The Holland Times 2015 February

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FEBRUARIY 2015 FEBRUARY

THE RETURN OF THE OTTER

Environmental activists call reintroduction of the otter to the Netherlands a success, plead for education p7

“ALAAF!” A GUIDE TO LIMBURG CARNAVAL CELEBRATIONS p6

FEATURE: HOMELESS MIGRANTS MISTREATED p14-15

FAMILY-FRIENDLY SPORTS EVENTS IN 2015 p23

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28-01-15 19:13

REAL CRIMES. REAL VICTIMS. REAL JUSTICE. Eurojust combats serious, cross-border organised crime: terrorism • cybercrime • drug trafficking • trafficking in human beings • counterfeiting • money laundering • computer crime • online child abuse • fraud, corruption and crime against property or public goods • criminal offences affecting the EU’s financial interests • environmental crime • organised crime groups

Eurojust supports EU Member States by: • coordinating cross-border investigations and prosecutions;

helping to resolve conflicts of jurisdiction • facilitating execution of EU legal instruments, such as the European Arrest Warrant, confiscation and freezing orders, setting up joint investigation teams, and more

We help bring criminals quickly and effectively to justice.

EUROJUST The Hague, NL

eurojust.europa.eu

REAL CRIMES. REAL VICTIMS. REAL JUSTICE. Eurojust supports EU Member States in bringing cross-border criminals to swift justice

Eurojust combats: • terrorism • cybercrime • drug trafficking • trafficking in human beings • counterfeiting • money laundering • computer crime • online child abuse • fraud, corruption and crime against property or public goods • criminal offences affecting the EU’s financial interests • environmental crime • organised crime groups

We help bring criminals quickly and effectively to justice.

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eurojust.europa.eu

23-01-15 17:05

FEBRUARIY FEBRUARY2015 2015| |33

EDITORIAL

CONTENTS

The Holland Times is back on its monthly schedule after the holidays, and brimming with news about controversial economic developments (p9), interesting cultural events (p 19) and, of course, our usual in-depth background stories on current issues.

Ashley Cowles, Editor-in-Chief

With our ever-decreasing attention spans, it’s easy to forget about crises that held the world in their grasp before we saw the latest funny cat video on Facebook. In this issue, we’re taking a look at the current state of the Ebola epidemic that swept through West-Africa last year (p5).

We’re also staying closer to home, with resident expert on all things Limburgs, Tracey Taylor, giving readers a crash course in Limburg Carnaval for dummies. So get your face paint on and make your way to ‘below the big rivers’ for some hardcore celebrating. Alaaf! (p 6) On a more serious note, our feature is taking a long, hard look at the way the Dutch government treats homeless migrants, following UN criticism. Is our internationally-renowned tolerant reputation truly earned? (p 14-15)

NATIONAL P4-7

IamExpat fair comes to Amsterdam p4

ECONOMY P9

Upheaval over ECB mandate

FEATURE P14-15

Dutch mistreat homeless migrants

DIPLOMATIC P16

Interview: Chinese ambassador

TECHNOLOGY P17

‘Starry Night’ bike path in Eindhoven

ARTS & CULTURE P19

Jean Desmet exhibition at EYE

Have something to say to the editor? Email: editorial@thehollandtimes.nl

REVIEWS P21 All images: Cover images:

Food, movie, book and music ratings

Creative Commons Licence Tim Strater Inyucho FaceMePLS Ringnalda

SPORTS P23

Family-friendly sports events in 2015

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18-03-2013 10:11:39 27-01-15 08:57

NATIONAL

4 | FEBRUARY 2015

Ongwen lands in The Hague

HAARLEM |In mid-January, Ugandese Dominic Ongwen was transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) custody.

Dominic Ongwen, against whom the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and war crimes, was escorted from the Central African Republic by an ICC delegation heading to the ICC detention center in The Hague. The date of the initial appearance hearing will be announced soon. Dominic Ongwen was the alleged Brigade Commander of the Sinia Brigade of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). He is accused of three counts of crimes against humanity and four counts of war crimes.

IamExpat Fair comes to Westergasfabriek Photo: IamExpat

‘HAL fleet expands ’

AMSTERDAM | Cruise Line Holland America Line added a brand new ship, the ‘ms Koningsdam’ to their existing fleet. This announcement took place during a Holland America Line presentation at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam. Senior Director of Sales North & Central Europe Nico Bleichrodt and new Vice President of International Sales and Marketing Mark Kammerer, who flew in from Seattle especially, proudly announced the news about the ms Koningsdam. This newest and therefore most modern ship of the HAL fleet will be in operation from February 2016 and will be stationed in Amsterdam.

Health risk at Schiphol

AMSTERDAM | TNO and researchers of the Utrecht University have found the emissions of airplanes taking off at Schiphol damages the health of ten thousand residents of Amsterdam.

TNO has performed several measurements from March to May at the Schiphol Kaagbaan where many planes take off. Results show the amounts of ultrafine particulate matter below winds are two to three times as high compared to the standard level in the suburbs of Amstelveen and Amsterdam. Milieudefensie goes as far as mentioning ultrafine particulate matter will reduce the average life expectancy in the Schiphol area with four months to over a year, comparing it with living close to a highway-

Aboutaleb: “--- off!”

ROTTERDAM | Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb issued an uncompromising message on the day that Islamist terrorists attacked the French satirical magazine because it published cartoons mocking Islam. “It is incomprehensible that you can turn against freedom. But if you do not like freedom, in Heaven’s name pack your bag and leave,” he said. “And if you do not like it here because humorists you do not like make a newspaper, may I then say you can ---- off.”

Mr Aboutaleb, who became Mayor in 2008, has repeatedly hit the headlines for his outspoken views on the integration of immigrants, including praise from Boris Johnson.

The first IamExpat Fair will be taking place in Amsterdam’s Westergasfabriek in early March. MIMIS CHRYSOMALLIS takes a closer look at the upcoming event.

IamExpat (www.iamexpat.nl) is a community-driven, online media platform that aims to serve the expatriate community and cover the local needs of English-speaking internationals in the Netherlands. It started out in November of 2009 by publishing information about a variety of topics, including articles written by experts and lifestyle suggestions. Meanwhile, it has also been established as a popular source for news and practical information regarding expat life in the Netherlands.

During the 5 years since it first took off, IamExpat has gone through several changes in its communication channel, adding new tools and services in order to better respond to the needs of the expat community. For instance, in July of 2011 the IamExpat Housing platform was launched, where househunters can search through thousands of rental properties all over the Netherlands, check their details and contact the agent directly. Furthermore, the IamExpat Jobs platform was added one year later, offering internationals the option to browse through a variety of available postings and apply for the job of their preference. In March of 2014, the entire IamExpat Jobs platform was upgraded, becoming available to companies, organizations, HR teams and recruitment agencies looking for high-quality candidates in nu-

merous sectors.

Besides providing practical information, news, lifestyle suggestions, as well as housing and job services, the IamExpat team has also been organizing various events on a regular basis (such as social evenings, clubbing nights and boating events) in order to strengthen the ties within the expat community and offer an opportunity for socializing and networking. The team’s most ambitious endeavour so far was announced recently: the first IamExpat Fair, an international event designed to connect and support the expat community in the Netherlands.

On March 7, internationals will have the opportunity to meet dozens of expat-friendly companies and professionals providing services across a wide variety of fields. At the same time, it will be an industry event housing several important names of the expat ecosystem and the governmental sector, thus creating a fertile environment for B2B interaction and networking. Several well-known, expat-friendly companies (including ABN AMRO, Nyenrode Business Universiteit, UvA Talen, Htel Serviced Apartments, Finsens, PagePersonnel and COCO-MAT) will be represented, alongside representatives from the governmental sector such as the Amsterdam Economic Board and Expatcenter Amsterdam.

The IamExpat Fair will be held at Amsterdam’s Westergasfabriek complex, a former gasworks that is now converted to a cultural venue hosting international events and festivals. The main event will be located in Zuiveringshal West, where stalls will be installed representing a wide range of companies. At the same, various workshops and presentations will be running throughout the day at the neighboring Het Ketelhuis cinema (and possibly other adjacent spaces as new events become available). Entrance to the fair is free with online registration.

The event is open to “expats of all colors, shapes and sizes”, in accordance with the IamExpat motto. “The expat community is not a unified group, but an amalgam of different internationals with diverse backgrounds and unique needs”, says Charalampos Sergios, Editor-in-Chief and one of the IamExpat founders. “This is why we are striving to invite companies from as many different areas and sectors as possible.” In order to accommodate the diverse needs of the various internationals who plan to attend most efficiently, the fair will feature different themed areas such as expat services, housing, education, career, family & kids, and health & leisure.

According to the IamExpat team, the fair will be open to both fresh and

veteran expats: “Whether you are a new arrival or a long-term resident in the Netherlands, there is a lot to explore and understand: from finding a house, a new job, or a great school for your kids to choosing a trustworthy accountant, legal advisor or a respected MBA program, and much more.”

Amid a dynamic, fast-changing economic and political environment, initiatives that present an opportunity for internationals to connect with each other, stay up-to-date with current developments, and better prepare for the challenges that lie ahead are of no little importance. In this context, the first IamExpat Fair is a welcome addition to a growing number of events that are organized and tailored for the international community of the Netherlands in recent years. Besides, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this also reflects the vital and increasingly important role of expats in Dutch societal affairs, both culturally and financially. It remains to be seen to what extent events such as the IamExpat Fair can contribute to further foster the bonds of the international community and provide opportunities for fruitful collaboration with both fellow expats and local enterprises.

For more info and online registration, visit www.iamexpatfair.nl.

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26-01-15 21:40

NATIONAL

FEBRUARIY 2015 | 5

Ebola crisis seems to have passed its peak

NL ambassador recalled

JAKARTA | Brazil and the Netherlands recalled their ambassadors from Indonesia and expressed fury after Jakarta defied their pleas and executed two of their citizens along with four other drug offenders by firing squad. The other convicts were from Vietnam, Malawi, Nigeria and Indonesia. The six were the first people executed under new Joko Widodo, the new president. Bert Koenders, the Dutch foreign minister, said the Netherlands had also recalled its ambassador over the execution of Dutchman Ang Kiem Soei, and described all six deaths as “terribly sad” in a statement. He said the government had done “all in its power” to attempt to halt the execution.

Casino donates EUR2,500

UTRECHT | The Utrecht location of Holland Casino has recently donated the sum of 2,500 euro to Straatnieuws, an organization that helps homeless people get back on their feet by letting them sell newspapers about life on the street. The organization is currently in financial trouble, after a Board Member admitted to funneling funds to his private account. Every year, Dutch casino chain Holland Casino collects any and all money left behind on casino property that cannot be traced back to its rightful owner.

The total sum collected is then donated to a charity of the employees’ choice.

NL Doet off to good start

With new global occurences claiming recent headlines, it’s easy to forget about the devastating Ebola epidemic that broke out on the African continent around this time last year. JOHN DONNELLY provides a brief reminder and an outlook for the future.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) fact sheet number 103, Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. It is a virus which is transmitted to people from wild animals and thereafter can be spread through the human population by way of human-to-human contact. The average Ebola fatality rate is around 50%.

Fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks. Previous outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but the most recent outbreak in West Africa has involved major urban as well as rural areas.

On March 18, Guinean health officials announced the outbreak of a hemorrhagic fever. It was identified as Ebola and, by May 2014, had spread to Sierra Leone. Later, it also spread to Liberia. The disease is thought to have originated when a child in a bathunting family contracted it in Guinea in December 2013. Consumption of African bushmeat, including rats, bats, and monkeys, is commonplace in West Africa. These animals are known carriers of the disease. In the first instance, the animal-to-human transmission occurs when handling the raw meat, or coming into contact with droppings from the animals. The raw meat is thought to be the more dangerous, so those who hunt and butcher the meat are most at risk as

opposed to those eating it cooked.

Thereafter, human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with a person who is sick with, or has died from Ebola, via blood or bodily fluids – including urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, breast milk, and semen, or objects like needles and syringes that have been contaminated with the virus. The funeral rituals in the west African cultures are a major contributing factor of the spread of the disease. Bodies are washed, rubbed with oil and the mourners kiss them before burial.

Total isolation is essential to prevent the spread of the disease. Patients are treated using so-called ‘chemical blues’ or ‘hazmat’ (hazardous material) suits, which completely seal the medical staff from any physical contact with the patient. Such suits are also used when burying victims of the disease. No FDA-approved vaccine or medicine (e.g. antiviral drug) is available for Ebola. Experimental vaccines and treatments for the disease are under development, but have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness.

