the same time, the legislators are bound by a mesh of ethical, moral, legal and political constraints.

Hopefully, at some stage, a common-sense solution will be found to this difficult conundrum.

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NATIONAL

FEBRUARY 2014 | 7

Bilingual education in primary schools

New military policy

THE HAGUE | In a letter sent to the House of Representatives at the end of January, Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA) and Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (VVD) announced that in the future, the protection of civilians will be one of the factors considered when decisions are made on whether the Netherlands will take part in international crisis management operations. The government has also decided to include a duty of care to military personnel who are deployed on missions as a criterion in the Assessment Framework.

Dutch return books

JAKARTA | The Royal Tropical Institute

(Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, KIT) recently agreed to return 12,000 books to the Indonesian government following the closure of the KIT library, reports the Jakarta Globe. The Indonesian Ministry of Education will temporarily store the collections, written about Indonesia after 1950, while a permanent facility is found. Meanwhille, other collections, such as maps and items of cultural heritage, would be relocated to Leiden University and the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal- Land- en Volkenkunde) .

Rutte discusses Iran role

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With bilingual education now available in Dutch Primary Schools, both Dutch and expat parents are considering what this means for their children. VIVIAN HENDRIKSZ has the details.

The Dutch educational system has decided to take its primary school English lessons one step further, as 12 different primary schools throughout the country have been selected to begin a pilot bilingual teaching programme this year, where students starting from Kindergarden will receive up to half their weekly school lessons in English. The Ministry of Education claimed it is novelty for Dutch primary education.

State Secretary for Education Sander Dekker (VVD) revealed the 12 different primary schools which will offer bilingual teaching at The Hague Primary School Association last month, as more and more primary schools with a strong international orientation in the country are facing an increasing demand for English taught subjects.

Students who attend the participating schools, which include primary schools in The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hilversum, will not only be taught English during their regular language lessons, but will also be taught other subjects in English half the time; such as history, physical education and geography. Until now, the bilingual teaching scheme was only implemented at a number of secondary schools.

Dekker is also currently working on introducing a legislative proposal, which will offer all dutch primary schools the opportunity to spend up to 15 percent of their teaching time teaching in English, French or German.

He believes that it is more important than ever for Dutch children to speak English in addition to Dutch for the sake of their future; “Dutch children will later on earn their living in a world where it is more important than ever to speak English in addition to Dutch,” said Dekker. “Especially when they are young, children pick up languages with ease.” Dekker adds that being able to learn a foreign language early on will also be a challenge for students with a flair for languages.

Councillor for The Hague’s education and services Ingrid van Engelshoven (D66) agrees with State Secretary Dekker, and added that offering a bilingual education in Dutch primary schools has been a long-term dream of the city council and parents in the Hague, due to the growing number of International and European institutions setting up headquarters in the city.

“Bilingual education offers children from an early age the possibility

to feel at home in the city and in the world,” commented the Councillor.

Children who are taught a foreign language early go on to speak the language at a higher level than children who are introduced to foreign language at later stage, such as in group 7 or 8, according to research from Universities in Utrecht and Groningen. The student’s knowledge and understanding of Dutch remains the same, added researchers.

However, a number of concerned parents believe that teaching English at such an early age may have a negative effect on the children’s Dutch learning abilities. According to a recent survey carried out by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, 63 percent of those questioned believe that the Dutch language will perish or suffer at the expense of the English language. Some Dutch parents argue that is it better for children to learn English at a later stage, in secondary school, after they have a good understanding of Dutch. Additionally, 44 percent added that they felt it was unnecessary to teach English at primary schools, considering the large amount of external influences, such as tv, games, movies in English that children interact with on a daily basis.

Arjen de Korte, English tutor for

VWO (the Dutch equivalent of GCE A-levels) and teacher’s programme at the Driester college warns that students who learn English from a young age may become more slack with their language studies when they reach secondary school. He adds that Dutch secondary schools and teachers will face increasing difficulty accommodating the different levels of English students will reach.

However, despite the concerns of Dutch parents and teachers about the bilingual pilot, over half (52 percent) of the individuals who participated in the survey felt that the average Dutch person does not have a good understanding of the English language and does not speak it well.

According to the survey, the majority feels that the Dutch language is part of the country’s identity and will not be lost, whilst others see the addition of the English language to be a support for the Dutch language and economy. Nevertheless, in 2015 an additional eight primary schools will have the opportunity to join the pilot for bilingual teaching and if the pilot has proven to be a success by 2019 at the 20 participating primary schools, then other primary schools will be given the chance to switch to a bilingual education programme.

DAVOS | Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) recently met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the side-lines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss city of Davos to discuss the constructive role Iran can play in the middle east, particularly in relation to Syria, according to the FARS news agency. Rutte claimed that all political parties in the Netherlands believe that the Islamic Republic can help resolve the Syrian crisis. “Everyone should try to meet the demands of the Syrian nation,” Rouhani said during the meeting.

Photo: FARS

Dutch - Sri Lankan award

EDE | Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen (PvdA), has presented the prestigious Embassy Award to the Dutch-Sri Lankan company ‘Van der Knaap-Growrite substrates’ at a network reception held in Ede, reports Sri Lanka’s Daily News. Each year in January, the Dutch Ambassadors from around the world present an award to an outstanding Dutch company engaged in trade in a foreign country. The other two Dutch companies nominated this year conduct their business in Canada and Kenya.

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www.dreamzzz.nl 20-02-13 13:41

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31-01-14 11:26

EDUCATION SPECIAL

8 | FEBRUARY 2014

New international primary school opens in Delft The opening of a new international primary school in Delft is great news for expat parents.

Educaide’s WILLEMIJN VAN OPPEN has the details.

Laurentius Stichting, an experienced foundation specialising in primary education, will start the International School Delft (ISD) in March 2014.

Delft is an international region attracting many international companies and mobile families, many of which are travelling out of the area to seek international education.

For primary aged children, families would like the school to be local, a hub for the community, so we know that this kind of education is much needed in the Delft area.

Since we have announced that the school will open we have been inundated with enquiries and expressions of appreciation that the school will open and that Delft will join with a number of areas in the Netherlands to be able to offer such provision for an internationally mobile population where the main medium of learning will be English.

The enquiries we have received so far have been very positive in reflecting a diverse international community.

We are receiving interest from those families who have moved to the Netherlands for their work in a broad range of international and Dutch companies and also from Dutch families who are internationally mobile.

The school will open in March 2014 and in this first phase we will be running one class for children aged 4-7 years but from September 2014 we are ready to meet the needs of the community and will expect to open four classes or more. We have

the capacity and flexibility to respond to the community needs.

The educational philosophy reflects the very best of international education practice worldwide. We have adopted ‘Inspiring learning for bright futures’ as our school mission and believe that our approach should help to develop international mindedness and intercultural awareness.

Our approach to learning is enquiry-based because we would like our students to be inquisitive, curious and question the world around them. We would like to develop a family-like community where the school not only serves as the centre for learning for the international community but also as a hub where families can feel welcomed and supported.

We are excited that the school will eventually be housed in Delft TU as this also provides ISD with an additional focus for research, enquiry and is a strong symbol to show children about the value and importance of lifelong learning.

Our aim is for the school to combine the rich culture and history of Delft’s past with the exciting development of the modern local industries and places of leisure. The school will value a broad and rich curriculum that is so necessary for primary aged children.

ISD has applied to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). This programme places a strong importance on being literate and numerate and on developing the ability for young

ow n g lin l ro Opens n E

people to take responsibility for their actions from a young age.

ISD, through the curriculum, places an importance on learning languages. The medium for language learning will be predominantly English and the children will also learn Dutch and the school will also begin to develop programmes of mother tongue languages.

For more information, please visit: www.isdelft.nl

Extra background information on ISD – Laurentius Stichting 300114 On March 3, 2014 ISD will open its doors. Initially, the school will be located in an existing school building on Nassaulaan 2b in Delft. Later, ISD is expected to be permanently based on the TU Delft campus.

ISD is a school for 4-12 year old children whose international parents live or work in the Netherlands or for children of Dutch parents, who have lived and been educated abroad. It

also serves children of Dutch parents whose work will take them abroad in the future.

The school aspires to bring together a truly international community in a learning environment that fosters inquiry, a love of learning and a celebration of similarity and difference.

ISD will strive to develop the warmth and nurture of a family school where values in education are as important as knowledge and skills.

ISD offers children a unique opportunity to experience or continue learning within an international education environment.

ISD students come from a diverse range of nationalities, cultures and backgrounds and are united by a common goal that their time at ISD will inspire them to learn for bright futures.

The international teaching staff will mirror the lives and contexts of the children in the school, coming from a diverse range of international contexts.

ISD places importance in understanding the needs of internationally mobile families so time is taken welcome children before they start school and to ensure they have smooth introduction.

ISD uses an internationally recognised curriculum in line with the programme offered in international schools abroad (primary and secondary education).

The language used in school is English, with opportunities for the children to use their native language.

Classes are given by English native speakers.

ISD will offer continuous provision from 0-12 years, working with international day care providers True Colors Delft.

ISD will also have a close relationship with Delft TU who to support student learning in the discipline of science and technology and in the transdisciplinary themes of research, breakthroughs and discoveries.

Balancing this expertise with the artistic, historic and royal connections within Delft, ISD will strive to offer the richness of the local context with the best practices of international education.

ISD in an affordable/subsidised international education, which reflects the valuing of the international community by the government and municipality.