People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years, possibly longer.

Some people who have recovered from Ebola have developed long-term complications, such as joint and vision problems. In December 2014, a Nigerian serving with the UN in Libe-

ria contracted Ebola, and was treated successfully in isolation in the Netherlands. Several other suspected cases of Ebola concerning people returning to the Netherlands from abroad were also isolated and have all proved false alarms.

Minister Lilianne Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development) announced on October 14, 2014, that the UMC (Utrecht Medical Centre) had provided 4 isolation units for Ebola victims. The Port of Rotterdam made special provisions for handling ships arriving from the infected region. Maritime pharmacy company Seafarma supplied harbour companies with more than 1,000 Ebolapacks, containing protective clothing, masks and disinfectant alcohol. Offshore company Heerema, which sent two ships to the region, sent them directly to their offshore stations to avoid any onshore contact. They took 500 tons of frozen food with them, to avoid local provisioning. On October 14, 2014, Minister Ploumen had to intervene with health insurance companies to ensure that medical staff travelling to the region would be covered if they contracted the disease.

At first, the companies declined to provide cover, maintaining that they wanted the government to share the risk. The JSS Karel Doorman, (Joint Support Ship), the biggest and newest in the Dutch navy was dispatched to west Africa with 70 containers of

Being a Diplomat in The Hague tries are represented in Netherlands. The number is increasing each year which is a laudable. Better be late than never as the saying goes!

When I was posted in The Hague in July 2010, I had a vague idea where I was going and what to expect. I had once visited the City of Zwolle in 2004 when I was then a junior diplomat in Geneva; I stayed one overnight and drove back early morning to Switzerland in my old Mercedes. Nothing particular on that trip had attracted my attention.

No one can be indifferent vis-à-vis of the Netherlands, especially the one who has lived in Rwanda. You get shocked by lots of similarities.

The two countries are small, over populated; both habitants are hardworking people, interested in farming and very tall people. Comparing their small sizes both countries managed and have succeeded to be relevant in a way or another in Being a Diplomat, especially an African diplo- the International arenas. mat, in The Hague is indeed fascinating and The differences are also there: Rwanda is a unusual. Nowadays, less than 20 African coun- landlocked country, very hilly, called for that

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 5

medical supplies and equipment plus 160 ambulances and jeeps to help combat the epidemic. The Dutch government contributed €35 million to this effort. The SHO (Combined Aid Organisation) raised €7.4 million with their TV action ‘Giro555 Stop Ebola’, with several Dutch celebrities exhorting the audience to open their wallets.

As of January 16, 2015, there have been 13,477 reported cases of Ebola in West Africa, resulting in 8,468 deaths. Europe has had 2 cases with no deaths, there were 4 cases in the USA with one death, and 27 cases with 14 deaths throughout the rest of the world – all in Africa. Health authorities around the world insist that the risk of a serious epidemic spreading outside West Africa are minimal. The above statistics would seem to support that.

On January 11, 2015, the WHO reported that only 7 cases per week were confirmed in Liberia, against 300 per week at the height of the epidemic.

Guinea is also reporting 50 cases per week from their peak in August last year. While Sierra Leone remains the worst-affected country, it too reports that confirmed cases are now less than 150, as against 500 per week, and dropping. On January 19, 2015, Mali was declared entirely Ebola-free.

The Head of Unicef in Sierra Leone told the NOS: “While we’re certainly not there yet, the worst seems to have passed.”

reason a country of thousand hills; Rwanda is still listed among the Least Developed countries contrary to the Netherlands which is ranked among Developed world.

Since the independence of African countries in early 60s, what African diplomats have been asking has remained quite the same in the last 50 years. The Diplomats of that time, now in retirement, were asking in those days the noninterference in internal/domestic affairs, transfer of technology, more aid, more technical assistance, more capacity building, and the access to the market especially for the commodities. Those are the same issues we are still fighting for. As the Italian saying goes “La Lotta Continua / the struggle has not yet ended” and we are not sure of the victory.

Another uncertainty is to know if the perception of Africans towards Europeans and vice versa have changed since the independence; in other words, if the Europeans still see the African man or woman in the same manner that they were seen by the Europeans in early 60s. The same goes for Africans to the Europeans. To

AMSTERDAM | The 2015 edition of annual volunteering weekend NL Doet is off to a good start, with a total of 2,793 jobs already signed up. NL Doet is an initiative by the Oranjefonds, and the nationwide event is traditionally very well-attended. On March 20 and 21, volunteers throughout the country will gather to take on one or several projects, like cleaning public gardens, painting school buildings, or taking the elderly out for a daytrip. Volunteers looking to sign up for a project, or organizations wanting to add their project to the list can do so at the event website: www.nldoet.nl.

National Storytelling Days 2015

AMSTERDAM | PFrom January 21-31, schools, daycare centers and libraries throughout the country were focused on storytelling. The ‘Nationale Voorleesdagen’ are all about reading to children who are too young to read themselves.

The 2015 edition focused on fathers, who often read their children less than mothers do. This year’s specially created picture book was called ‘Boer Boris gaat naar zee’ (Farmer Boris goes off to sea), written by Ted van Lieshout and illustrated by Philip Homan. The event kicked off with the ‘Nationaal Voorleesontbijt’ (National Storytelling Breakfast), which was attended by several government officials. HRH Princess Laurentien read to children in the Hoorn library.

better understand how the two civilizations were looking at each other, I am inviting you to read a novel by the Ivory Coast man named Dadie BERNARD written in 1959 under the title of “LE NEGRE A PARIS” which can be translated as “A NEGRO IN PARIS”.

Meanwhile good news is coming from Africa in sectors where nobody was expecting them.

Rwanda has been, for the last ten years, the first country in the world to have a large number of women in Parliament. This small example can give hope.

In half-life of a human age, I was very lucky to live in many countries abroad either as a diplomat or pursuing my studies. Beside Rwanda, the Netherlands is the country where I feel more comfortable to live. You forget easily that you are a foreigner, and nobody reminds you of that.

I am for that reason very grateful to the Dutch people.

Guillaume KAVARUGANDA Minister Counselor Embassy of Rwanda in Netherlands

27-01-15 09:08

NATIONAL

6 | FEBRUARY 2015

Particulate matter measured

UTRECHT | TParticulate matter is high on

the political agenda in all of Europe, and the Netherlands is taking it very seriously.

A total of 58 measuring stations will be set up throughout the country, with 10 of them in Utrecht. It’s suspected that the four major cities far exceed the recommended level of particulate matter in the air. Utrecht is also the first city to create an ‘environmental zone’ in the city center, which diesel cars manufactured before 2001 are not allowed to enter. The same goes for delivery trucks running on diesel or with an admission license dated before October 1, 2005.

Let them eat meat!

No second-hand e-books

AMSTERDAM | TSecond-hand e-book website Tom Kabinet must go offline unless it can prove it is not allowing illegal downloads to be traded, the appeal court in Amsterdam ruled recently. The case was brought by the Dutch publishers’ association NUV, which says the website breaches authors’ rights legislation and is facilitating the sale of illegal e-books.

European jurisprudence does not make clear if there is a legal difference between selling a second-hand e-book and a paper version. Therefore, it would be wrong to ban the sale of second-hand e-books, the court said. However, the court accepted arguments from the NUV that the website is a location where illegal downloads may be traded.

Photo: - by Inyucho

When one makes their home in a foreign land, a key part of the integration process is to encounter new traditions, immerse oneself in cultural behaviors, pick up some of the language, try out the native cuisine and join in with local celebrations.

Serial rapist detained

TRACEY TAYLOR finds out more on the latter…

terrorized the Uithof area and the triangle between Utrecht, Zeist and Bunnik will not be released anytime soon. He is currently being detained in Vught while awaiting trial for at least three charges of rape.

During one of these attacks, he is said to have left the victim tied to a tree, her mouth taped shut with duct tape. All in all, seventeen women have pressed charges.

The man had alledgedly been raping girls and women between the 1990s and the early 2000s. The preliminary trial date has been set for April 13.

One of the biggest and most beloved celebrations in the Netherlands takes place in the month of February in the southern part of the country and, in particular, across the provinces of Brabant and Limburg: Carnaval.

Carnaval officially runs from Sunday until Tuesday, though in recent years, it has become more commonplace for the partying to already start on the Saturday and, in many towns and villages, even on the Friday evening!

The origin of the word Carnaval is believed to come from the Latin term “Carne Vale” or “farewell to meat”, and related to the ritual fasting period that would occur prior to the Catholic observance of Lent; Carnaval allowed a celebration of feasting and indulgence before the 40 days of fasting began. Carnaval was also viewed by some as a spiritual event – a rite of passage from darkness into light, as the cold and bleak winter gave way to a bright and promising spring.

The much-celebrated Carnaval event will this year take place from Sunday, February 15 to Tuesday, February 17 (officially), and the biggest party you’ll find is the one in Maastricht. The Maastricht Carnaval – or Vastelaovend – celebrations will

UTRECHT | TThe serial rapist who had

Snowden: AIVD a joke

MOSCOW | According to American

whistle blower Edward Snowden, mass surveillance is not effective at all. “The problem with mass surveillance is that you’re burying people under too much data.” Snowden said in an interview with Niewsuur in Moscow. Snowden is known as a staunch opponent of the mass surveillance of the USA, the NL Times reports. Snowden explains that the NSA “fears” the French intelligence service, for example, while they consider the Dutch service “subordinates who work for them”, and “don’t have the same respect as other intelligence services might get.

They sort of do what we tell them.”

La

begin in earnest when the (chosen) Carnaval Prince (Stadsprins) receives the keys to the city and – together with his loyal “subjects” – takes control of Maastricht for three days! The Carnaval Prince is tasked with the job of hosting and leading various Carnaval activities as people come together to celebrate this crazy event.

Over the course of Carnaval in Maastricht, the general routine is for merry-makers to joyfully bump and meander their way from pub to street and from dances to sing-alongs. A jovial vibe happily descends (somewhat loudly!) over the city and embraces everyone as the party goes from day to night, and back to day and… Everyone comes together, and for the most part, there is a very warm and friendly atmosphere to be found, even if the weather leaves something to be desired. It seems that no matter what the age or nationality, there is general feeling of “getting together” at Carnaval. Maastricht will be bustling and boisterous in the vibrant traditional Carnaval colors of red, yellow and green that will be liberally splashed on and in practically every Carnaval venue in the city! Live bands, solo singers and DJs perform

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tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 6

at various cafés and on the big stage on the famous Vrijthof square, under the watchful eye of ‘t Mooswief – the enormous mascot for Maastricht Carnaval. The party music repertoire consists almost entirely of old and new Carnaval songs and jingles. You have been warned!

We all know that Maastricht is one of the fashion cities of the Netherlands, and Carnavalis no exception, where partygoers take enormous time and pride – plus, invest a lot of money – in their fancy dress outfits.

Some of the costumes, headgear and face painting are really stunning, and everything from the weird to the wonderful can be found ambling along the cobbled streets of the city in various shapes, forms and disguises… In addition, there are several parades over the course of the event, many geared specifically towards children.

The Grand Procession at the Vrijthof (on the Sunday) is quite the spectacle and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Maastricht Carnaval ends at midnight on the Tuesday night with a closing ceremony on the Vrijthof square as ‘t Mooswief is taken down, and this symbolic end to Carnaval be-

gins to bring tears to many an eye.

On the Wednesday, normal daily life in Maastricht ensues as all traces of Carnaval are swiftly cleared away. It is almost as though the event had never happened…

Carnaval is one of those things that have to be experienced instead of read about, and it is probably fair to say that you will either love it or hate it. There really is no in-between!

But you will never know unless you go, so why not give it a try this year?

If you can drink, sing, and dance in a ‘gezellige’ crowd while wearing an outlandish outfit, sporting a mask (face paint or some other form of headgear) AND keep your sanity during all the Carnaval music (which at one point does begin to sound like one very long song!) while you cheerfully bond with colourful revelers from all walks of life, then you will fit right in! Alaaf!!

Carnaval Maastricht February15-17, 2015 (officially, anyway…)

For more information, check out the local Tourist Information website: http://www.vvvmaastricht.nl/events/ carnaval.html.

Alpha Course Spring 2015 starts in early March.

Photo: Dan Foy

Enquiry: alphacourse.nl@gmail.com

28-01-15 16:23

NATIONAL

FEBRUARY 2015 | 7

Long live the otter!

Dutch Oscars contender

LOS ANGELES | Dutch short film A Single

Life, directed by Joris Oprins, has been nominated for an Oscar. It was produced as part of a special project known as Ultrakort by the Dutch Film Fund and the Pathe cinema group. In total, 85 films were nominated for the Oscar. The team behind the film, which also includes Job Roggeveen en Marieke Blaauw, now plan to go to Los Angeles to try and make sure as many people as possible see their production. The film has been seen by over 1.5 million people in the Netherlands, partly due to its inclusion in the pre-programme for box office success Gooische Vrouwen 2.

Student grants abolished

photo by Tim Strater

Recent efforts by animal welfare activists have seen the successful reintroduction of the otter, which had previously been extinct since the late 1980s. JOEP DERKSEN reports.

In different patches, more than thirty otters were released in the national park De Weerribben in 2002. These otters originally came from Lithuania and Belarus. Since these otters have been equipped with a transponder, their whereabouts can be monitored.

As an added measure, ‘camera traps’ keep track of the well behavior of the otters. The first positive results were announced two years later: the arrival of the first four otter offspring in the wild. Nowadays, three generation of otters live in this region.

Adult otters can measure up to 140 centimeters in length and weigh a total of twelve kilos. They are welladjusted to life in the water and predominantly eat fish, such as ale, carp, salmon, bass, and pike. But amphibians are also on its menu; an otter chases rats, crayfish, crabs, worms, and insects. In fact, the otter eats anything it finds in the water. Otters can live up to fifteen years in captivity, but the average lifespan in the wild only comes up to about four years.

Nature has found a solution for this: in areas where more otters die because of traffic or pollution, the average otter litter comprises of not two, but up to five young.

Otters are territorial animals; while searching for food, they cover an area of up to ten kilometers. Most-

ly at night though; at daytime, they rest in underground locations such as reed beds, but also the occasional hollow tree. After reaching maturity, young otters migrate to greener – or rather, bluer – pastures. Otters can swim up to eight hours straight, at an average speed of up to two kilometers per hour. One otter swam and walked from the province of Groningen all the way to the province of Overijssel in one month. A true feat! Unfortunately, it was then killed while crossing yet another road.

In 2011, otter excrements were found in the Veluwe. This marked the first time in 23 years that an otter lived in the region. It has also ‘invaded’ regions such as Twente, De Vecht and Flevoland. Even in the urban conglomeration, otters were spotted on camera traps. A male and female have been living in the Nieuwkoopse Plassen in South Holland since 2013.

The female unfortunately died in January 2015. “It is sad,” forester Juriaan van Leeuwen said in the Leidsch Dagblad of 12 January. “Every otter that perishes, endangers the survival of the species.”

Otter road kill decimates the population on a yearly basis. In 2013, no less than 32 otters were killed because of a passing car, truck or motor, society ‘Das & Boom’ and the ‘Ot-

terstation Nederland’ announced last year. That was almost one third of the total otter population in the Netherlands.

At least 50 otters have to live in the Netherlands for that population to be viable. It is currently estimated that 140 otters wander throughout the country, and the ultimate aim is to have over 1,000 otters looking for food and a mate in this country in 2020. There is another problem though: inbreeding. Most of the current 140 otters stem from the same ancestors.

This could have dire effects on the species; the fertility of female otters could decrease, which would lead to fewer otters to be born. Research organization Alterra therefore advises for new otters to be shipped in from abroad. These genetically non-related individuals would help improve the otter gene pool.

People living in the Netherlands are called upon to come up with new and innovative ideas for increasing the chances of survival for the otter. This so-called ‘Otter Challenge’ has brought up a variety of proposals, such as otter billboards and otter highways. Last month, the finalist ideas were announced: the realization of freshwater fish ponds and the foundation of an otter knowledge

center together with an ‘Otter Express’, which visits schools to inform children about thie animal. Another potentially feasible idea would be to prepare regions for the future arrival of wandering otters. A region such as the Green Delta near Den Bosch should become a “blue” Green Delta.

The winning idea will be announced on March 25.

Of course, the main question is: do otters have a feasible chance to make the Netherlands their permanent home? They just might, but not without the help of their greatest adversaries: humans. Apart from the road kills, otters also die in certain type of (ale) fish nets. Solutions for these traps have been found already. Fish nets can be adjusted in such a way that trapped otters can get out alive.

With regard to the road kills, another innovative idea has been brought up besides otter tunnels: introducing a warning signal alongside the highways. As soon as an otter or larger animal wanders near the highway, the advised maximum speed is lowered on the digital speed signs. An emergency stop at 100 kilometers per hour instead of 130 kilometers per hour could mean the difference between life and death for unsuspecting otters playing Russian roulette every time they cross another road.

THE HAGUE | A Student grants will be abolished in the Netherlands from the next academic year, following the upper house of parliament’s vote in favor of the move in late January. The ruling parties were backed by the left-wing green party GroenLinks and the D66 Liberal democrats, passing the legislation by 36 votes to 29.The new measure will come into effect on September 1; students already in the middle of a degree course will not be affected. The new rules state that students whose parents earn less than EUR 46,000 a year or whose parents cannot be traced will still be entitled to a grant..

Cigarettes more gruesome

THE HAGUE | IWithin a year, at least 65 percent of cigarette and tobacco packaging must consist of of warning texts and pictures of all kinds of distasteful conditions that you get from smoking.

There must also be an age restriction of 18 years for the sale of electronic cigarettes, State Secretary Van Rijn proposed. Van Rijn’s wishes are largely an elaboration of an European directive. The warning texts that have been on tobacco products in the Netherlands since 2002 must be replaced with photos and texts. The age restriction for the sale of the electronic cigarette is Van Rijn’s own initiative.

Eight dead in Donetsk

DONETSK | T| A mortar strike on a

trolleybus that killed at least eight and possibly as many as 15 civilians in proRussian separatist controlled Donetsk this morning is likely to be a violation of international humanitarian law and must be investigated promptly and impartially, Amnesty International said. Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International: “Mortars should not be used in densely populated civilian areas. All sides in this conflict are well aware of the price being paid in civilian lives as a result of such imprecise explosive weapons being used in cities. This attack shows callous disregard for civilian lives and the laws of war.”

Haagsche Schoolvereeniging “Learning Together for the Future” Situated in the centre of The Hague and enjoying an excellent reputation, the International department of the Dutch primary school The Haagsche Schoolvereeniging (HSV) has approximately 480 children following a full primary curriculum, delivered in English, across three locations. The school teaches the UK National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC).

Vacancy from March 2nd 2015 We are currently looking for: A class assistant to work 5 days a week (33.5 hours). This post will initially be at our Koningin Sophiestraat location.

All applicants must:  hold, or be studying for, a relevant childcare qualification (e.g. NVQ)  be fluent in English

    

good interpersonal and organisational skills flexible team player sense of humour good ICT skills

Salary details: Salary scale 4, salary range € 1495 – € 2133 (pro rata) depending on qualifications and experience Experience of working with young children is necessary. The job involves supporting children’s social, emotional, physical, creative and academic development. The school teaches the UK National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC).

Please send by e-mail:  CV

 Details of your nationality  A cover letter detailing your experience  Details of two professional references To: Mrs Lorraine Janet Dean E-mail: recruitment@hsvdenhaag.nl

be eligible to live and work in the EU. CLOSING DATE: Friday 13th February. Interviews will be held on Thursday 19th February.

More information on the school can be found on our website: www.hsvdenhaag.nl

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 7

27-01-15 09:15

HEALTH

Laparoscopic surgery at Bronovo Hospital Photo: Frank van der Burg

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

Women minimally impacted Less post-surgery pain, a shorter hospital stay, hardly any scarring and a quicker return to your daily routine: these are the benefits experienced by Bronovo Hospital patients in The Hague after undergoing laparoscopic surgery to remedy specific women’s issues or conditions.

At 2014’s end, Bronovo hosted the board of the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy. This was certainly not without reason, as the The Hague hospital has developed into a centre of excellence on endometriosis over the last few years.

Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which the endometrium appears outside the uterus and attaches itself, for instance, to the ovaries or peritoneum. According to a rough estimate, in the Netherlands, endometriosis affects 400,000 women during their reproductive years, and this can lead to pain symptoms and in the longer term adhesions may occur. In severe cases endometriosis could lead to kidney damage or damage to other organs.

Small incisions More and more endometriosis patients are treated at Bronovo by undergoing laparoscopic surgery performed by gynaecologists, surgeons and urologists. In traditional endometriosis surgery, patients are partly cut open to reach the area to be

operated on. In the case of laparoscopic surgery, medical specialists operate internally using instruments inserted through small incisions.

Bronovo gynaecologists Maddy Smeets and Johan Rhemrev informed the board of the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy about the procedure. Afterwards those present expressed the intention — together with medical specialists from the Leiden University Medical Center — to provide English gynaecologists with laparoscopic surgery training in the Netherlands.

This joint undertaking, which highlights Bronovo’s expertise in this area, should take definite shape later this year.

Fibroids At Bronovo Hospital, patients can be treated in two digital operating rooms.

The rooms are called endo-suites and are intended for laparoscopic surgery. Smeets: “Not only do we remove invasive endometriosis, but we can also remove fibroids and the uterus if necessary.”

These surgeries require special expertise.

Laparoscopic-endometriosis surgery, for example, is only possible at a few locations in the Netherlands. Smeets: “A few clinics also perform non-laparoscopic endometriosis surgery. However, research has shown that this is not conducive to fertility.

This method is therefore less suitable for

young women who still desire to have children and this, too, is a reason why we have decided to focus on this treatment and on becoming a centre of excellence.”

Quality of life If the diagnosis indicates surgery is necessary, laparoscopic surgery is performed by preference. Unfortunately, surgery on its own is not always sufficient to significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.

Smeets: “Our goal will only be achieved if the patient regains control over her own life. Hence the name of our centre: Endometriosis in Balance. More specifically, balance between body and mind. Endometriosis can have a major impact on your life: sickness absence from work, a poorer social life and because of pain during sex, relationship problems may also occur.”

“The patient is therefore given a questionnaire about her quality of life. On the basis of the scores we can follow this up with supporting consultations with a psychologist. Women who have endometriosis score on average 4 out of 10, and after treatment or surgery often 6 out of 10. We aim for 8 out of 10. This is the average score of a Dutch woman.”

More information: www.endometrioseinbalans.nl

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 1,600 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.

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’ in Dutch) is available on +31 (0) 70 312 44 45 or via the central Bronovo number +31 (0) 70 312 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

tht_februari_2015_RV kopie.indd 8

22-01-15 16:28

H

economics

FEBRUARY 2015 | 9

Dutch tax returns explained

Social network auctioning

LONDON | This year will see the launch of the world’s first social online auction service - Indoogoo Auctions, from the social trading network for heavy equipment. In a move that has the potential to completely disrupt traditional trading in the industrial sector, Indoogoo empowers users, giving them the ability to stage and manage their own online auctions. Users design their ‘auction hall’ according to their own brand, and select one of three formats for their auction. Bidders interested in an item listed for auction send a bid request to the auctioneer. Once this is accepted, the bidder becomes part of the auctioneer’s Indoogoo contacts.

Eyewear giant plans IPO

Photo: Christian Santinon

The start of the year signals the need to settle your Dutch income tax return.

Finsens Financial Services explains the basic steps for filing your tax return in the Netherlands.

The start of the year doesn’t just bring New Year’s resolutions, but also the need to settle your income tax return.

In the Netherlands, the fiscal year runs from January 1 to December 31.

Around the first week of February, the tax authorities will start sending invitations to submit your income tax return. In general, the tax return has to be submitted before April 1.

If you receive the tax form much later than February, a different submission date will be applicable. This date will be mentioned on the form.

If you cannot meet the deadline for filing the return, you can request an extension. The tax authorities will im-

pose a penalty for late filing, so it is important to keep a close eye on the deadline.

If you work in an employment situation, payroll tax is withheld from your salary, so you will most likely not have to pay any additional income tax. If you are in such a situation, you will probably not even receive an invitation from the tax authorities. If you haven’t received an invitation to submit your return, you can request the tax authorities to issue a tax form on your behalf.

For instance, if you know you have to report income to the tax authorities that hasn’t been taxed yet, you are

obliged to request a form and submit your tax return. On the other hand, if you have had tax deductible expenses, you may want to submit your return to reclaim taxes.

After you have submitted your tax return, you will receive a preliminary assessment from the tax authorities.