The ISD is part of the Laurentius Stichting, which offers Catholic primary education in 24 schools in the Delft region.

Welcome!

March 3, 2014

International School Delft • Inspiring learning for bright futures • Internationally recognised curriculum • Continuous learning provision from 0-12 years • Hub for the international community

www.isdelft.nl

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30-01-14 11:23 31-01-14 11:26

economics

FEBRUARY 2014 | 9

Groningen gas production reduced

Photo: Detlef Schobert

A decision has been taken by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to cut production in the Groningen gas field and invest in property repair following tremors. DECLAN AYLWARD examines the plans.

Natural gas production in Groningen province will be reduced over the next three years. And over the next five years, a total of nearly 1.2 billion euro will be made available to reinforce homes and other buildings, strengthen infrastructure and improve quality of life in the region. Further investments will also be made in the region’s economy.

The Groningen gas field is a giant natural gas field located near Slochteren in Groningen province in the northeastern part of the country.

Discovered in 1959, it is the largest natural gas field in Europe and the 10th-largest in the world.

The move to reduce output and earmark funds for the repair and strengthening of homes comes in the

wake of public outcry related to a series of tremors in the region.

Tremors related to the extraction of gas in the Groningen gas field have been occurring since 1986. The Dutch Meteorological Institute (Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut, KNMI) recorded 1,012 induced earthquakes in the Netherlands from 1986 until the end of 2013. Most of these quakes occur in the north of the country and 720 are related to the Groningen gas field.

Of these 720 events, 234 had a magnitude of 1.5 or higher. Below this magnitude earthquakes are seldom noticed by humans.

However, recent tremors resulted in cracks appearing in building walls and other property damage, which

prompted local residents to demand action.

An agreement has been made for details of the measures to be further elaborated together with provincial and local government leaders in Groningen, and the close involvement of area residents in the process will also be promoted through a “dialogue table.”

Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp (VVD) announced this decision last month in Groningen. “To ensure the safety of those living above the Groningen natural gas field, we are reducing production in those areas most at risk and limiting total production levels,” the Minister explained. “We are taking measures to prevent damage where possible and

to streamline the process of damage compensation. And in partnership with stakeholders, we will improve economic prospects in the region and boost quality of life.”

The decision was made in response to Dutch petroleum company NAM’s natural gas extraction plans for the area over the next few years, and is based on 14 studies and numerous recommendations, including those of the State Supervision of Mines (Staatstoezicht op de Mijnen, SodM).

Production in those areas most at risk (near Loppersum) will be reduced by 80 percent over the next three years. In addition, limits will be placed on total natural gas production from the Groningen field for 2014, 2015, and 2016, with limits set at 42.5, 42.5, and 40 billion m3, respectively. Production levels in 2013 reached nearly 54 billion m3.

The Government’s decision to impose limits is informed by recommendations made by SodM. Production will not be halted entirely in drilling locations near Loppersum to ensure a sufficient supply of natural gas during periods of peak demand (i.e. the coldest days).

A sum of 850 million euro will be earmarked for damage prevention and repairs to homes, other buildings, and infrastructure. By the end of next year, NAM will inspect more than 15,000 homes to reinforce those most susceptible to damage. Another 15 million euro will be set aside in a special fund, to be used in special circumstances to cover overdue maintenance and property buy-ups. Dikes will be reinforced as needed.

NAM is making another 10 million euro available for the preventive reinforcement of homes and other buildings yet to be built.

The announcement has already had an effect on gas prices. Wholesale prices of Dutch gas for delivery next winter are reported to have risen by 65 cent in response.

Gas from the Groningen field is mostly sold on the domestic market, with a small percentage being exported to neighbours such as France, Germany and the UK.

Record levels for agricultural exports Figures released during Berlin’s International Green Week show that agricultural exports from the Netherlands are at a record high.

Photo: Steve Jurvetson

In 2013 the total value of agricultural exports from the Netherlands grew to a record level of 79 billion euro, up five percent compared to 2012. Dutch Minister for Agriculture Sharon Dijksma (PvdA) announced these new figures from the Dutch Agricultural Economics Research Institute during

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 9

the International Green Week in Berlin.

‘These figures underline the importance of the agricultural sector in the recovery of the Dutch economy,” the Minister said. “The Netherlands is a world leader in agriculture and, after the United States, the largest

exporter of agricultural products in the world. That’s something we must cherish.’

Dutch agricultural trade is especially focused on countries within the European Union. Eighty percent of Dutch agricultural exports are destined for the 27 EU countries. Ger-

many is by far the Netherlands’ most important trading partner, receiving 28.5 percent of our agricultural exports, with a total value of 22.4 billion euro. Growth in exports to Germany has risen by five percent, the same as for the agricultural sector in total.

Main exports to Germany from the Netherlands include meat, dairy products and eggs, horticultural products and fruit and vegetables. Cheese exports increased, while there was a decrease in butter exports.

There was also a clear rise in exports of fruit and vegetables compared to the last two years, with tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers being the most important products.

Meat exports also increased, with a rise in the export of pork and poultry meat, but a slight decrease in the export of beef.

The International Green Week Berlin is the largest trade show for food, agriculture and horticulture in the world. The Netherlands has been represented at the Green Week since the 1953 edition, and “Qualität wächst in Holland” (quality grows in the Netherlands) was chosen as this year’s motto. The Dutch pavillion is home to representatives from the agricultural, horticultural, fisheries and food sectors.

New rules for REITs

AMSTERDAM | Dutch Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) will compete better with their European peers following new legislation that allows ancillary services to qualify alongside these companies’ core investment activities for treatment under their special tax regime, the European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA) has announced.

These additional business activities must be carried out by a regular taxable subsidiary of the REIT (or ‘FBI’ in Dutch) and may include services like providing meeting spaces, in-house catering, supplying energy to tenants and using social media and marketing tools.

Rental investment to rise

LONDON | Interest among international

investors for rented housing in the Netherlands has skyrocketed, according to a study by Capital Value that was presented at the Dutch Embassy in London, reports the PropertyEU website. Of the investors surveyed, 23 percent are interested in purchasing Dutch rented housing. Such international interest in Dutch housing investment is a new development as for several decades the market was fully dominated by Dutch investors. Of the foreign investors intending to invest in the Netherlands, 29 percent are actively pursuing purchases.

Photo: CorporatieNL

Finland to buy tanks

HELSINKI | Finland’s Ministry of Defence

has confirmed that it will acquire 100 used Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks from the Netherlands for 199.9 million euro, according to a report by IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly. It was recently announced that Finland’s Defence Minister Carl Haglund had approved the deal. Negotiations have been under way since December 2013. The agreement will see vehicle deliveries begin in 2015 and completion is scheduled for 2019.

Included in the deal are 10-years’ worth of spare parts, simulators, tools, test equipment, and ammunition. Canada and Portugal have also purchased Leopard 2A6s from the Netherlands.

Ghana seeks Dutch aid

ACCRA | Ghana’s vice-president, Kwesi

Bekoe Amissah­-Arthur has expressed his government’s resolve to build an integrated transport system with the help of Dutch ideas, which would facilitate the evacuation of goods from Ghana to the inland countries of West Africa, reports GhanaWeb.com. Speaking during a visit by the Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Hans Docter, Mr. AmissahArthur said the government was in the process of engaging the various stakeholders, both home and abroad, to raise the needed funds for the project.

Photo: GhanaWeb

Unemployment rises

AMSTERDAM | According to recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands, seasonally adjusted unemployment increased by 15 thousand in December 2013 to reach 668 thousand, i.e. 8.5 percent of the employed labour force.

Figures published by the Institute for Implementation of Employees’ Insurances (UWV) show that the number of unemployment (WW) benefits was 438,000 in December, an increase of 19,000 relative to November and 98,000 relative to December 2012. In total, 2013 saw 100,000 more unemployed.

31-01-14 11:27

inspiring

innovative

internationally minded

“Learning is the Heart of The International School of The Hague” The International School of The Hague (ISH) is located in The Hague, the city of international peace and justice, in the area of Kijkduin in the south of the city. Our Primary and Secondary schools are housed on the same campus in a modern building situated in a quiet, naturally green and eco aware environment by the beach.

The ISH has been serving the international community in The Hague for many years, firstly as a secondary school and then in 2003 with the addition of our primary school. In the Primary section we offer the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) for students between the ages 4 to 11 (Reception to Year 6). In 2009 we became the first school in the world to be awarded accreditation at the highest level (‘mastering’)

by IPC and more recently, in 2013 we were re-awarded our ‘mastering’ level. In our Secondary School we offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) for students

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 10

between the ages of 11 to 16 (Years 7 - 11) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) for students between the ages of 16 to 18 (Years 12 and 13). Our Secondary School has been fully accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS).

At The International School of The Hague we go beyond education, we seek to create inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective students.

locally and internationally and all teachers are native English speakers or native in the language they speak. As a community we are motivated and committed to continuous improvement in a supportive environment. This will ensure that our children have strong foundations on which to build when they continue their learning journey at the end of their time at ISH. For more information and a personal tour please contact our admissions department: ish.admissions@ishthehague.nl, 070 328 1450 or visit our website: www.ishthehague.nl

With over 80 nationalities studying here at the school, our cultural diversity gives us a special and warm atmosphere that is essential for 21st Century education.