In case you were invited by the tax authorities to submit your return before April 1, and you have indeed filed your return before this date, you will receive notice from the tax authorities before July 1. In any other case, it may take around 10 to 12 weeks before the tax authorities send you a notice. Depending on the form,

it may even take up to 24 weeks or more. Initially you will receive a preliminary assessment from the tax authorities, which is based on the tax return, but without being checked by the tax authorities. Once they have checked the return, a final assessment will follow.

Should you have just found out you were probably entitled to a rebate for previous years, but you never filed a tax return, no worries! You can file your tax returns retrospective for five years. In short, it may be worth your while to file an income tax return, even if you have not received an invitation yet.

ECB mandate discussion causes a stir The new ECB mandate has caused quite the stir in the European financial world; international experts are divided on the issue. JEROEN SPANGENBERG has the facts.

Photo:MPD01605

Germany’s constitutional court has challenged the legality of the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) program since it inception in 2012.

OMT is the program that falls under the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the European stability mechanism (ESM). These programs are designed to solve the European debt crisis. According to Dr. Klaus Engelen, “More and more German savers and pensioners perceive the Club Med-dominated ECB as an EU institution through which wealth is transferred from north to south.

Some are calling the ECB the new “European Wealth of Nations Single Redistribution Mechanism.”

ECB decisions are made by the Governing Board, which consists of the Executive Board and the governors of the national central banks. Decisions are made through ‘one man, one vote’.

Jens Weidmann, Head of German central bank Bundesbank, is opposing the quantitative easing program.

Klaas Knot, President of the Dutch central bank, stated that “we must

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 9

avoid making decisions via the backdoor of the ECB balance sheet that need to be left to the elected politicians of eurozone countries.”

The ECB is a central bank that has acquired some new powers since the June 2012 EU Summit’s decision to make the ECB the pan-European lead bank supervisor, under the Single Supervisory Mechanism. This is the first pillar of a European banking union that also includes a Single Resolution Mechanism and a European Deposit Insurance System. As a consequence, individual central banks are transfering power to a European level.

Central banks have the power to create money in paper and coin form, and they can indirectly increase lending. Besides creating money, these institutions are also responsible for supervision. When the Dutch central bank was founded in 1814 by King Willem I after Napoleon was defeated, the bank wasn’t the sole issuer of money and wasn’t supervising other banks, although it developed as such.

Private banks can create money by

typing the amount into their computer, after which the digital money can be spent in stores by bank card. Less than 5 percent of the total money in circulation throughout the economy consists of paper bills and coins.

Money is based on trust. If that trust evaporates, many people will want their bills and coins back, while most of the money is actually digital. A central bank could help this bank and print more money to restore trust, or it could limit the daily amount that people can withdraw. It took a long time for people to trust banknotes, because people favored coins; especially gold coins. After the 1929 financial crisis, people favored gold coins so much that in 1933, US president Roosevelt made it illegal to own or use gold coins.

In order for a bank to be healthy they should have enough liquidity and solvability, as well as enough trust. If too many debtors fail to pay back their loans and people withdraw their money, the bank will go bankrupt. Economics professor Lex Hoogduin: “Dirk Scheringa bank went out of business not necessarily because of its businessmodel, but because of the negative media attention, which resulted in lack of trust and a run on the bank.” The ECB has a program to ensure the liquidity of banks, called Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA). Upon approval, a specific national central bank in the eurozone is mandated to create money and lend this money to individual banks, which these banks can use to issue

new loans or invest.

While some people praise the ECB for bringing calm back to the market, others start to question the ECB mandate. Professor Sylvester Eijffinger from the University of Tilburg disagrees with the development: “I think it is very unwise that this exceptional measure seems to become more standard. Also, it is very unwise for the ECB to start buying bonds. The ECB, the ESM and the EFSF are taking the risk. Dutch banks don’t have Greek debt anymore, since it is too risky.”

Professor Eijffinger also said that a restructuring of Greek debt needs to take place.

In the United States, those bankers who helped create a housing bubble and sold worthless securitized debt quite succesfully cleaned up the mess through government and central bank intervention. The ECB nominated Stefan Walter, a former Vice President of the New York Federal Reserve, to head one of the two Directorates General with direct supervision of significant banks. According to Klaus Engelen, this is considered counter to the interests of the Germans. Nonetheless, the ECB can be happy to have such an experienced person on board, since the ECB needs to attract many new people for the new supervision role. Economics professor Karl Whelan said on the subject: “You seem to be moving to a situation where everybody is reassured by the ECB program, I am less reassured. If the euro stays together, sovereign defaults will probably become an ongoing feature.”

THE HAGUE | Eyewear retail group GrandVision plans to launch on the Amsterdam stock exchange, the company said in a statement. GrandVision is owned by Dutch private equity group Hal Holding and has 5,600 outlets in 43 countries. Its brands include ApolloOptik in Germany, Générale d’Optique and GrandOptical in France, Pearle in the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria and Eye Wish in the Netherlands.

DutchNews reports that the IPO will involve the sale of 20-25% of the shares held by GrandVision’s founding shareholder HAL Optical Investments, an indirect subsidiary of HAL Holding.

GrandVision is the second company to announce plans for an Amsterdam IPO so far this year.

‘Rode Winkel’ bankrupt

UTRECHT | T| Dutch family business Thom Broekman, the company also responsible for well-known national jeans chain store De Rode Winkel, has filed for bankruptcy. At the moment this newspaper went to print, it was unclear whether or not the company would be making a fresh start. At any rate, employees are still showing up for work until a decision has been communicated. Thom Broekman had been run by the same family for five generations, with the sixth currently being trained to take over. The first store was opened in 1837, and the company was awarded the label of ‘Royal Supplier’ at its 175th anniversary last year.

ASML profit leaps

VELDHOVEN | TDutch company ASML,

which makes computer chip-making systems and is seen as a global hi-tech bellwether, announced a 2014 profit leap of 18 percent to 1.2 billion euro, driven by sales in the memory sector.

The company based in Veldhoven, said in a statement that its annual sales hit a “record” 5.86 billion euros ($6.78 billion), up 12 percent. Fourth quarter profits were 305 million euro, from sales of 1.49 billion euros, the company said. “Our 2014 fourth-quarter net sales came in ahead of guidance, as the memory sector was stronger than we expected,” said Chief Executive Officer Peter Wennink.

Card payment popular

AMSTERDAM | Shoppers used direct debit (pin) cards to buy goods and services over 2.9 billion times last year, an increase of almost 10 percent on 2013, payment system umbrella group Betaalvereniging Nederland said. The biggest growth was in electronic payments under 10 euro, which accounted for one billion transactions in 2014, news agency ANP reports. Use of the iDeal online payment system rose over 24 percent. The increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets is behind that increase, Betaalvereniging Nederland said. Scan-only payments are also increasing and accounted for 8.3 million sales last year.

27-01-15 09:19

EDUCATION SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 2015 | 10

Education in the Netherlands Nearly 12% of Dutch government spending is spent on education Upon receiving an assignment to the educators for their programs, these Netherlands, parents with children costs are understandable. Teachers, as might wonder about what sort of edu- well, want the unique experience of cation their children might receive teaching abroad and over a hundred here. The good news is that, nationally CVs are received by a school for even speaking, the Netherlands takes educa- the most minor of vacancies. tion extremely seriously, spending a Since the readership of The Holhealthy 12% of their national budget on land Times also adds Rotterdam to the this critical area. Their young people other two cities, several of the school are statistically proven to have the options will be listed below but conhighest education level in the European centrating only on the Randstad. BeUnion. With school attendance com- sides differing in curriculum, schools pulsory from age four onwards, it is also vary in their emphasis on the arts confusing-sounding system but with and sports. Several schools send their proven, enviable results. teams to the Northern Europe CommuSupplementing the Dutch system nity of International Schools (NECIS) are approximately 33 private schools and the somewhat larger International around the country, some of which Schools Sports Tournaments (ISST). receive varying levels of There are other schools in governmental support. These Did you know these areas but due to column schools offer programs that space limitations, only a few that Dutch vary between the national young adults are listed below. They range curricula of, for example, the often have the from 200 to 2000 pupils in United Kingdom or the highest educa- size, each with their unique United States, to the Interna- tion levels in school atmosphere. As one tional Baccalaureate, recogschool site recommended, the EU? nized by most universities don’t chose a school from Source: CBS around the world. their website. Go visit them.

Many newly arriving parents simply look to their immediate 1. American Community School Amarea where most are posted. Oftensterdam (aics.espritscholen.nl) oftimes, it is Amsterdam or The Hague fers the Middle Years Program and, depending on whether their chil(MYP) and the Diploma Program dren had an American or British cur(DP), both of which are authorized riculum last, they often continue with by the International Baccalaureate that same system. Be forewarned that Organization (IBO). tuition prices range from almost 20,000 2. British School of Amsterdam euro per year to about one third of this (britams.nl) uses the British Nawith the more Dutch-supported international Curriculum with the General tional school programs. Considering Certificate of Secondary Education that these schools attend hiring fair (GCSEs), followed by AS and Aacross the world to recruit the very best Levels.

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 10

3. The American School of Amsterdam (isa.nl) has all three levels of the IB, specifically the Primary Years Program (PYP), MYP and DP. Active arts program. Sport teams participate in NECIS tournaments.

4. The American International School of Rotterdam (aisr.nl) uses both the IB and DP programs. Since this is the smallest school of this group, it markets this “family” atmosphere, offering more individual attention.

Sport teams compete in NECIS competitions.

5. The British School in the Netherlands (britishschool.nl) uses the British National Curriculum and is an IB school. Very active arts program. Varsity teams compete in ISST competitions.

6. The Haagsche Schoolvereeniging (hsvdenhaag.nl) is a collection of four schools in The Hague that serve up until approximately age 12 students. Then many students choose to attend the International School of The Hague. The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is utilized.

7. International School of The Hague (ishthehague.nl) also uses the IPC at the elementary level. Older students have the IB MYP and the DP. Active arts program. Sports teams compete in ISST competitions.

8. Rijnlands Lyceum Oegstgeest (rlo.nl) has a Dutch stream, bilingual, MYP/IB programs available. It has a great deal of financial support from the Dutch government and therefore, one of the lowest tuition rates.

9. The American School of The Hague (ash.nl) uses both Advanced Placement and IB programs. Extremely active arts program. Sports teams compete in both NECIS and ISST competitions.

have to be the end of their Dutch experience since universities here offer about 200 bachelor’s programs in English. Four Dutch universities are listed in the world’s top 50, from Delft Technical University to Erasmus University’s top-ten in Europe business school. At the graduate level, the Netherlands is the European leader in English language programs, as well.

Perhaps your experience will be similar to the Blanc family with their three children; two of them graduated in the Netherlands before their father got transferred to Switzerland. The new school there had an excellent reputation and was known to be the originator of the IB, yet it just didn’t work for them. Mrs. Blanc returned to the Netherlands so that her daughter could finish at an amazing school here. She sums up their experience, “It was the best move we ever made!”

Many of the listed schools also have laptop and/or iPad one-to-one programs. Charity work also is stressed by many, even traveling to third-world countries for projects. Model United Nations delegations can enrich many, with The Hague Model United Nations (THIMUN) being the largest and possibly best known MUN on Earth. It truly can make your child a world citizen by attending any of these schools.

For parents of children with special needs, the options continue to greatly improve at most international schools, offering various levels of needed support.

As a final note, your child’s preschool to 12th grade education does not (Bill Stevenson, Arnold Utama)

28-01-15 09:03

Internationally Focussed A school that provides opportunity and challenge both inside and outside the classroom. Where talent and excellence is fostered and potential is fully realised, producing well-adjusted confident students ready to go out and make their mark on the world.

www.britishschool.nl

Internationally British

An AnInternationally InternationallyBritish BritishExperience Experience Study StudyArchaeology Archaeologyin inLeiden!

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Europe. By By mindedness, mindedness, flexibility flexibility and and awareness awareness bringing bringingtogether togetheraaglobally globallyrenowned renowned towards towardsothers, others,all allofofwhich whichare arevaluvalu-

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British British curriculum, curriculum, with with aa hugely hugely didiverse verse student student population, population, the the BSN BSN offers offers aa distinctive distinctive and and unique unique ‘Internationally ‘Internationally British’ British’ educational educational experience. experience.

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able able characteristics characteristics which which enable enable stustudents dentstotoflourish flourishthroughout throughouttheir theirlife. life.