Our excellent teaching and non-teaching staff have high expectations of themselves and the children within our care. We recruit staff both

31-01-14 11:27

EDUCATION SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 2014 | 11

The HSV: a Dutch International Primary School

The Hague School Association (de Haagse Schoolvereeniging, HSV) is the organisation in The Hague and nearby for international schooling. And this year they are doing even more for expat kids.

The HSV offers mainstream and special education to the international community in The Hague and surrounding areas.

The HSV International Department is a Dutch International Primary School with three locations situated in different parts of the city.

The Nassaulaan building is in the centre of the city, while Koningin Sophiestraat is situated in Bezuidenhout and Van Nijenrodestraat in Benoordenout.

HSV schools offer small learning environments providing international

education while being a part of the Dutch system.

The schools aim to foster in all students a sense of international mindedness; an awe and wonder for other cultures while at the same time retaining a sense of belonging to and pride in their own country and culture.

Examples of this include the African Market being held on 5 February by the Van Nijenrodestraat school, in which students and teachers will come together to celebrate African culture.

The teachers are busy organsing lots of displays and art and craft activities which will be on display during the market. There will be food and drinks, African music playing and lots of beautiful African jewellery for sale too.

The children are making lots of crafts based on the African theme and these will also be avaliable for purchase.

Meanwhile, the school at Nassaulaan has begun a pioneering series of Mother Tongue Lunches, encouraging international parents to run lunches

for the children in the language of their country of origin.

The Lighthouse Special Education programme was established in 1998 to serve those members of the international community in the Netherlands whose children have special educational needs.

Lighthouse Special Education offers education in a safe and stimulating environment to children with complex behavioural and/or developmental problems.

Using a special educational programme conducted in English and

seeking advice and support from parents and educational institutions, Lighthouse Special Education offers a new chance for such children to be part of the community.

The HSV has qualified and experienced staff in special needs; including therapists working on-site. Individual programmes are developed for each child personally.

Lighthouse Special Education offers children with such special needs early intervention and structural, regular integration with an international mainstream school.

Stichting Haagsche Schoolvereeniging

HSV International School

www.hsvdenhaag.nl

Tel: +31 (0)703184965

Email: id-admissions@hsvdenhaag.nl

NASSAULAAN

VAN NIJENRODESTRAAT

KONINGIN SOPHIESTRAAT

LIGHTHOUSE

Dutch and International Primary Education Dutch and International Special Needs Education

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 11

31-01-14 11:27

EDUCATION SPECIAL

12 | FEBRUARY 2014

Small classes and personal attention. At the British School of Amsterdam we get to know each and every student. We provide an all-round education that develops the whole person and delivers academic success. From Early Years to Secondary School, we provide top-class British schooling for everyone from expats to locals seeking an international education.

With pupils of more than 40 nationalities, the British School of Amsterdam offers a stimulating and inclusive learning environment for students aged 3 to 18.

Non-native English speakers are welcome.

New principal for BSA The British School of Amsterdam has appointed a new principal. WILLEMIJN VAN OPPEN reports.

Our curriculum leads to the respected British A-Level qualification accepted by universities worldwide. In addition to the formal academic subjects, we teach European languages including Spanish, French, German and Dutch, as well as English as a foreign language.

“In our school everyone knows your name” Every day is an open day at the British School of Amsterdam.

Why not come along and visit us? For more information, see www.britams.nl, or contact us at +31 (0) 20 67 97 840 or info@ britams.nl.

Ms. Jonnie Goyer, the recently appointed Principal of the British School of Amsterdam is passionate about education. She applied for the position at the BSA because its ethos and values match the core of her own philosophy of education.

Ms. Goyer: “Education should improve lives.

A good education promotes love of learning, a sense of self-worth and the worth of others, a global awareness, a sense of responsibility and a sense of wonder. A good education is about far more than examination results. Those results matter because they provide opportunities, but a real education is about developing the whole individual and enabling each to become the best possible version of themselves that they can be. It is about unlocking potential and opening minds.

A good education should develop inquiring,

TEACHING PEOPLE, NOT JUST TOPICS

Mendoza Age 12 Indonesian/Dutch

The Minister for Education wants more to be done to develop strong ties between international students and the Netherlands Steps should be taken to make it more attractive for foreign students to start their career in the Netherlands, after they have completed their studies here, according to a statement by Minister for Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker (PvdA).

This could involve putting students in touch with potential employers before they have completed their studies, providing them with better information on careers in this country, and offering language courses. In this way, Minister Bussemaker hopes to persuade more international talent to remain in the Netherlands after completing their studies.

Motivated foreign students raise the bar for everyone, boost the success rate (for Dutch students too), and strengthen the international character of Dutch higher education. There is also the fact that the job market desperately needs international talent.

Studies have shown that while 70 percent of international students would like to stay on in the Netherlands after graduation, only 27 percent actually do so.

An advisory report published by the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) shows that the language is a key factor behind people’s decisions to stay. The Dutch generally speak good English, so it is often not necessary for foreign students to learn Dutch. But if they want to stay on in this country and find a job, then they will be expected to master the language. Providing them with language courses helps them to clear that particular hurdle.

An online course (in the form of a MOOC) is already under development, and a digital platform is being created to make it easier for people to find existing courses.

The SER also underscores the importance of cultural integration. Right now, Dutch and foreign students live largely parallel lives.

One way of breaking down these barriers is to get Dutch “buddies” to help their foreign

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 12

peers find their way around. Student accommodation is also being reviewed, to find ways of getting a better mix of Dutch and foreign students. That will make it easier for foreign students to settle here, and to establish friendships and relationships.

There is also room for improvement in terms of the information foreign students are given. With this in mind, details of numerous private scholarships provided by businesses have been published at www.grantfinder.nl.

Existing arrangements for helping foreign students find jobs after completing their studies, before they leave the Netherlands, are also being upgraded.

Improvements to the www.careerinholland. nl site will make it a valuable hub (even more than it is now) for any job-related information in the Netherlands, such as courses, job vacancies, and help in starting your own business.

Regional cooperation between universities and universities of applied sciences on the one hand and industry on the other, should generate more internships and part-time jobs for international students. Furthermore, the red tape that foreign students all too often encounter is being reviewed and, where possible, scrapped.

One Dutch educational institute that offers such arrangements is the Rotterdam School of Business. In addition to their excellent range of preparation, bachelors and masters courses, the Rotterdam School of Business offers exchange and summer courses designed to foster international cooperation.

The school also cooperates with local businesses in the Netherlands, giving both Dutch and international students the opportunity to gain real experience with industry players.

Graduation assignments, work placements and projects are just some of the ways in which international students at the Rotterdam School of Business interact with potential employers in the Netherlands.

Photography: Marc Breeman n

Stronger ties called for

imaginative, interested, knowledgeable and caring young people with intellectual curiosity and a sense of value.

It is also about providing young people with the skills and tools they will need to make informed choices in a moral context throughout the rest of their lives. The British School of Amsterdam embodies those values.”

Ms. Goyer’s own schooldays were at Belfast Royal Academy, one of the best, and least sectarian, schools in Belfast in the 1970s. It was while enjoying that education in the midst of a society that was virtually ripping itself apart that she first realized just how important education, in its broadest sense, is.

That experience determined her to help others have the same opportunities for personal growth that she did. After studying History and Politics at Trinity College Dublin, she became a teacher and her belief in, and commitment to education has never wavered.

Ms. Goyer has many years’ experience in the UK independent schools system and this is her second position as Principal. Before coming to Amsterdam she led Farlington School to achieve “outstanding” in every standard at inspection.

The British School of Amsterdam is her first fully international school and she is enjoying the experience very much.

“Good schools, indeed excellent schools, come in all guises but the golden thread running through them all is a consistent focus on excellence in the teaching and learning experience, Ms. Goyer says, “And that is what we seek to do at the BSA. This is a fantastic school. It is small in size and huge in heart and in its aims and aspirations. It is welcoming, multi-cultural and caring. Every individual matters. It’s like Amsterdam itself – and it is a terrific place to be.

The BSA has an exciting future and I love being a part of it.”

Professional & Practical

Master Programmes Rotterdam Business School www.rotterdambusinessschool.nl

31-01-14 11:27

FEBRUARY 2014 | 13

Internationally Focussed A vibrant international outlook on education, combining structure with creativity, within a curriculum with strong Internationally British foundations.

www.britishschool.nl

Internationally British

Leiden goes international The ‘international classroom’ BA International Studies degree at Leiden University is about to become more international still. Already the 320 second year students enjoy an environment where almost half of the class comes from abroad.

Now, about one third of the students will have the opportunity to study for a semester abroad.

Among the universities they will visit are Hebrew University (Jerusalem), Honolulu (Hawaii), McGill (Canada) Monash (Australia) Stellenbosch (S.Africa) Universidad Diego Portales (Chile) and Xiamen University (China).

Many other students are applying for internships or volunteer work, and they will use the experience to prepare a research report as part of their degree.

Bachelor International Studies In the English-taught bachelor’s programme in International Studies you will study the history, culture, politics and economy of a world region, and you will learn one of the region’s languages. You will be able to put world events in perspective by comparing regions in their worldwide context. Want to know more…

16 NOVEMBER 2013 and 22 FEBRUARY 2014: OPEN HOUSE AT CAMPUS THE HAGUE

Register now at http://www.bachelors.leiden.edu/is

Second year student Ruben did volunteer work in Kampala, Uganda, in December.

Discover the world at Leiden University

Educating For The Future Respect

Responsibility

Integrity

Empathy

Communication

“American School of The Hague nurtures and inspires character, commitment, creativity, and learning.”

University preparatory program for students aged 3-18

AP® A Creative and Inspiring Learning Environment

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 13

www.ash.nl / admissions@ash.nl

31-01-14 11:27

FEATURE

14 | FEBRUARY 2014

Privacy implications of the new AH Bonus Card

Photo: ritzotencate

Supermarket chain Albert Heijn has recently launched a new version of its loyalty card, the Bonus Card. The new card offers a variety of new benefits for customers, but in return, the customer has to give up a lot of their privacy. Will it work? RAMSES VAN OOSTEN investigates.

While shopping for groceries at Albert Heijn the other day, showing my Bonus Card at the desk, the girl behind it made a rather unusual remark: “Your Bonus Card is no longer accepted.”

Fortunately, she immediately granted me a new Bonus Card. As revealed by its packaging it was not just a new Bonus Card, it was a new type of Bonus Card. It promised exclusive deals, additional Air Miles, personal gifts, key service, even the chance of winning an all-inclusive space trip. I only had to activate the Bonus Card online.

Without doing so, it would function just like the “old” Bonus Card, without all the attractive new benefits they advertised.

As I like exclusive deals and space trips, I decided to activate it, which meant sharing my name, date of birth, gender, location, e-mail address and optionally a phone number with the grocery chain.

It left me with a weird feeling, why does my grocery store want to know all this information? And what do other people think of this?

International students in Amsterdam are not worried: “I don’t care about them knowing what I buy at the supermarket, it’s not that important,” says Benjamin from Switzerland. Reeta from Finland: “I honestly don’t think it’s such a big deal, it benefits both Albert Heijn and the consumer.”

Yolanda from Spain says: “I don’t care that they know what I buy, because they’ll not use it against me anyway.”

From criticised anonymous card to adopted personalised card With the launch of the original Bonus Card in 1998, Albert Heijn started collecting shopping data of individual cardholders, allowing the company to track the shopping behaviour of households over time. It was not bound to one person, nor did

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 14

it require attachment of personal information.

Still, it was criticised by the national privacy watchdog CBP (College Bescherming Persoonsgegevens), because there was no way the consumer could buy discounted products without making use of the privacy-harming card.

This obligation was and still is a questionable characteristic of shopping at Albert Heijn. However, most people do not mind this anonymised form of market research.

“I have the basic card, just for normal discounts. I don’t care that they track what I buy, as long as they don’t know more stuff about me,” explains Yolanda.

The new Bonus Card would put more pressure on the privacy of customers. To prevent legal issues, Albert Heijn asked the CBP for advice five years in advance, in 2007, about how to design the new model.

Thereafter, it was publicly tested by a group of 300,000 customers. The test proved successful and in 2013 the new Bonus Card became available to the rest of the country.

The careful procedure of Albert Heijn paid off, as the new model was adopted without too much criticism.

By the time the old Bonus Card was discontinued, 10 million new Bonus Cards had already been distributed, of which 2 million were activated online.

The crucial question, however, remains: is it safe to allow Albert Heijn access to so much personal information?

“It might be harmless, but I still feel uncomfortable about it,” says television employee Ad van Oosten. “I still keep asking: what do they want to know about me, and why do they want to know it? As long as Albert Heijn doesn’t want to give a proper explanation, I don’t feel invited to cooperate with the system. And moreover, you’ll get the popular discounts also with a non-registered Bonus Card.”

Photo: FaceMePLS

31-01-14 11:29

FEATURE

FEBRUARY 2014 | 15

Photo: jula julz

with third parties, which would make such a practice unlikely. Still, the circulation of personal data within the company is something to keep in mind as well.

As a company worth 30 billion euro, the mother company Ahold is responsible for many other activities such as Bol.com, Gall&Gall and Etos.

So we should not take that “no third party sharing” too seriously.

Another source of concern is the duration of storage: for how long can Albert Heijn store your personal shopping information?

A look on their website reveals that the data are stored for 27 months, before being anonymised. It is important to note that this does not mean they are deleted, they only become unattached from the personal details.

Is it right that a private company such as Albert Heijn be allowed to gather this customer data, solely for

the purpose of increasing profits?

Ms van der Luit thinks not: “In the Netherlands, you cannot escape loss of privacy, this is the way of society.

If the authorities want to search your bag for weapons, they are allowed to. But in the case of Albert Heijn, it does not serve the public interest in any way, therefore it should not be allowed.”

Give it a try It is nice that Albert Heijn offers customers the choice whether to personalise their Bonus Card, but there are some considerations to the transmission of your personal details that are easily overseen.

This of course extends to other services as well, such as the personalised OV-chipkaart, which has also been accused of infringing on people’s privacy.

After having heard the different opinions, I regret being won over Albert Heijn’s attractive offers. Fortunately, the AH website provides an easy way to deactivate your personalised card, deleting any collected information at the same time. It is therefore possible to try out the new model and see if you like the personalised discounts.

If you do not, it is best to make the card anonymous again. Otherwise, all your information might be circulating throughout Ahold without you profiting by it.

For the privacy-minded, there is also a technique to reduce your digital footprint even further: exchange your anonymous Bonus Card with other people from time to time.

This way, your shopping history is captured by multiple cards, making it nearly impossible for them to trace the data back to you.

Photo: FaceMePLS

You shop, we analyse On its website, Albert Heijn details what happens with the collected information: “To offer you personalised discounts, we analyse which products you buy often, where you look at on our website and we compare this with other customers…The collected information is processed for the purpose of the statistical analysis of trends in the purchasing behaviour of our customers.”

It does not sound very alarming to most people. Still, it is questionable whether we should voluntarily expand our digital footprint.

“When I hear about such things I am glad I do not own a computer,” says 80-year-old Pierrette van der Luit. “I think Albert Heijn uses the internet as an additional way to expose people to advertisements and persuade them to buy more than they would otherwise. This works especially on weaker people.”

The act of rewarding people for giving up their personal informa-

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 15

tion has led to resistance by privacyprotecting organisations. “We think these are unfair trade practices,” says Vincent Böhre from Stichting Privacy First. “The bottom line is that you get extra discount if you hand over your personal details, which is unacceptable.”

Ms van der Luit agrees: “That Albert Heijn offers discounts is of course fine, but if we have to pay for it with our privacy, it sounds much like bribery.”

The database of Albert Heijn extended How dangerous is it to put your data into the online database of Albert Heijn? Internet expert Brenno de Winter for the Algemeen Dagblad: “I doubt whether people are going to like it when each bottle of wine they buy is being passed on to their health insurer.”

If this would be the case, it would be very alarming. Fortunately Albert Heijn promises not to share the data

Photo: tnarik

31-01-14 11:29

HEALTH

Even more Bronovo medical specialists and other health care professionals available

Photo: Frank van der Burg

Eight GP practices Eight GP practices are established in the new Health Centre. Beumer: 'We see this as an opportunity to develop an even deeper partnership between Bronovo and the GPs, and that will ultimately benefit patient care.' You will also find a physiotherapist, speech therapist, pharmacy service counter, the medical pedicure and Bronovo's blood sample laboratory (priklaboratorium) all within a short distance from each other in the Centre. The range of care is further enriched by the consultation hours held by many Bronovo medical specialists and the presence of the podiatrist, dentist, dental hygienist and the mental health care services in the Centre.

New Wassenaar Health Centre Do you live in Wassenaar or in the immediate area and would you like to see a medical specialist from Bronovo Hospital or another health care professional such as a GP or physiotherapist? The new Wassenaar Health Centre, located at Hofcampweg 65, has been open to welcome visitors since 9 December.

Until recently, the centre was located on Rijksstraatweg.

Care close to home The centre provides more space, more comfort and more options in a high-tech facility.

The Wassenaar Health Centre has expanded its range of care at the new location, now offering services of a total of forty care providers. Moreover, Bronovo specialists in oral diseases, oral surgery and memory issues are now holding consultation hours.

There is also a radiology room.

Operational manager Hans Beumer: 'Wassenaar residents will benefit greatly from the radiology room. They can have standard

x-rays and ultrasounds taken here during their radiology consultation. This means that from now on, part of the acute care can take place close to home in Wassenaar, because it is no longer necessary to travel to Bronovo Hospital in The Hague. We think this will directly improve the quality of care.'

Memory clinic consultation hours The memory clinic is also useful. A memory issue case manager provides visitors with information on the potential causes of their forgetfulness. They receive answers to their questions and learn whether any further examination is necessary. Is the latter the case? The case manager also knows where to go for further examination. The memory clinic consultation hours were set up by Nebo nursing home, Stichting Wassenaarse Zorgverlening ('SWZ') care foundation and Van Ommerenpark seniors residence in collaboration with the Bronovo Geriatric Treatment Advice Centre (Behandeladviescentrum Ouderengeneeskunde).

Design Beumer is also enthusiastic about the interior design of the Health Centre: 'For example, we chose for wallpaper on the walls: prints of Wassenaar country estates and landscapes. We were also given sixty paintings on loan from an artist from Wassenaar.

Artwork by Paul Citroen, a gift to the Health Centre, will be hung in the meeting room.'

Dentists and psychologists The Wassenaar Health Centre integrates so-called primary and secondary care providers. Not only professionals like GPs, physiotherapists, psychologists and dentists (primary care), but also medical specialists from Bronovo Hospital in The Hague (secondary care) can be of service. In addition, Bronovo Hospital's laboratory offers a daily service point to take blood samples.