Across Across all all age age groups, groups, the the imporimportance tanceofoflanguage languageand andlinguistic linguisticdeveldevelopment opment isis highly highly valued valued atat the the BSN. BSN. Opportunities Opportunities for for students students toto advance advance both both their their mother mother tongue tongue asas well well asas modern modern foreign foreign language language skills skills are are

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Begin your future by digging into the past

Archaeology is the study of past human societies through materials left behind. Learn about ancient cultures, research methods and earth sciences while getting hands-on, practical experience through fieldwork and laboratory analysis. Start your journey to an exciting future in archaeology by contacting us or applying today.

A brand new international, English-taught Bachelor in Archaeology will start on 1 September 2015. Dig in with us!  bachelors.leiden.edu/archaeology

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corners cornersofofthe theglobe. globe.The Theschool’s school’sinin- strongly stronglyencouraged, encouraged,further furtherenhancing enhancing tercontinental tercontinental connections connections are are emem- their theirhigher highereducation educationand andlonger longerterm term braced braced both both inin and and outside outside the the classclass- career careerprospects. prospects. room room asas students students get get toto experience, experience,

Discover the world at Leiden University

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28-08-14 16:27

28-01-15 19:13

Learning is the Heart of The International School of The Hague We provide International Education for children from 4 to 18 years old. The IPC curriculum is offered in our Primary School and the IB Middle Year Programme and IB Diploma Programme are taught in our Secondary School. Both our Primary and Secondary School are located in the same modern building, close to the beach.

For more information please contact us: ish.admissions@ishthehague.nl or visit our website: www.ishthehague.nl

inspiring

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BA International Studies at Leiden University The BA in International Studies is based in The Hague but taught by the staff of the Faculty of Humanities Leiden University.

In the latest rankings from the Times Higher Educational Supplement the faculty was ranked 25th in the World, a rise of three places over the previous year. The degree is truly international in several respects. It taught

Respect

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entirely in English and allows students to choose to specialise in one of eight regions and one out of fifteen languages. Over 40 per cent of students apply from abroad, and more than 50 nationalities are represented in the first year. Foreign applications for starting in 2015 are 20 per cent higher than this time last year, so the degree is fast approach-

ing its target of a 50:50 distribution. Finally, it is international by providing opportunities for half of the final year students to spend a semester studying or following an internship abroad. Applications close for non-EEA students on 1st of April, and 1st of May for students with a Dutch high school diploma.

Communication

American School of The Hague Educating For The Future In A Creative and Inspiring Learning Environment “American School of The Hague nurtures and inspires character, commitment, creativity, and learning.”

University preparatory program for students aged 3-18 years

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?

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Discover the world at Leiden University

28-01-15 19:22

EDUCATION SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 2015 | 13

New Building for International School Utrecht allowing the school some room for further growth over the next three to four years. ISUtrecht strives to secure a permanent location within this timeframe.

At the moment ISUtrecht caters to students aged 4-15. The school will, however, open a new grade every academic year, starting with a grade 10 class in August 2015 to the completion of secondary (grade 12) in August 2017.

ISUtrecht currently offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), placing inquiry and concept based learning at the heart of all teaching. From 2016 the school will also offer the IB Diploma Programme. ISUtrecht is well on its way Due to the growth in student numbers International School Utrecht (ISUtrecht) is moving to a new school building this spring. A modular semipermanent accommodation is being built at the Van Bijnkershoeklaan, west of the historic city centre.

The new L-shaped, two storey building will not only provide students with spacious classrooms, but also with a media resource centre, numerous work spaces for secondary students, a large Early Years playroom, an art room and a drama studio. Local childcare provider Ludens will provide after school child care within the new building.

A designated fenced-off Early Years adventure playground at the back of the new building will provide the

www.isutrecht.nl

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to become a fully accredited IB world school, working towards PYP accreditation in October 2015 and MYP accreditation in November 2015.

International School Utrecht Notebomenlaan 400 3582 CN Utrecht +31 (0)30 8700400 info@isutrecht.nl www.isutrecht.nl New address from 2nd March: Van Bijnkershoeklaan 8 3527 XL Utrecht

youngest students with room to play and to enjoy outdoor learning. The side entrance to the new school will give way to a spacious playground geared towards the older primary and secondary students.

At the start of this academic year student numbers at ISUtrecht had more than tripled. The school, an initiative of the municipality of Utrecht, the Utrecht provincial government and Utrecht University, welcomed just 55 students in August 2012. The school currently has an enrolment of 175 students, representing over 25 nationalities. Around 25 teaching and support staff members from all across the world have found employment at ISUtrecht.

The new semi-permanent building has a capacity of around 300 students,

International School Utrecht provides a high quality and accessible international learning environment to students from diverse international backgrounds.

ISUtrecht is a candidate International Baccalaureate World School, currently teaching the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP). From 2016 the school will offer the Diploma Programme (DP).

22-09-14 11:48

22-01-15 16:36

FEATURE

14 | FEBRUARY 2015

International critique on Dutch treatment of homeless migrants

Photo: Wij Zijn Hier.

Although the Netherlands is known internationally for its tolerant attitude, the way the Dutch government treats homeless people leaves much to be desired. ALICE BURKE has the facts.

The Netherlands has been making international headlines of late for its treatment of homeless irregular migrants on the country’s streets and the UN’s reaction to it. “Assisting migrants living on the streets is not a matter of charity but rather an obligation of the government,” a group of United Nations human rights experts said, and urged Dutch authorities to immediately provide irregular migrants with ‘bed, bath and bread’, as the essential humane assistance is usually referred to.

The International Organization for Migrants broadly defines irregular migration as “entry, stay or work in a country without the necessary authorization or documents required under immigration regulations.” Currently, the Netherlands refuses to give emergency food, clothing, and shelter (generally informally referred to as “bed, bath and bread”) to migrants after their claims for assistance have been rejected, despite repeated disapproval by international human rights bodies.

According to AFP, an estimated 8,000 asylum seekers are rejected each year in the Netherlands and “left up to their own devices pending expulsion”.

“In these dark days before Christmas, it is appalling that the Dutch government will not even commit less than 0.01 percent of its yearly budget to help people living in absolute misery and poverty,” said UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston in December of 2014. Recently, the Government denied an appeal for help from over 60 municipalities for 15 million euro in budget support to fulfill their responsibilities towards migrants in need during this past winter.

“A number of municipalities want to provide emergency housing for this population. The central government must provide the means for munici-

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 14

palities to do so. Forcing the most vulnerable people into homelessness during the harshness of winter is particularly egregious,” said UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, Leilani Farha.

“Emergency services such as homeless shelters, and adequate housing alternatives, must be made available to migrants, regardless of their legal status in the country,” Ms. Farha added. “The Netherlands is under an obligation to ensure a basic right to emergency shelter and adequate housing alternatives, especially for children, as party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” Ms. Farha said.

will do nothing until a Committee of European Ministers will formally endorse the mentioned decisions somewhere in 2015,” the UN experts noted.

“We urge the Dutch central authorities to act now. The mandate-holders have been in contact with the Dutch government to clarify this situation.

Junior security and justice minister Fred Teeven of the liberal VVD party said “The Netherlands endeavors to prevent foreign nationals without lawful residence ending up on the street,” in an email to AFP. The ministry repeated its earlier stated position that it is waiting for a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers that is expected to discuss the matter in February or March. “Calling for measures to be adopted is premature at this stage,” the ministry said, also again clarifyPolitical gain ing that it would not refund local “Politicians in the Netherlands have councils for any money spent looking been trying to score political points after homeless migrants. at the expense of homeless irregular migrants in the national debate Locals rally to aid family about immigration,” said UN Special But it appears that the firmness and Rapporteur on the human rights of bureaucratic stoicism of the Dutch migrants, François Crépeau. “But pro- Government’s behavior is no deterviding basic emergency assistance is rent to sustained support for loved a matter of international obligation, and valued migrants when the will of not of political expediency. Human the people is involved. Dutchnews.nl migration patterns will not change by reports an incredible story from the letting migrants sleep on the streets,” town of Boxmeer in the south of the Mr. Crépeau warned.

Netherlands in December of last year.

The European Committee of Social Locals in the town rallied around to Rights, a body that oversees the Eu- support an Armenian family after the ropean Social Charter, recently de- father’s refugee status was withdrawn cided in two separate cases that the because he lied about his identity 15 Netherlands is violating the right to years ago, when he was just 16 years emergency assistance of adult home- old and newly arrived in the Nethless irregular migrants. This is not the erlands. Residents started a petition, first and only time that the Commit- gathering 700 signatures, and the tee and other international, regional Boxmeer Town Council then agreed and national human rights bodies to give the family 1250 euro per have criticized the country for failing month to help support them, as Hovto meet its obligations to irregular mi- sep Khachatryan can no longer work grants. following the withdrawal of his legal status and the issuance of a deporta“Instead of taking immediate action, tion order. the Dutch government announced it

The family was instructed to leave after Mr. Khachatryan, admitted to lying about his identity when he came here as a 16-year-old in 1999. Following the issuance of the instruction to leave, locals campaigned in support of the family and against the deportation order, saying it was “wrong to throw out a well-integrated family with two young children.” Mr. Khachatryan has openly stated his wish to remain here having become such a valued and integrated citizen with two children: “I just ask for forgive-

ness, for an exception. I want to put my family back on track and continue to live.”

Johan Koelman, the city council leader for the Boxmeer Socialist Party, commented that “The local city council in Boxmeer is not capable of giving Hovsep his legal status again, but we were able to give off a major signal to the rest of Netherlands.”

International media attention U.S. Media outlet Public Radio Inter-

Photo: Den Haag FM.

27-01-15 09:26

FEATURE national published a report on the situation in early January and included interviews carried out by BBC reporter Anna Holligan with some of the migrants affected. “This really breaks the image, internationally, the Netherlands has of being a tolerant and liberal country, because right now there’s a huge immigration debate going on. The anti-immigration party in the Netherlands is at the top of opinion polls at the moment and the government doesn’t want to attract any more asylum seekers,” said Ms. Holligan, adding: “That’s why they have implemented this really tough, harsh policy — especially over these freezing winter months.” Commenting on the extreme nature of the situation, Holligan said: “The concrete walls of the building were cold. A volunteer came by to drop off some crates of food, which were divided up and rationed among the migrants. It’s a real, real struggle for them.”

Russia Today took a more dramatic view of the effect this had on the country, stating that “the Netherlands, in the throes of an immigration crisis, has accused the UN of publishing ‘one-sided information’ after its senior officials accused the government of ‘trying to score political points’ by ‘forcing’ failed asylum seekers into homelessness.”

We Are Here The Wij Zijn Hier (We Are Here) movement has also been making waves in the past year. The group is comprised of refugees who have been refused asylum in the Netherlands and are now living on the streets.

The group’s online statement reads as follows: “At the moment, refugees who have been rejected are no longer entitled to basic rights such as shelter and food. Even when it is impossible to return to their countries of origin, the Dutch government argues that they can leave voluntarily. Denying them access to reception centers, putting them in prison and forcing them to survive in parks, railway stations and insecure hiding places; that is the way to convince them to leave this country. On European level, the asylum policy also forms a problem for refugees. Most people of We Are Here are not allowed to stay in the Netherlands, cannot go back to their own country, but can also not move to another European country, due to the Dublin II agreement.”

Wij Zijn Hier calls its work “self-organized action by the refugees”, which has “highlighted a humanitarian problem that has been growing for years and was hidden from the pub-

FEBRUARY 2015| 15

lic eye.” One of their main aims is to “inform the Dutch citizens about their situation...lobby and demonstrate for their rights.” News site NOS.nl published an article in mid-January about a young irregular migrant named Thierno, who spoke about his fear of seeking help from the police after being attacked, due to his legal status.

Thierno was eventually assisted by rights organization Vluchtelingen in de Knel, who help migrants in similarly difficult situations.

Migration and homelessness The EU’s Department of Social Affairs and Inclusion states that migration is one of the top reasons for an increase in homelessness in Europe, along with unemployment and poverty, ageing, health problems and inadequate support for people leaving care facilities, hospitals, prisons or other public institutions. Homeless people may face reduced life expectancy, health problems, discrimination, isolation and barriers to access to basic public services and benefits. They also list what they consider to be several key challenges in addressing homelessness across Europe, such as the changing profile of the homeless population now includes more young people and children, migrants, Roma and other disadvantaged minorities, women and families are increasingly at-risk of homelessness. They also cite a lack of comprehensive data that would allow for monitoring homelessness in the EU, also mentioning that the financial crisis seems to have aggravated the situation.

Ultimately, “EU Member States have primary responsibility and competence to address homelessness,” says the Department of Social Affairs, adding that “the EU’s Social Investment Package encourages [member states] to adopt long-term, housing-led, integrated homelessness strategies at national, regional and local level” and “introduce efficient policies to prevent evictions.” According to the Department, “effective homelessness stratePhoto: by Zen Peacemakers gies may cover prevention and early intervention, quality homelessness service delivery, rapid re-housing and tailspin. These people are often left to systematic data collection.” fend for themselves; unless they have worked full-time for a year, migrants Reports in British newspaper the from former eastern bloc countries Guardian going as far back as 2010 that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 commented on the issue of migrants have no right to public funds and from new EU countries struggling on only limited access to services. The the streets: “The biggest single factor outcome is often isolation and homecontributing to growth in the newly lessness.” homeless is the tiny fraction of 1.5 million migrants who came in search Statistics of work from the EU’s new border Statistics Netherlands states that in regions, but who ended up on the “early 2012, more than 27 thousand streets as the economy went into a people were homeless. Half of them

have a foreign background and 40 percent have a non-western background. Nearly half of all homeless are found in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam.” They also note that “Homeless women are relatively young: 30 percent are aged between 18 and 30. More than 20 percent of homeless men are in this age category.”

tion criteria” in providing shelter to people in need, highlighting difficulties for provision of care for homeless people even with full legal residency and status. “In many Dutch municipalities, access to shelter is only given to a person when he or she has a ‘local connection’ to the geographical area,” says the study. “Legally, however, community shelter services funded by any municipality should A 2013 study carried out by Michel be accessible to all those living in the Planije and Mathijs Tuynman inves- Netherlands,” the study adds. tigated the presence of “local connec-

Photo: by FaceMePLS

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27-01-15 08:59

16 | FEBRUARY 2015

Kazakhstan Agriculture

DIPLOMATIC

Highlighting the delegation’s visit to the Netherlands

On November 18-21, a delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan visited the Netherlands, headed by Executive Secretary Mr. Arman Yevniyev. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The delegation visited several venues that matched the agricultural theme, like the flower auction “Flora Holland”. Also on the agenda was “Tomato World”, a large company for the production of greenhouse tomatoes, and “Green-Q”, a gardening training center.

In addition, the delegation met with the management of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs responsible for the agricultural sector: trade association “Frugi Venta”. Delegates also got acquainted with the objects of Wageningen University and its Research Centre, as well as with an example of mass farming in the Netherlands. Finally, the head of the Kazakh delegation met with the management of the leading Dutch agricultural cluster “Food Valley”.

Representatives from both countries discussed best practices in the agricultural sector, investment opportunities for the Netherlands and the great potential of a bilateral cooperation. The Dutch side was then informed about the available opportunities and the terms of reference of mutually beneficial cooperation with Kazakhstan, as well as government programs to support the agricultural sector.

Mr. Arman Yevnieyev informed that Kazakhstan has established a highly preferential regime for those investment projects, classified as “priority investment projects”. The primary criterion for these types of projects is investment of no less than approx.

USD 20 million in a governmentspecified area.

Investors who have procured an investment contract for a project with the authorized body (currently the Investments Committee under the Ministry of Investments and Development) benefit from the following advantages, specifically set out in an investment contract: 1) exemption from corporate income tax (20%) for up to 10 years; 2) exemption from land tax for up to 10 years; 3) exemption from property tax for up to 8 years from the date when fixed assets (e.g., a plant) are commis-

tht_februari_2015_RV kopie.indd 16

sioned (only for those assets which are commissioned for the first time); 4) reimbursement of up to 30% of actual expenses on construction works and purchase of equipment) on the basis of documentary evidence after full commissioning. To apply for an investment subsidy, applicants must also provide a feasibility study approved by the state expertise. The government will approve the rules on granting investment subsidies; 5) exemption from the need to obtain work permits for foreign workers of the legal entity holding the investment contract, its contractors and subcontractors in the area of research and design activities, engineering services and construction works. Such exemption is valid until the expiration of 1 year from the date of commissioning. The list of professions and number of attracted staff is set out in the investment contract; 6) stability with regard to the abovementioned tax preferences and “work permits-free” regime; 7) interaction with the Investments Committee under the principle of “one window”. An investor shall only file an application to the Investments Committee with related documents and negotiate further with the Committee regarding conditions of the investment contract.

Also, Mr. Arman Yevniyev informed the Dutch representatives that during the 27th session of the Foreign Investors’ Council, which was held on June 12, 2014, the President of Kazakhstan Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the establishment of a unilateral visa-free regime for citizens of the 10 countries which most actively invest in Kazakhstan. This new regime concerns the UK, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the UAE, the Republic of Korea, the USA, France and Japan. At the same date, the President signed the Law for Introducing Amendments to Various Legislative Acts on Issues Relating to the Improvement of the Investment Climate (the “Law”), which came into effect on June 24, 2014.

Following the visit, the parties reached an agreement to deepen their cooperation and work towards the further intensification of bilateral relations. The Kazakh delegation specifically proposed projects to create effective business structure interaction between the two countries.

21-01-15 22:40

TECHNOLOGY

FEBRUARIY 2015 |17

Dutch Game Garden Utrecht to move into Jaarbeurs building

Photos: by Sebastiaan ter Burg

After five years at their central Neude location, the well-known ‘incubator for the Dutch games industry’ will be moving to greener – and bigger – pastures. ASHLEY COWLES has the details.

Utrecht-based Dutch Game Garden (DGG) will be moving into the Jaarbeurs’ ‘Beatrixgebouw’. This new location at walking distance from Utrecht Central Station will enable the game company cluster to even better profile itself as the epicenter of the Dutch games industry.

Since its founding, DGG has housed over 75 game studios. The majority of current tenants will move into the new location, which will soon also provide room for new companies.

The advantage of moving into the

Jaarbeurs is that DGG can focus fully on helping startup companies and organizing events. Facility management will be provided by the Jaarbeurs.

An added advantage to its central location and accessibility, the ‘Beatrixgebouw’ also has ample space for events, while the presence of other companies in the Jaarbeus provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge and creativity between different industries.

This isn’t the first time that the Jaarbeurs houses interesting entrepreneuring initiatives. In 2013, start-

up company Blendle – run by Alexander Klopping, among others – settled in Media Plaza. Since December 8, radio station Sublime FM moved into the ground floor space of the ‘Beatrixgebouw’.

The move to the Jaarbeus is a big step in developing the Dutch Game Garden platform, which quite literally offers a place for people and markets to connect, 24/7.

For the past five years, Dutch Game Garden was housed on Neude, right in the Utrecht city center. The cluster quickly became a household

name for game developers, companies, educational facilities, students and governments both in the Netherlands and internationally. The activities within Dutch Game Garden translated into over 300 jobs within the games industry. A minority of current tenants will not be accompanying Dutch Game Garden to Jaarbeurs, and instead find new places to continue their activities in other parts of Utrecht.

Dutch Game Garden’s mission is to create jobs and prosperity by providing the Dutch games indusrty with

a boost. The organization’s startup support program involves both supervision and housing for new gaming entrepreneurs. DGG also organizes events and other projects to facilitate the supply of information, innovation, knowledge exchange and publicity for Dutch game developers.

Dutch Game Garden is financed by the Province of Utrecht, the municipality of Utrecht, and the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRO), an initiative by the European Commission

Glowing bicycle path paves way for artistic innovation Technology, sustainability and art have found each other in the innovative Van Gogh bicycle path, opened late last year. ELIZABETH JOSS takes a closer look.

The glow-in-the-dark Van Gogh Bicycle Path, launched on November 12, 2014, is an innovative installation that successful merges sustainability and art in a refreshing and interesting manner. The launch of the path was done in the run-up to the 125th anniversary celebrations of the artist’s death, taking place this year and entitled Van Gogh 2015 (see more at: www.vangogheurope.eu). Over the course of the year, various artrelated and cultural events will occur throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England in praise of Van Gogh. Thirty cultural heritage organisations spread over these countries will be host to the events.

Eindhoven is particularly important as a location for the glow-inthe-dark Van Gogh Bicycle Path. Van Gogh, who lived from 1853 to 1890, resided there for a couple of years, and the town served as a backdrop for many of his expressive paintings. The bicycle path, nearly a kilometer in length, forms part of the greater Van Gogh Cycle Route, a route stretching 335 kilometers and offering cyclists five different day trips to experience various heritage sites attributed to the artist.

This glowing, unforgettable and awe-inspiring part of the route was developed by local artist Daan Roosegaarde, as a functional art project.

Roosegaarde had a strong desire to pay tribute to Van Gogh, and in doing so he created a glowing bicycle path

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relying on solar-powered LED lights and 50,000 stones coated with phosphorescent paint. The friction on the path from passing bicycles then powers the lights. The sustainable project is not only a way for cyclists to have improved vision in the dark without the use of electricity, but it is also designed in such a way that the glowing lights mimic the swirling patterns of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, an impasto landscape painting of the Dutch night sky comprising vivid colours.

Roosegaarde told the National Public Radio (NPR) about the importance of using technology to create landscapes that are ‘energy-neutral’.

He sees his project as both a sustainable, functional and beautiful art form and an excellent opportunity to make young people aware of and interested in the country’s cultural history. He even spoke of the bicycle path as a special, symbolic and romantic place for people in love and those on a first date.

Additionally, Roosegaarde is in the process of developing reactive paints that shine during extreme weather conditions so as to better guide drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. He has also been involved in other sustainable energy art projects, such as the Smart Highway Project with a mission to create interactive highways.

He hopes this concept will lead to more solar-powered developments, providing cleaner energy forms and at the same time bringing art into the

picture to form something not only useful but aesthetically pleasing, too.

Moreover, it appears that this sustainable energy trend has caught on as the Dutch town of Krommenie, situated north of Amsterdam, recently installed solar panels on a bike path as part of the SolaRoad Project. The project was a collaboration of a consortium comprising the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), road construction company Ooms Civiel, technical provider Imtech Traffic & Infra, together with the Province of North Holland.

SolaRoad’s special bike path converts natural sunlight into renewable power used for street lights, traffic lights, houses and even electric cars.

The path was built using prefabricat-

ed slabs containing concrete modules with a top layer of tempered glass and solar cells. The surface of the path should be translucent for sunlight to penetrate it but it should also be skid resistant and very robust. The power generated from this bike path will be pushed into the national energy grid, making it an effective and sustainable source of power and one that is generated merely by pushing the pedals, something the Dutch do daily and with ease.

Sustainable energy projects like the Van Gogh Bicycle Path as well as the SolaRoad Project are necessary renewable energy solutions for the Netherlands. According to Statistics Netherlands, the country’s annual power consumption is expected to

grow at a rate of 3% per year; to meet further demand for power, alternatives need to be seriously considered, developed and utilized.

Over a hundred years ago, during his lifetime, Van Gogh’s works were rarely appreciated. Today, an entire glowing cycle path is dedicated to the artist, making us think of the crucial role of the artist to create a space that is not only aesthetic to the viewer but that influences the perceptions, ideas and experiences people may have, and that ultimately have a positive influence on their lives. Best of all, Roosegaarde’s bike path is a kind of poetic experience, capturing the spirit and creativity of the Dutch through the ages, from one artist to the next.

Photos: by Studio Roosegaarde

27-01-15 09:28

DIPLOMATIC

18 | FEBRUARIY 2015

A New Chapter in the Year of the Sheep On February 19, the Chinese New Year will be celebrated. On this occasion, NANDA JAGUSIAK interviews the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. CHEN Xu.

1. Your Excellency, thank you for accepting my interview just before the Chinese New Year. As the Year of the Sheep is approaching, what are your remarks on China’s diplomacy over last year, and what do you expect on Sino-Dutch relations in the new year? Is there something you want to say to our readers?

Last year, China continuously achieved new things in its development. On the diplomatic front, China explored new theories and practices for conducting international relations, participated in global economic and financial governance, engaged in friendly exchanges with countries in all major regions, and worked for the peaceful resolution of hot-spot issues in some regions. These efforts created an enabling environment for China’s domestic development. Fruitful results in China’s diplomacy have been achieved in 2014, and the peaceful development and China’s independent foreign peace policy actively contributed to world peace and global development.