Address: Hofcampweg 65, Wassenaar Tel: +31 (0)70 512 72 00 Web: www.gezondheidscentrumwassenaar.nl (click the English flag at the top of the page to view the website in English)

BRONOVO HOSPITALITY www.bronovo.nl

Bronovo offers general hospital services for the residents of The Hague and surrounding areas. Providing personal care is a priority, because at Bronovo our patients are at the heart of everything we do. The hospital has an alliance with the Leiden University Medical Centre. Our team of medical specialists offer a wide range of services, covering almost every specialisation. At Bronovo, over 1,500 employees and 120 specialists work closely together in a multidisciplinary team to provide what we like to think of as health care with added hospitality. That’s why our motto is: ‘Together we care’.

Information for expats Information meetings for expats Do you want to know more about information meetings for expats?

Contact: Nanda Jagusiak-Monteiro Bronovo Expat Coordinator E: NJagusiak@bronovo.nl

Overseas Patients Administration Do you have any questions about the Dutch health care system, Bronovo Hospital, your insurance or the handling of your invoice?

Contact: Deborah Warmenhoven-Walmsley Overseas Patients Administration Assistant Patient Administration Office T: +31 (0)70 312 41 80 or (070) 312 41 80 (Monday, Wednesday & Friday) E: DWarmenhoven@bronovo.nl Accident & Emergency department Emergency services are available seven days a week and 24 hours a day at Bronovo Hospital. The Accident & Emergency department is always open for everyone.

The A&E department (SEH) is available on (070) 312 44 45 or via the central Bronovo number (070) 312 41 41. Every A&E patient must produce proof of identity and a health insurance card.

Contact Bronovo Hospital Bronovolaan 5 2597 AX The Hague +31 (0)70 312 41 41 or (070) 312 41 41 www.bronovo.nl

BRONOVO HOSPITAL Bronovolaan 5, 2597 AX Den Haag WASSENAAR HEALTH CENTRE Hofcampweg 65, 2241 KE Wassenaar BRONOVO SATELLITE OUTPATIENT CLINIC President Kennedylaan 15, 2517 JK Den Haag

EXPAT SERVICE DESK On workdays from 8.00 – 16.30 hours: E mail: expat@bronovo.nl Anneke van Kooten +31 (0)70 312 40 16

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17-01-14 13:46 31-01-14 11:29

14 13:46

TECHNOLOGY

FEBRUARY 2014 | 17

Dutch plan to colonise Mars using Reality TV

Concept of Colony Image: Bryan Versteeg

The Netherlands-based Mars One foundation has garnered much media attention for its plan to put human explorers on Mars, with television cameras following them every step of the way. DECLAN AYLWARD looks at the details of the undertaking.

Daybreak at Gale Crater, Mars

One of the biggest technology stories of the past weeks – and indeed months – has to be that a Dutch nonprofit foundation is attempting to put a colony on Mars.

Based in Amersfoort, Mars One plans to establish a human settlement on Mars in 2023 by sending a crew of volunteer astronauts from around the world to the Red Planet. Every two years after that a new crew will join the settlement.

The human settlement of Mars via these one-way missions is to come at the end of a series of unmanned missions aimed at laying the groundwork for human settlers. These are to include a demonstration mission in 2018 to test out some of the technologies involved, a rover mission in 2020 and a cargo mission in 2022 that will deliver two living compartments, two life-support units and two supply caches to the Martian surface with the help of the rover.

“Since its conceptualisation, Mars One has evolved from a bold idea to an ambitious but feasible plan,” explains Bas Lansdorp, Mars One CoFounder and CEO. “Human exploration of Mars will be the most exciting adventure mankind has embarked upon in decades. It will inspire a new generation of engineers, inventors, artists and scientists. It will create breakthroughs in recycling, life support and solar power systems. It will create a new generation of heroes – the first explorers to go to Mars will step straight into the history books.

Finally, we expect it to capture an audience of millions, culminating in several billion online spectators when the first crew lands on Mars.”

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 17

Image: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

Recruitment for the mission to Mars began in April of last year, with hopeful applicants contacting the foundation directly through its website. As part of the application every applicant was asked to explain, the motivation behind his/her decision to go to Mars in a one-minute video.

In the five-month application period, Mars One received interest from 202,586 people from around the world, wanting to be amongst the first human settlers on Mars.

Applications were received from people in over 140 countries; the largest numbers being from the United States (24 percent), India (10 percent), China (6 percent), Brazil (5 percent), Great Britain (4 percent), Canada (4 percent), Russia (4 percent), Mexico (4 percent), Philippines (2 percent), Spain (2 percent), Colombia (2 percent), Argentina (2 percent), Australia (1 percent), France (1 percent), Turkey (1 percent), Chile (1 percent), Ukraine (1 percent), Peru (1 percent), Germany (1 percent), Italy (1 percent) and Poland (1 percent).

“Mars One is a mission representing all humanity and its true spirit will be justified only if people from the entire world are represented,” Lansdorp says of the international nature of the applicants.

Applicants are currently going through the three-round selection procedure, the first round of which took place at the end of 2013 and whittled the number of potential Martian colonists down to 1,058.

“We’re extremely appreciative and impressed with the sheer number of people who submitted their applications,” Lansdorp explains of the

selection procedure. “However, the challenge with 200,000 applicants is separating those who we feel are physically and mentally adept to become human ambassadors on Mars from those who are obviously taking the mission much less seriously. We even had a couple of applicants submit their videos in the nude!”

So what next for the 1,058 pre-selected Mars hopefuls? Norbert Kraft, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Mars One and recipient of the 2013 NASA Group Achievement Award says, “The next several selection phases in 2014 and 2015 will include rigorous simulations, many in team settings, with a focus on testing the physical and emotional capabilities of our remaining candidates. We expect to begin understanding what is motivating our candidates to take this giant leap for humankind. This is where it really gets exciting for Mars One, our applicants, and the communities they’re a part of.”

Details of the 2014 selection phases have not been agreed upon due to ongoing negotiations with media companies for the rights to televise the selection processes. Lansdorp says, “We fully anticipate our remaining candidates to become celebrities in their towns, cities, and in many cases, countries. It’s about to get very interesting.”

And televising the proceedings is a big part of Mars One’s plans for its mission to the Red Planet.

To finance the mission, Mars One intends to create an international media event around the project. The audience will help decide as the teams of settlers are selected, follow their extensive training and preparation for the mission and observe their settling

Curiosity Touching Down, Artist’s Concept

on Mars once arrived. The astronauts will share their experiences as they build their new home, conduct experiments and explore.

This idea of the first manned mission to Mars being turned into a reality television show may sound like the stuff of cynical science fiction to some, but many in the industry claim it is much more realistic.

“This mission to Mars can be the biggest media event in the world,” Paul Römer, inventor of Big Brother said in a statement. “Reality meets talent show with no ending and the whole world watching. Now there’s a good pitch!”

Science writer Mary Roach considers that the project may even render meaningless the pitfalls other reality television events fall into. “Even before the Mars One team wrote to me, a manned Mars mission had struck me as the ultimate reality television event, and thus an unbeatable funding opportunity. For unlike so much of the ‘reality’ television that exists now, here there would be no need to make up events to add drama, duress, and psychological tension. This mission on its own provides all of that.”

Whether you think that Mars One will provide entertaining television or not, one thing can be agreed on: if successful, this could prove to be the most important Dutch television export yet.

Image: NASA Goddard Photo and Video

31-01-14 11:29

DIPLOMATIC

18 | FEBRUARY 2014

Nobel Peace Prize 2013 for the OPCW On this occasion, Nanda Jagusiak interviews the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, H.E. Mr. Ahmet Üzümcü

H.E. Mr. Ahmet Üzümcüwith diploma and medal.

1. On Tuesday, 10 December, you 3. What will the money, awarded received in Oslo the 2013 No- by the Nobel Committee, be used bel Peace Price on behalf of the for?

OPCW. What does this mean for the OPCW? In my Nobel acceptance speech, I announced that the prize money Winning the Nobel Peace prize would be used to fund annual OPCW was a great honour for the OPCW. It awards. These awards will recognise provided welcome recognition of our outstanding contributions to advancefforts over the past 16 years to rid ing the goals of the Convention. I the world of chemical weapons, in hope that they will not only preserve particular, the engagement of States the legacy of this important moment Parties, their commitment and deter- in the OPCW’s history, but also enmination. courage more ambitious and imagiThe Prize has redoubled our en- native efforts across the broad range thusiasm and energy for meeting the of our stakeholders, including civil sochallenges we still have ahead of us. ciety, to forever make chemical weapIt also further boosted the morale of ons a thing of the past. our staff serving in Syria.

My hope is that the award will also 4. In which context was the OPCW provide a fresh impetus for disarma- created and which were the general ment efforts more broadly. objectives at that moment?

As I noted in Oslo, the Chemical Weapons Convention, which the The OPCW was created as an inOPCW is responsible for implement- ternational organisation to oversee ing, has enjoyed unique success in the implementation of the Chemical history of disarmament – one from Weapons Convention, which entered which valuable lessons can still be into force in 1997 – more than eight drawn. decades after the first large-scale use of chemical weapons near Ieper in 2. What was the motivation of the Belgium.