In the coming New Year of the Sheep, I sincerely hope that, with good fortune and happiness brought to us by the Sheep, China and the Netherlands shall make joint efforts to open a new chapter of our bilateral relations, with long-term perspectives and our

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 18

in preparing for and receiving these important visits, and was very much encouraged by the sound momentum of development of Sino-Dutch relations. I visited almost all major cities and regions of this country, even Curaçao last year. At the numerous events and activities that I participated in or hosted, I made many news friends and got acquainted with local Dutch people. I also tried to personally contribute to promoting Sino-Dutch cooperation for further achievements in some key fields.

Two things impressed me most. One is the state of Sino-Dutch relations itself. Its pragmatic, comprehensive and open nature is so impressive, and the future of bilateral cooperation in nearly every field is so promising, with so much potential to be released. The other is about the Dutch people. Regarding themselves as the Chinese in Europe, the Dutch people share so many similarities with the Chinese people. Our common characteristics, including honesty, diligence, inclusiveness and kindness, are favorable basis for both promoting pragmatic cooperation and strengthfeet squarely on the ground. To this ening friendships. end, as the Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands, I will work with my 3. As you mentioned, President colleagues and certainly spare no ef- Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the fort. I’d like to take this opportunity Netherlands last year. May I ask to extend the warmest regards and what this visit means to the Sinobest wishes to overseas Chinese in Dutch relations? the Netherlands, to your readers and Last March, President Xi Jinping and all Dutch people, on behalf of the Chi- the First Lady paid the first state nese Embassy. I wish all of you and visit in history to the Kingdom of your family happiness, prosperity and the Netherlands, with unprecedented every success in the Chinese New fruitful results. They built up sound Year of the Sheep! working relations and a personal friendship with H.M. King Willem2. You were accredited to the King- Alexander and H.M. Queen Maxima, dom of the Netherlands as the Chi- through broad and intensive interacnese Ambassador in April 2012; tions on several occasions. Our two could you please first share with us countries jointly issued a statement some of your experiences and feel- on the establishment of an open and ings from then on? What impressed pragmatic partnership for compreyou most? hensive cooperation, which took the In nearly two years in this country, Sino-Dutch relations to new heights I have been fully occupied in many and envisaged a clear path for our aspects of my life since relations be- future cooperation in key fields. Govtween China and the Netherlands ernmental institutions and enterpriskept moving forward, with coopera- es concerned from both sides signed tions in every field being deepened dozens of documents for cooperation continuously. In particular, the Chi- in various fields such as agriculture, nese President Xi Jinping paid his finance, energy, telecommunication, first state visit to the Netherlands ship-building, aeronautics etc., for and participated in the Third Nuclear a total amount of over 3 billion US Security Summit last March. Prior dollars. What’s more, the establishto that, Dutch Prime Minister Mark ment of a Chinese cultural center in Rutte visited China. I had the oppor- the Netherlands and some other imtunity to make my own contribution portant people-to-people exchange

initiatives were substantiallyl pushed forward. To conclude my answer, I’d rather say that this visit has sketched a new blueprint for and brought new vitality to Sino-Dutch relations.

4. But are ordinary Dutch people able to benefit from development of Sino-Dutch relations? Could you give us some general ideas about the whole picture of Sino-Dutch relations?

Sure; our two peoples are indeed the ultimate beneficiaries of development of Sino-Dutch relations, particularly ordinary people. China and the Netherlands have built up trade relations since the early 1600s,. At that time, fleets of Dutch merchant ships kept carrying Chinese commodities like tea, silk and porcelain to Europe via the ancient Maritime Silk Road from Guangzhou to Rotterdam. They returned to China carrying European goods, which opened a significant window of cultural exchange between China and Europe, including the Netherlands.

During World War II, our two countries fought the Fascist aggression hand in hand, jointly making important contributions to world peace and justice. Over the past few decades, although with its ups and downs, Sino-Dutch relations have successfully kept generally moving forward, and development has greatly sped up in recent times. Perhaps I could share some impressive examples for you. Bilateral trade volume between China and the Netherlands has been growing rapidly in recent years, to more than 70 billion US dollars in 2013 and 2014. Mutual investment is strong, both in terms of total amount and the number of projects. As far as I know, there are more than 400 Chinese companies operating branches or representative offices in the Netherlands, creating about 8,000 jobs for local Dutch people. At the same time, the Netherlands is well-known in China for its sophisticated expertise and technologies in water management, agriculture, environmental protection and many other fields.

Dutch dairy products, the Rubber Duck and The Voice of Holland are most popular brands of the Netherlands among Chinese consumers and audiences. Apart from that, Consulate Generals in Willemstad and Chongqing were recently set up. The world’s largest container ship, CSCL Globe, made a stop in Rotterdam during its

recent maiden voyage, and the 18th Escort Task Group of the Chinese Navy paid a successful official visit to the Netherlands in January. Without further explanation, it’s clear that all these exchanges and cooperations have tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries. What I also want to mention is that our two countries have agreed and are expecting that the Netherlands’ geographical advantage, as one of the key European ports connecting Asia and Europe, should be fully utilized. With the ‘one Belt and one Road’ initiative as a blueprint, the ties between our two countries and peoples will be further strengthened.

5. The ‘One belt and One Road’ initiative you mentioned has reminded me of the impressive progress China has recently made, in many aspects. Could you tell me what are the major issues in China’s policy agenda nowadays?

China is the largest developing country, with the largest population in the world. Over the past two years, bearing the Chinese Dream in mind, we made great progress in many aspects, including deepening reform, streamlining public administration, combating corruption, promoting rule of law, and modernizing governance, as well as adapting ourselves to the new mode of economic development.

We made every endeavor to promote common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, put forward the initiative of ‘one Belt and one Road’ for the common development of countries concerned, and kept building a global network of partnerships, as well as a new type of international relations based on cooperation and common interest.

We firmly supported and actively participated in UN peace-keeping missions, and also actively took part in international campaigns against terrorism and Ebola, taking the right approach to principles and interests. In the future, China will continue to unswervingly uphold the independent foreign policy of peace and follow the path of peaceful development. A China becoming even stronger and more prosperous will make even more active and important contributions to the great course of world peace and global development. China is willing to undertake joint efforts with other countries to promote peace, stability and prosperity of all humankind.

28-01-15 14:18

ARTS & CULTURE

FEBRUARY 2015 | 19

Amsterdam Light Festival 2014 a big success

Photos: by JvL.jpg

The second edition of Amsterdam Light Festival came to an end on Sunday, January 19, 2014. The festival was a great success and attracted more than 550,000 visitors. For the past two months, light played an important role in the capital. People from near and far made their way to Amsterdam to admire the Water Colors boat tour and the Illumi-

nade walking route. In addition, a record number of partners joined the festival. More than 39 partner programs were organized, including the interactive artwork in the tunnel of the Rijksmuseum, The candlelight concerts of the Grachtenfestival Amsterdam Winterspecial were visited by hundreds of people, and shops participated in the Amsterdam Light

Shopping Night.

“Light art has sparked the interest of a wide audience, both national and international. Together with Amsterdam’s residents and business owners, we have shown the city at its best in the winter months,” says Felix Guttmann, Chairman of Amsterdam Light Festival.

While the second edition has only

just concluded, preparations for the upcoming edition, to be held from December 2014 to January 2015, are already in full force. The international Call for Concepts has been opened, calling on national and international artists to submit their proposals for next year’s festival. The selected artworks will be shown during Amsterdam Light Festival 2014-2015,

themed ‘A Bright City’.

For more information about the submission requirements, visit the website of Amsterdam Light Festival: www.amsterdamlightfestival.com/ cfc.

Gaze into wondrous world of early cinema Amsterdam film museum EYE is hosting an exibition on influentual early film maker Jean Desmet. ÖZNUR TUNA takes a closer look at this important part of Dutch cinema history.

Photos: Filmmuseum_Desmet Collection -

The current exhibition at the film museum EYE on the most extensive archive from the early cinema period enables viewers not only to have great insight about film history but also to see its playful link with modern times, thanks to the tremendous freedom the early dream world contains.

‘Jean Desmet’s Dream Factory: The Adventurous Years of Film (19071916)’, which consists of the material from the collection at EYE in Amsterdam, pays homage to film entrepreneur Jean Desmet. Having lived between 1875 and 1956, Desmet left behind a collection of more than 900 films, over 1,000 posters, about 1,500 photographs and 24 running meters of archives. The exhibition portrays both the emergence of cinema and film culture in the Netherlands and the artistic qualities of the films of the period, which reveal intense efforts of experimentation of the makers with

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the possibilities offered by a new medium.

“The central proposition of ‘Jean Desmet’s Dream Factory’ is that early cinema – viewed retrospectively – was a nonconformist, modern cinema,” says Jaap Guldemond, one of the curators of the exhibition, which is supported by Bank Giro Loterij and Fonds 21. Desmet, who progressed from fairground operator to become one of the most important cinema operators and film distributors in the Netherlands, was very active internationally, bringing many early films from many countries, including Italy, France, United States, Denmark, Germany and Britain. Due to its unique value as a document of world heritage, the Desmet Collection was inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2011. The exhibition became possible after years of research and restoration work. The films, made in the 1910s, amaze view-

ers with their inventive and artistic approach. ‘Filmmakers experimented with film as an attraction and form of live photography that depicted faraway places; with cinematic interpretations of literature, theatre and historical stories; and with formal and stylistic devices that explored the possibilities of the medium,” says the museum’s official statement. “Often, these films possess a heightened power of imagination and visual refinement that makes them artistically enchanting and modern to today’s audiences. The works in the collection are an eclectic mixture of styles, genres, color techniques and narrative strategies,” EYE Director Sandra den Hamer remarks in an illustrated book accompanying the exhibition.

“The rediscovery and reappraisal of early cinema, from the first film screening by the Lumière brothers in 1895 until 1916, when Desmet closed down his film distribution business,

has been one of the most important developments in the study of film history over the past 30 years,” says Mark-Paul Meyer, another curator of the exhibition. “While we used to believe that early films were clumsy and primitive, this image has changed completely: we now see them as adventurous and experimental.”

The renewed interest in early film emerged with a conference in Brighton, UK, organised in 1978 by the International Federation of Film Archives. The studies on early cinema by film historians and theoreticians have contributed in not only the discovery of films, but also easy access via digitization. The conference was regarded as the start of The New Film History. “One hallmark of this new approach to historical writing was the insight that early cinema differed in essential ways from what followed, and was not simply a more primitive form,” says Meyer. “Scholars paid greater attention to the context of production and presentation, rather than regarding films as autonomous works of art. A primarily art-historical approach, in which film was regarded as being embedded in a living culture of theater, illustration, photography, scholarship and science.”

A significant shift took place around 1907, according to Tom Gunning and Andre Gaudreault, the protagonists of New Film History, who also attended that conference.

Before 1907, the films had focused on displaying whereas after that date ‘a more narrative form of cinema became dominant.’ The two figures named pre-1907 cinema as the cinema of attractions, meaning ‘cinema that emphasised showing rather than telling, presenting rather than representing.’ These early films utilize some artistic strategies that are comparable to contemporary art films,

Meyer explains. “They are not films that attempt to transport the viewers to another reality, that present an invisible window on a fictional world; on the contrary, they seem to consistently emphasize the intervening medium. The framing is eccentric, the intertitles halt the forward movement of the action, the colors are unrealistic, many images have no narrative purpose or significance but are there simply to be admired, and occasionally an actor or actress adresses the cinema audience directly.”

The period between 1907 and 1916, during which Desmet was active, has not been studied as extensively as the preceding decade.

According to Meyer, this period of fluidity and uncertainty offers presentday viewers a real adventure in terms of styles, genres, forms, techniques and strategies. Most of the films in this period belongs to a large extent to the era of the cinema of attractions, Meyer notes.

The works in the EYE exhibition are reflected with a contextual approach through various divisions, such as The Wonder of Film, Living Images, Remote Worlds, World News, The Feature Film, Science for Everybody, Directors, Stars and Divas, Depicting the Netherlands, Cinematic View (The Art Film, Grand Tour, Phantom Rides), Cinematic Imagination (Exaggeration, Animation, Visual Experiments) and Cinematic Narrative (Subtle Strategies, Staging, Depiction).

In addition to the exhibition, which can be visited until April 12, EYE is organizing extensive activities, such as cinema concerts, lectures, contextual programs, guided tours and children’s workshops to reveal the playfulness, beauty and richness of early film. More information can be found at https://www.eyefilm.nl.