Nobel Committee to award this The final push for such a ban ocPrize to the OPCW? curred in long and difficult negotiations in Geneva through the 1980s.

The decision of the Nobel Commit- Their successful conclusion was tee was an extremely pleasant sur- greatly assisted by international conprise for me and my colleagues at the sternation over the use of chemical OPCW. I can’t, of course, speak for the weapons during the Iran-Iraq War. Nobel Committee, but its chairman, The new spirit of cooperation beThorbjørn Jagland, made it clear that tween the superpowers at the end of the prize was awarded to the OPCW the Cold War also played an impor“for its extensive efforts to eliminate tant role. chemical weapons.”

The Convention was, and remains, This is a mission we have been a unique achievement in the history carrying out with quiet determination of multilateral disarmament. It is still and, until recently, very much outside the only international treaty banthe international limelight. We are ning an entire class of weapons of immensely proud of our record of mass destruction, under international practical achievement, which includes verification. It is also non-discriminaverifying destruction of more than 82 tory, committing all of its members percent of the world’s declared weap- equally to its obligation. This includes ons. opening their chemical production fa-

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 18

cilities to inspections that verify their activities are in line with their obligations.

The OPCW has effectively been the guardian of the Convention, carrying out the inspection and verification regime that has in many ways defined it. As I mentioned, the OPCW has verified the destruction of more than 82 percent of the world’s declared chemical weapons – and we are well on the way to dispatching the remaining stocks. We have also developed extensive measures to guard against their re-emergence in the future.

But we are mandated to do much more than simply verify adherence to the ban on chemical weapons. We have set up mechanisms and training for enhancing our members’ ability to fulfil their obligations under the Convention, as well as to protect themselves against the impact of chemical attacks and accidents.

Our focus also goes beyond preventing chemistry from being misused. We are active in promoting international cooperation on peaceful uses to ensure that the benefits of chemistry are made available to all.

We are a relatively small organisation, with the Technical Secretariat comprising less than 500 staff and operating an annual budget of EUR 70 million in 2013.

6. How many states are members of the OPCW and who are the Permanent Representatives?

With Syria’s accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention last October, membership of the OPCW has reached 190 states. Their governments have designated Permanent Representatives to the OPCW, who are in most cases Ambassadors accredited to the Netherlands or a nearby country.

All of these Permanent Representatives present their governments’ credentials to me before formally taking up their appointment.

The fact that the Convention enjoys near universal adherence shows just how important protection against these weapons is to the community of nations. But we are determined to persuade those six states still outside the Convention – Angola, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar, North Korea and South Sudan – to join without delay or con5. Can you give a short summary of ditions. the administrative structure of the OPCW? 7. Recently OPCW was prominently in the news with the dismantling The OPCW comprises three or- of the chemical weapons of Syria. gans. The two decision-making bod- What does the operational task of ies of the organisation are the Confer- OPCW staff include exactly? ence of States Parties, which meets annually, and the Executive Council, Our inspectors have made subwhich has a smaller, rotating mem- stantial progress ever since first debership. The Technical Secretariat, ploying to Syria on 1 October 2013 which I have the honour to lead as – only three days after a decision was Director-General, carries out the daily reached on a destruction programme work of implementing the Conven- for Syrian chemical weapons. So far, tion, including conducting inspec- this includes accounting for all detions. clared stocks and verifying that all The OPCW also has subsidiary weapon production facilities have bodies that provide independent ex- been rendered inoperable. pert advice on topical issues, such as Our inspectors continue to work the Scientific Advisory Board. on the ground in Syria – in chal-

lenging and often dangerous circumstances – to monitor all aspects of a complex removal and destruction plan devised with Member States.

This work is backed up by extensive coordination carried out by our officials here at OPCW headquarters in The Hague, as well as in capitals of key donor countries and with our UN partners. Our role is to oversee and verify the complete destruction of Syrian chemical weapons by mid2014. The UN is providing essential logistical and security support for this OPCW – UN Joint Mission.

8. You have served as OPCW Director-General since July 2010 and have been recently re-appointed by acclamation for a second term at Conference of State Parties. What is your statement for this term?

As we verify destruction of existing stocks, our focus must turn to ensuring that chemical weapons do not re-emerge in any form. To do this effectively, we will need to build on the trust and confidence we enjoy among our member states to recalibrate our priorities and perhaps set new ones.

This will require engagement by as broad a coalition of stakeholders as possible, especially when we look at some of the challenges related to this, including terrorism.

I am determined to broaden our engagement with civil society and deepen our partnerships with science and industry to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

9. Which message would you give to our readers?

We can make the vision of a world free of chemical weapons a reality now, in our lifetime. And, once we do, we must nurture this reality by ensuring that chemistry is always used solely for peaceful uses.

31-01-14 11:30

ARTS & CULTURE

FEBRUARY 2014 | 19

Marcel Wanders: Pinned Up at the Stedelijk

Marcel Wanders design for entryway Quasar Building, Istanbul Photo: Stedelijk Museum

A new exhibition at Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum explores the career of seminal designer, Marcel Wanders. The show gives a unique chance to explore the aesthetic and vibrancy of Dutch design. zenith of his 25-year career, it is a perfect time for a museum analysis of his influential professional practice,” De Roode concludes.

Wanders graduated in 1988 from the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (now ArtEZ) in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

In 1996, he made his international breakthrough with the Knotted Chair, a miracle of transparency in which a high tech material is combined with a low-tech macramé technique. At first, Wanders was primarily associated with the avant-garde, conceptual direction of Dutch Design, which created an international furore largely through the activities of the Droog Design platform.

However, Wanders soon found his way into the wider design industry, with particular success abroad. Since then, his designs have been sold worldwide.

Marcel Wanders designs for internationally renowned brands such as Alessi, Moroso, Kartell, Flos, Cosme Decorte, Target, Puma, Baccarat, Marks & Spencer, and KLM, among scores of others. In addition to this industrial work, Wanders also creates and produces more experimental Stella from Couture series , wallpaper, 2008Graham & Brown, printed paper Art direction photo: Marcel Wanders designs, under his ‘Personal Editions’ From 1 February, 2014, the Stedelijk Stedelijk is conceived in three parts: a The title of the exhibition, Marcel label.

Museum presents the exhibition Mar- white zone, which offers an analysis Wanders: Pinned Up at the Stedelijk, Since 1999, Wanders has worked cel Wanders: Pinned Up at the Ste- of Wanders’ work based on 10 themes refers to the way in which the de- on interior projects such as the VIP delijk. Marcel Wanders (Boxtel, 1963) (such as craftsmanship, narratives signer and his work are, as it were, is recognised as one of the most dis- and dialogues, surface, innovation, ar- “pinned up” and analysed in a mutinguished designers working today. chetypes, variation, and playing with seum context.

He is internationally renowned for scale); a black zone presenting work “Marcel Wanders is a creative and his product, furniture and interior de- of a more personal and often experi- innovative force as a designer,” Ingesigns, and original art direction. mental nature in a theatrical setting; borg de Roode, Curator of Industrial The largest presentation of his and a lounge where Wanders’ role Design and organiser of the exhibiwork to-date, this is the first Europe- as Art Director for design brands, in- tion, remarks, “driven by a clear and an survey exhibition of Wanders since cluding Moooi, is explored. distinctive vision from the very start of 1999. It is also the first major design All of Wander’s iconic works are his career: to create an extraordinary exhibition to be presented at the Ste- featured, such as the Set Up Shades and sustainable environment through delijk following its reopening in 2012. lamp (1989), the Knotted Chair (1995- design. Sustainability comes from The exhibition presents designs 1996), Lace Table (1997), Egg Vase users building relationships with his from Wanders’ entire oeuvre, ranging (1997), Airborne Snotty Vases (2001), products, cherishing them rather than from the late 1980s to the present. the New Antiques furniture (2005), discarding them. A remarkable comMore than 400 objects will be on dis- and the Skygarden lamp (2007). Also municator, he shares his vision not play in the monumental lower-level on view are lesser-known pieces such only through his designs, but also by gallery space in the Stedelijk’s new as the Hare Vase (1995) and packag- utilising the media as a vehicle itself, wing, and will encompass furniture, ing designs for the Japanese cosmet- such as in his publicity shots, which lamps, utensils, cutlery, wallpaper, ics brand Cosme Decorte (since 2010). Wanders art directs.” packaging, and jewellery.

Wanders’ most recent furniture Wanders’ skills as a communicaThe show also includes images of design, the Carbon Balloon Chair tor, coupled with his business insights interiors, design sketches, prototypes, (2013), will also make its European (he runs a studio with a staff of 50 experimental work in small editions, debut. Many other designs, some of and is co-owner of Moooi and the Ansculptural objects developed for spe- which were created especially for this daz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Hotel) cial projects, and “virtual interiors” exhibition, are on view for the first have contributed greatly to his sucnew experimental digital creations. time, such as a special edition of the cess. Few designers can boast such a Photo: Stedelijk Museum Marcel Wanders: Pinned Up at the famed Egg Vase. combination of talents. “Now, at the

tht_February_2014_RV.indd 19

room of the Dutch pavilion at the World Fair in Hannover (2000), the Mondrian Hotel in Miami (2008), Villa Moda in Bahrain (2008), and the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Hotel (2012).

Wanders is also an art director and, since 2001, has worked in that capacity for Moooi, the successful interior label of which he is co-founder. Wanders works with famous designers such as Jasper Morrison and Jurgen Bey and from the beginning provided a platform for younger designers including Bertjan Pot, Maarten Baas, Kiki van Eijk, Jaime Hayon, Front, Nika Zupanc, and Osko & Deichmann, many of whom launched products for the first time through the brand. Wanders serves as Art Director for Moooi’s remarkable publicity shots, often collaborating with Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf.

Wanders also creates the narrative images that support his product designs for Alessi, Target, KLM, and others.

The exhibition is accompanied by a 224-page catalogue published by the Stedelijk Museum, with analytical essays by international authors, an interview with the designer, a visual survey of Wanders’ most important projects, a biography, bibliography, and an overview of his entire oeuvre.

31-01-14 11:30

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31-01-14 11:30

REVIEWS

FEBRUARY 2014 | 21

FOOD: BORSCHT AND THE UNIVERSE

film REVIEW

Chef de Cuisine

We Are the Best!

Photo: Lynn Gardner

The jerusalem artichoke is at once exotic and commonplace, special and humble. It is a New World member of the sunflower family – apparently the name is a corruption of the Italian girasole, though in much of Europe it’s known as topinambur, after the Brazilian tribe who called themselves the Tupinambá, while the Dutch know it as aardpeer.

She Good Woman has adapted a recipe from Ottolenghi for a soup with Jerusalem artichokes that is perfect for a cold winter day.

Peel, clean, and dice 400 grams of Jerusalem artichokes and cook for 25 minutes with a liter of bouillon and as many cloves of garlic as you can take – Ottolenghi recommends 10, but She Good Woman uses half that. Mix 350 grams of Greek yogurt with an egg and ladle in a few spoons of the soup once it has warmed – this procedure will prevent curdling later. Keep mixing and adding soup until the two are fully mixed and then heat until ready for serving – but don’t let it come to a boil. Finally, salt and pepper to taste and garnish with sliced chives or rucola, or both.

She Good Woman tells me that the wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can substitute mushrooms, squash, or even potatoes, which makes for a meal that is less etymologically impressive but just as delicious. Adding fresh spinach in right before serving is also a good idea, a bit of hope in these dark days. Kate loved the duck, by the way.

erwise largely chaotic rehearsals. Friends as well as bandmates, the three girls come progressively closer to each other, forming a small alliance of outcasts against parental guidance and social norms or impositions. Caught up in confusion, they struggle to find their own identity amidst a messed up world full of turbulence and teenage sensitivities.

Written and directed by Lukas Moodysson (who has also made Show Me Love and Together), We Are the Best! (‘Vi är bäst!’) is based on the graphic novel Never Goodnight (‘Aldrig godnatt’) by his wife, Coco Moodysson. The film is basically a coming-of-age story about (predominantly female) friendship and adolescence, yet it is made so that it concerns teen and adult audiences alike.

Set in the early 1980s, the film also touches upon themes such as feminism, activism, education, as well as the forming of musical and political identities within Swedish society during that era. At the same time, it offers a glimpse into the microcosm of contemporary daily life. Last but not least, the film makes several references to representatives of the vibrant Swedish punk scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s such as KSMB and Ebba Grön. Could it be that punk is still alive?

December 31, 2002 was quite an event on West 122nd Street: She Good Woman was cooking for a cook. To be more precise, we had invited our good friends Kate and Simon to bring in the New Year with a big cast iron pot of duck with prunes and Jerusalem artichokes. Kate, one of New York’s premier pastry chefs, who taught us much of what we know about eating (it’s all about the intensity of the moment) and cooking (use lots of salt, which is not so much a flavor as a magnifier of flavor) is at once the most discriminating of cooks and the most broad-minded and forgiving of eaters, but cooking for a chef can be a terrifying experience.

She Good Woman’s duck with Jerusalem artichokes isn’t for everyone, in terms of time, taste, and materials, but she makes a lovely soup with that strange vegetable, a potato-like root whose flavor, sweet and nutty, makes it ideal for winter. (IL PACIFICO)

Stockholm, circa 1982. Bobo and Klara are best friends, two young girls united by their passion for punk music and scorn for established conventions. They have short spiky hair, hate sports, and couldn’t care less about looking pretty. Inspired by their favorite bands they decide to form one of their own, however neither one knows how to play an instrument.

At first, this results mostly to a lot of shouting at the microphones and banging the drums.

However, things get a different spin once Hedvig, a born-again Christian with no friends at school, joins Bobo and Klara to form a peculiar, girl-only, punk trio.

Hedvig’s guitar skills and music knowledge prove to be an inspiration for the other two, while her disciplined character and down-to-earth profile help bring some sense of order in the band’s oth-

music

book REVIEW

Fat lady sings for Nederlandse Opera

Kansas City Lightning

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The “adjective reversal” in the Dutch names of the two opera companies was brought about in mutual agreement.

“It is fantastic that two key players in the field of opera in the Netherlands close ranks in this way,” claims Nicolas Mansfield, director of the Nationale Reisopera. “The Nationale Reisopera considers it entirely logical that we actively contribute to a clear-cut opera structure in the Netherlands.

Additionally, the fact that we are the Netherlands’ principal touring opera company is reflected in our new name. We will use the name Dutch Touring Opera abroad. Together with DNO we have a mutual interest in preserving, renewing and rejuvenating this art form. Talent development is an essential building block of this vision, and together we will meet this challenge.”

The Amsterdam-based graphic design agency Lesley Moore has created the Dutch National Opera & Ballet’s new house style and design.

The agency recently designed the new identity for the Central Museum in Utrecht, for which it won the Dutch Design Award – Graphic Design 2012.

So never fear, opera and ballet fans. While changes are afoot, they are changes aimed at bringing both opera and ballet closer together with an updated style and a shiny new corporate identity.

It remains to be seen whether there is a significant redesign of the tutu underway.

Things might be getting a little weird for fans of the opera this month, as some familiar names seem to vanish, being replaced with strange new titles.

Starting 17 February 2014 De Nederlandse Opera, Dutch National Ballet and The Amsterdam Music Theatre, which became a single organisation on 1 January 2013 as the result of the merger of De Nederlandse Opera, Dutch National Ballet and The Amsterdam Music Theatre, will operate under the name Dutch National Opera & Ballet.

This will also be the new name for the venue itself.

The organisation retains separate brand names for opera and ballet, whereby De Nederlandse Opera will continue under a new name, both in English (Dutch National Opera) and Dutch (De Nationale Opera).

The Dutch National Touring Opera (the current Nationale Reisopera), will be called Dutch Touring Opera abroad and Nederlandse Reisopera at home. (DECLAN AYLWARD)

Photo: Wikimedia Commons Stanley Crouch’s long-awaited biography of the young Charlie Parker is like the pioneering jazz saxophonist himself – for that matter, Crouch himself: enthusiastic and refined, down home and urbane, romantic and cynical, infuriating and inspiring. An unabashed brief for neo-Negro ideas about style, tradition, and the individual talent mostly sampled from Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray, Kansas City Lightning nonetheless earns its place on the short list of essential books about jazz, effectively arguing that the American Century’s greatest virtuoso was mostly the product of perspiration, not inspiration.

Parker grew up in Kansas City, which during the Great Depression was still considered the Wild West, even as it rivalled New Orleans, Chicago, and New York for the vibrancy of its African-American community. But it was only when the rough-andready sounds of the former Southwest Territory bands met the smooth and elegant strivers of the

(MIMIS CHRYSOMALLIS)

Director: Lukas Moodysson Starring: Mira Barkhammar, Mira Grosin, Liv LeMoyne

East Coast that the Swing Era arrived. That point where funky met sophisticated was Parker’s artistic sweet spot, a Hegelian synthesis if there ever was one, though we’ll have to wait for volume two to hear the story of how the inventor of bebop would be considered an aesthetic traitor who turned jazz from a popular folk music inspiring dancers to ever higher peaks of invention into a hermetic form of art, a frenetic intellectual puzzle for junkies and slummers.

Crouch is a national treasure. But he doesn’t always get it right, especially when it comes to skin games and race cards. Every new character is introduced according to the intensity of his pigment – there’s more here about Lester Young’s skin color than his tone on the tenor saxophone. Still, more than any of Parker’s biographers, Crouch dramatises what a restless, contradictory character “Bird” was: mild-mannered and mischievous, dapper and lazy, spoiled and spartan, gentle and brutal, lonely and gregarious, a heroin addict but ravenous for the rest of life, dead at 34 yet already immortal.

Parker’s icy tone on the alto saxophone couldn’t hide his romanticism, and his devil-may-care way with harmony couldn’t mask a rich appreciation for the jazz tradition.

(JONATHAN GILL)

Author: Stanley Crouch Publisher: Harpercollins Available at the English Bookshop www.englishbookshop.nl

RESTAURANT REVIEW

De Ysbreeker, Amsterdam Situated on the picturesque Weesperzijde neighborhood in Amsterdam Oost, the Ysbreeker is a place with a rich history that goes as far back as 1702. Serving as an inn until the mid-19th century, it became the centre of the Sturm und Drang movement and a meeting place for its prominent figures in the beginning of the 20th century (the spelling “Ysbreeker” also dates back to that time). It subsequently became one of the main billiard centres in the Netherlands and, after WWII, also served as a ballet studio and a centre for contemporary music, while numerous radio and television programs were broadcast from its premises (including the popular talk show Hier is... Adriaan van Dis).

Following an extensive renovation that took place in 2010, the Ysbreeker now hosts a restaurant with a capacity of 160 seats while also functioning as a cafeteria, tea house, lounge bar and a games café. The spacious new interior does justice to the venue’s multi-faceted history, as testified by the beautiful stained glass depicting an icebreaker and the early 20th-century Wilhelmina pool table situated at the lounge area.

The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner

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with a seasonal menu that changes on a monthly basis. The chefs at the Ysbreeker are characterised by an environmentally conscious approach, making use of seasonal vegetables and fresh products, which arrive daily. Alongside house specialties such as the Ysbreeker burger, steak tartare, fresh oysters and the Caesar salad, the menu includes several local recipes and a wide range of fish and meat dishes, as well as vegetarian options and a fair selection of wines and beers. The kitchen is open daily until 22:30 and reservations can be made either online or by phone.

Its refined cuisine aside, the Ysbreeker also offers a cosy setting where one can simply relax with a cup of tea or coffee from the espresso bar and a choice of newspapers and games at the reading table. A Wi-Fi connection is also available for those wishing to combine the merits of modern technology with the classy setting and pervasive air of elegance. In the warmer days several tables are placed on the spacious outdoor terrace, making for an excellent al fresco experience right next to the banks of the Amstel River.

(MIMIS CHRYSOMALLIS)

Weesperzijde 23, 1091 EC Amsterdam 020 468 1808 info@deysbreeker.nl www.deysbreeker.nl Open Sun - Thurs 08:00-01:00, Fri - Sat 08:00-02:00

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wintersports since 1955

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Visit our shop at the Valeriusstraat 63, The Hague.

During the winter season also open on sundays from 12:00 till 17:00!

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foto: Protest

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SPORTS

FEBRUARY 2014 | 23

Curaçao offers US baseball gold

Rutte attends Sochi games SOCHI | Prime Minister Mark Rutte

(VVD) and King Willem-Alexander are to attend this month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, according to a recent statement. Queen Maxima and Minister for Sports Edith Schippers (VVD) will also attend. The trip comes amid ongoing international tensions over Russia’s anti-gay policies. A boycott of the Sochi Winter Olympics has been called for by many human rights organisations. The leaders of Belgium, France, Germany, the UK and the US have agreed not to attend the games in protest. Rutte claims that attending the games does not show approval of Russia’s policies.

Dutch win skating titles

HAMAR | Dutch pair Ireen Wüst and Jan

Blokhuijsen stole the show in Hamar, Norway in January, winning the women’s and men’s European Speed Skating titles respectively, according to the official website of the Olympic Movement. Wüst and Blokhuijsen held off the challenges of compatriots Yvonne Nauta and Koen Verweij to ensure a dominant weekend for the Netherlands ahead of Sochi 2014. Wüst, who won 1,500m gold at Vancouver 2010, took the honours in that distance, as well as over 500m and 3,000m. Blokhuijsen was victorious in the 10,000m.

The Netherlands’ national baseball team on 8 March, 2013

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

In recent years, the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao has provided US baseball with exceptional talent. ALEXANDER RIEMER takes a look at the island’s Major League talent.

In the sports world, the Netherlands is widely known for its aptitude to produce a remarkable number of world-class athletes, especially considering the country’s small populace.

Skater Sven Kramer, footballer Robin van Persie, swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo and others are known as elite performers in their respective sports at the moment.

While the talent output of the Netherlands is already quite special, a certain part of the country has been making quite a name for itself recently in developing high-quality players in one of the world’s most popular sports, baseball.

With a combined population of just over 140,000 people, Curaçao, an island in the Caribbean and a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has fewer inhabitants than Zaanstad, the Netherlands’ 15th largest city. Despite its small population, a growing number of baseball players from Curaçao not only reach but also excel on the sports’ biggest stage: Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States.

Dutch players competed in the modern Major Leagues for the first

time in the 1970s. However, it was not until 1989 before a player from Curaçao, outfielder Hensley Meulens, started playing at the highest professional level in North America.

As a player, Meulens had an undistinguished career, but his later efforts to strengthen youth player development on his home island put Curaçao firmly on the maps of Major League executives, who were very eager to find more talented players from the island.

The Atlanta Braves were hoping they found such a player when they signed the 16-year-old Andruw Jones in 1993. Jones exceeded the Braves’ highest hopes when he reached the Major Leagues only three years later.

An excellent defender in centre field with impressive power to hit home runs, Jones continued to play brilliantly for the Braves for more than a decade. He was a five-time All-Star, won ten Gold Glove awards for his defensive prowess and, unbeknown to most of his countryman in Europe, became the highest paid Dutch sportsman ever with annual salaries as high as 14 million US dollars.

Didi Gregorius slides home on a sacrifice fly to score a run against the Cubs.

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Now nearing the end of his exceptional career, Andruw Jones is playing baseball in the highest Japanese league while a new wave of young players from Curaçao is making headlines in the United States.

The trio of Andrelton Simmons, Jurickson Profar and Didi Gregorius made their Major Leagues debut during the last two seasons and have already started to gather considerable attention from fans and experts for their exciting play style and skills, especially their top-notch athleticism and excellent defence in the infield.

Simmons and Profar especially are viewed as top prospect with a very bright future ahead of them. Simmons was even awarded a Platinum Glove award as the best defensive player in the entire league for the 2013 season.

Profar’s team, the Texas Rangers, traded away an established All-Star player to create playing time for the 20-year-old.

These three players join a select group of current Major League players from Curaçao. In 2013, seven of them spent time on a Major League field.

Photo: Not That Bob James

For comparison, Puerto Rico, a known baseball talent factory, had 26 players in the Major Leagues in 2013.

However, Puerto Rico has more than 24 times the population of Curaçao.

And all indications are that more players from the island are on the way to baseball’s biggest stage.

“I think not only us but the rest of the [baseball] industry is probably going to be spending a little more time [in Curacao],’’ Arizona Diamondbacks’ general manager Kevin Towers told USA Today, “when you see that some of the top prospects in the game are coming from there.’’

The success of prospects from Curaçao has many reasons. It certainly helps that most players are polyglots.

Besides their native Papiamento, all students in Curacao also study Dutch, English and Spanish in school.

These skills help the prospects in their transition to the United States, often a difficult time for players from other Caribbean nations. Spanish skills are useful when players spend time in developmental leagues in the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic.

Scout Jesus “Chu’’ Halabi identified another attribute in an interview with USA Today: “Lots of players from Curaçao have good hands. They’re used to playing on sandy fields with lots of stones, where you get all sorts of bad bounces. That’s why sometimes they grab the ball with their bare hand and have quick reflexes, which helps.’’

In addition to Curaçao, another Dutch Caribbean island, Aruba, has also sent a handful of players to the Major Leagues.

In 2013, 20-year-old infielder Xander Bogaerts was the only Aruban in the league, but he promptly helped his team, the Boston Redsox, win the World Series in his first season.

Together with their European countrymen, the Dutch Caribbean players participated in the 2013 World Baseball Classic tournament.

The squad, with Hensley Meulens as manager, competed for the first time with the name ‘Kingdom of the Netherlands’ to illustrate the influence of its Dutch Caribbean players. The team finished fourth in the tournament, ahead of Cuba and the United States, with half of its players coming from Curaçao.

Photo: Olympic.org

Arnhem sorry for mix up

ARNHEM | Vitesse Arnhem has issued an apology for the mix up that saw Israeli-born player Dan Mori left behind on a trip to Abu Dhabi. Despite initial claims by Vitesse Arnhem that Mori had been banned from entry, it transpires that that no actual application for Mori’s entry to the UAE was made. However, the UAE foreign ministry had told the club that defender Dan Mori may not be permitted to attend the mid-season trip, due to a lack of diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel. The club expressed their regrets about the entire situation in a recent statement.

Feyenoord go to Cuba

HAVANA | Rotterdam club Feyenoord

recently made history by travelling to Cuba with Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans (PvdA) to run a football workshop for Cuban children. Former players Robin Nelisse and Ulrich van Gobbel coached and scouted young players for a chance to attend Feyenoord’s youth academy in Rotterdam, according to TotalDutchFootball.com. “I am a strong believer in football diplomacy,” Timmermans said during the clinic, “I think that it is important that we increase the human contacts of Europe and the people of Cuba and sport is a fantastic way of doing this.”

Photo: totaldutchfootball.com

So defeats Van Wely

AMSTERDAM | Filipino Grandmaster (GM) Wesley So (ELO 2719) defeated Dutch GM Loek van Wely (2678) in the ninth round of the 76th Tata Steel Tournament Masters chess tournament – Category A in the Rijksmuseum at the end of January, reports ABS-CBN news.

It took So 41 moves of King’s Indian Classical to defeat the Dutch player. So now has a total of 5.0 points and is tied with Indian GM Pentala Harikrishna (2706). Harikrishna defeated German GM Arkadij Naiditsch (2737) after 19 moves of the Trompowsky Opening.

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Rent a luxurious apartment in the heart of the hague

oasis of peace and quiet in a busy city centre living in style in a stately monument • luxurious apartments from 60 m2 to 285 m2 • Fully equiped gym in the building • Own parking on the secure grounds • Fulltime facility manager • Landscaped gardens • Several safety and privacy measures (like video intercom, own safe and alarmsystem) • Own seperate storage • Possibilities to rent fully furnished • Possibilities for short-stay • Prices from € 1100,- and up

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