28-01-15 14:31

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

Willemspark, the hague • In the city centre, 5 minutes walk from the exclusive shopping areas • Nearby all city centre facilities • Tram and bus stops at ca 100 meters • 10 minutes from the main highways A12/A4/A13 • Incredible views • 10 minutes from the famous beaches at Scheveningen • Near the Peace Palace and a big park / woodlands

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 22

26-01-15 22:20

REVIEWS

FEBRUARY 2015 | 21

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Restaurant-Party Center De Tender Situated along the Valkensburgse Meer, De Tender gives cyclists a welcome break between Wassenaar and Leiden. During the day, it is a very family friendly, relaxed eatery with an XXXL uitsmijter and an enormous hamburger as its featured attractions. So what happens before sunset? A transformation!

Summers have visitors crowding the outside deck to watch another sunset over the beautiful lake. Inside, the restaurant’s railway-themed décor welcomes diners to many delicious meals with generous portions. This evening, January’s cold had chased away the sunset watchers. However, manager Petra made us quite welcome with a variety of fresh rolls with the first of many self-produced items kick started appetites which included their special garlic butter, aioli mayo, and best yet, a very tasty olive tapenade.

The three-course monthly menu, always at 19.50 euro, now starred traditional Dutch stew but we went with veggie carpaccio and a toasted goat cheese salad, both of which were incredibly delicious! Starter prices ranged from 6.75 to 10.95 euro. Main dishes ranged from 16 euros to steak at 21.50.

The difficult-to-resist ribs can come as either tender marinade or (hot) sweet chili. Chef Paul kindly provided both to this reviewer. The “hot” was actually mild enough for most tastes,

while the marinade-version was equally delicious, with both falling off the bone. Also ordered was the duck breast, artfully delivered on a bed of vegetables. The duck was so tender it actually could be cut with a fork! An extra tip: besides having a reasonable wine list, De Tender has a 12-item beer list, as well! Six desserts were highlighted by kletskop, a Dutch cookie tower, filled with stracciatella ice cream. However, the brownie just had to be ordered, along with crème brulee. Both arrived decorated masterfully with fresh fruit. The fudge-like brownie was covered in two types of chocolate and the brulee was wonderfully caramelized.

The venue is also well-suited to celebrating events. Owners Fred and Jeannet expanded De Tender with a heated, covered terrace, increasing its capacity to 250 diner,s while the unique train car can add seating for another 80 people or 120 standing for a party. They can easily host all sorts of parties, receptions and BBQs. There is a very large free parking area it shares with its train museum neighbor. Due to evenings with parties, reservations are suggested.

(BILL STEVENSON)

Restaurant-Partycentrum De Tender J. Pellenbargweg 2 2235 SP Valkenburg 071-5721805 www.detender.com

FOOD

film REVIEW

Borscht and the Universe: Friendship Curry

The Sky Above Us

She was my first friend here in Amsterdam a decade ago, her schoolyard explanations of lummelen and buutvrij rescuing me from the panicked boredom that the hours with children after school in a strange culture can inspire – and she was so patient with my atrocious Dutch. But it was really the extraordinary bond between their oldest boy and Number One Son – it was something like an addiction, actually – that gave shape to our days.

Every day after school, plus all day every day on the weekends, they were inseparable in all things, from lego to voetbal to plain pasta with cheese, (Il Pacifico)

In April 1999, the first NATO bombs were dropped on military and civilian targets in the Serbian capital of Belgrade.

The bombings destroyed office buildings, apartments, caused power outrages, food shortages, ruined the city’s infrastructure, and on top of everything else killed around 500 people. The airstrikes lasted 78 nights. It was the first time that one European country attacked another, since the end of the Second World War in 1945.

The Sky Above Us is a human dilemma about fight or flight. Dutch film director, Marinus Groothof realistically captures the lives of three people who chose to remain in Belgrade. Many fled the city for the safety of the countryside, but for those who chose to stay, like Ana (Nada Šargin), Sloba (Boris Isaković), and Bojan, (Nikola Rakočević), there is a continual struggle to maintain normalcy, which is the only thing they can hold on to.

Groothof masterfully creates a Hitchcock-like suspense when night falls and the first air raid sirens go off. One of the main targets of the bombings

music

book REVIEW

Pink Floyd – The Endless River

Susan Cain

Photo:Steven Depolo

which they dubbed “Mount Cheesemore.”

It was her husband who introduced me to an essential part of living in Amsterdam: timing the beers before the end of intermission at Paradiso.

But I am really indebted to him for introducing me to the real way to cook real Chinese food at home.

Since he’s half-Swedish and half-Indonesian and raised in Noord Holland, he ought to know. Here then is his Tofu Curry recipe, which is a bit more involved than most recipes found in this column, but nonetheless doable in an hour.

Drain and cube half a kilo of tofu, fry in peanut oil, and set aside. Brown two large onions separately, add 200 ml of coconut cream and simmer slowly, eventually adding one tablespoon of red curry paste (more if you like your food to bite back) and then five tablespoons of Thai fish sauce, a handful of grated palm sugar, three citrus leaves, and a few stalks of lemongrass. Add the tofu or 500 grams of shrimp and chicken – vegetarians might substitute eggplant or pete beans. Simmer for 30 minutes and, just before serving, add two big handfuls of sugar snap pea pods.

These days, we don’t see much of my first Amsterdam friends. They’ve moved their clan to Heiloo, and Number One Son and and his ex-best friend have drifted apart in that guiltless, easygoing manner of teenaged boys. But with Tofu Curry in our repertoire, they’re never far from our minds.

and its atmospheric introduction, What We Do takes the listener back to the band’s earlier days.

Wright’s distinctive synth sound grabs the attention immediately and already from its first few seconds, the piece seems to continue from where 1975’s epic Shine On You Crazy Diamond left off.

In fact, the whole album has a deeply nostalgic feel to it (nods to records like Meddle, A Saucerful of Secrets or The Wall can also be found); perhaps something inevitable, given the record’s conceptual foundations and musical raw material.

Deleted lines from Stephen Hawking’s monologue on Keep Talking from The Division Bell can now be heard on Talkin’ Hawkin’, another reminder of the album’s largely derivative nature. But even though The Endless River fails to present us with a new, innovative sound, it certainly does not come without musical merits. There are still moments of brilliance as in the 2-part composition Allonsy and its interlude Autumn ‘68 with its solemn, imposing organ. Other highlights include the wonderfully bizarre Skins and David Gilmour’s unmistakable guitar on Sum. The album closes with Louder Than Words, the only song that features lead vocals. The song’s lyrics (written by Gilmour’s wife Polly Samson) seem to be a fitting conclusion to the band’s final album: With world-weary grace / We’ve taken our places / We could curse it or nurse it / And give it a name / Or stay home by the fire / Failed by desire / Stoking the flames / But we’re here for the ride.

A new record by Pink Floyd always means big news for the music community. The release of The Endless River was no exception, especially so as 20 long years had passed since The Division Bell (1994), building up a great deal of anticipation and excitement among Pink Floyd fans worldwide (it also became the most pre-ordered album of all time on Amazon UK).

The record has been described as a “swan song” for Richard Wright, Pink Floyd’s recently deceased keyboardist and one of the band’s founding members. Comprised mostly of instrumental music, The Endless River is largely based on over 20 hours of previously unreleased material recorded and produced with Wright during The Division Bell sessions.

Following the opening track Things Left Unsaid (MIMIS CHRYSOMALLIS)

tht_februari_2015_RV_V2.indd 21

Photo: Cineville

is the TV station in a skyscraper in the middle of Belgrade, where 23-year old technician Bojan and the station’s 46-year old manager Sloba work. Both men remain in Belgrade for different reasons. Bojan won’t leave his journalist girlfriend behind, and Sloba feels his has a duty to broadcast the Serbian side of the news while CNN villainizes the Serbians.

Next to the television station is a small theater where 35-year old Ana, a struggling actress, is performing in a play. She wants to further her career and is afraid to quit her role and flee the city with her boyfriend, who finally leaves her behind.

Each night after her performance, she walks home alone and panics as the air raid sirens go off. When she arrives home, she cries herself to sleep.

After the last broadcast, Bojan dives into Belgrade’s nightlife with house music clubs, XTC pills, and gets drunk. By the time he arrives home in the early morning, his anxiety is almost gone and he can finally fall asleep. Sloba, on the other hand, spends his nights after the broadcast outside in the parking lot with his neighbors who quietly smoke and drink slivovitz, homemade brandy. When he gets up in the late morning, he ritually checks everything in his packed suitcase. When he calls his family in the countryside, he reassures them that he is fine, while he gazes at his suitcase standing next to the door.

(BENJAMIN ROBERTS)

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking Why is it that as a culture we value talking over listening, certainty over doubt, and decisiveness over deliberation? And what effect does that have on our lives, and not only those who listen, doubt, and deliberate? That question is the impetus behind Susan Cain’s interesting, timely, and easily digestible new book, which looks in depth at the ways in which personality has unseated character in our lives.

On visits to a megachurch, a motivational seminar, and Harvard Business School, all places where the cult of positivity, optimism, and energy prevail – and the white guy at the microphone gets rich – she explores and eventually criticizes the way we’ve come to prize words over thoughts, action over analysis, and the fast versus the slow. Cain’s take on the perils of collaboration and group work – she is particularly valuable when she claims that brainstorming is over-rated – is a valuable correc-

tive to the conventional wisdom. Such superficial gestures toward socially-oriented creativity do often reward conformity and popularity. Instead, Cain recommends what she called the magic of solitude, where she claims most human achievement happens. She’s right: despite Lennon and McCartney or Picasso and Bracques, the cult of teamwork and cooperation all too often descends into a game of “follow the pleaser.”

Cain’s book is not without its flaws. At times, she suffers from Malcolm Gladwell syndrome: dressing up the obvious to make it seem idiosyncratic.

She also indulges in plenty of amateur neuroscience. Furthermore, she tends to divide the world into two types, when in fact we all know an extrovert – easygoing, sociable, charismatic – who is at heart an anxious, fearful loner. Strangest of all is the irony of an advocate for introspection and quiet who boasts that the podcasts of her TED Talk have attracted three million views. But for many of us, introvert or extrovert, this book will be an important respite in a world in which the noise is winning.

(JONATHAN GILL) Available at the English Bookshop Penguin

27-01-15 09:37

FEATURE

22 | FEBRUARY 2015

Do to others what you would have them do to you

On 20 January, Jozias van Aartsen, Mayor of The Hague, was one of the key speakers at the annual Big Improvement Day (BID), a platform for professionals from government, industry and science.

The goal of the BID is to reflect on what is going well in the Netherlands and to improve weak points by working together.

I would like to share some ideas with you about the Dutch identity, which we cannot change, as well as the governing of our country and our Constitution, which we can and ought to do something about.

None of us will easily forget Sunday the 11th of January. Over a million self-assured French people marched through the streets of Paris. Self-assured and united: they were French, represented the laïcité and, above all, they were Charlie.

In the Netherlands, we were Charlie too, but we soon started to wave our magnifying glass around. Everyone was really Charlie, of course. In fact, we always had been.

But what about the neighbour, who

was also carrying that banner. Was he a real Charlie? Wasn’t he one of those people who say: I am Charlie; BUT. That’s Dutch. We have no problem explaining where the neighbour falls short. We moan and groan and everyone takes each other’s measure.

That’s what makes it so difficult to define the Dutch identity.

But over the borders, people don’t have that problem. They are able to describe the Dutch identity precisely.

They find us stingy, of course, and slightly unmannered. But particularly:

enterprising, down to earth, practical, well organised, internationally oriented and tolerant.

Exactly how we like to see ourselves.

These are interesting characteristics which we naturally recognise in ourselves. But which, in view of the commonly heard complaints about the decline of the Dutch identity, we don’t feel we see in our fellow citizens.

What is the reason for that difference between us and the French, alternately our enemy and our ally, from whom we have learned such a lot?

I feel that the answer to this question lies in the very different origins of the two nations.

France: always the country with the strong central government. With clear majorities.

Netherlands: traditionally the country of minorities. Where it is therefore simply not possible to impose your will on others.

Netherlands: emerged from what is ironically called the Republic of the Seven Ununited Netherlands. Where the creation of the single state had to be forced by the French, because we couldn’t agree on it ourselves.

Where initiatives relating to government structure come from above:

first the French and then what is today rather inaccurately referred to as “The Hague”. That means the Binnenhof; the national government and the parliament. Albeit after Thorbecke* with remarkably little ambition and even less success.

For that reason, it is with very uncharacteristic Dutch pride that I can announce that in this part of the country, we have managed to achieve a unique administrative renewal.

Not initiated from above, but from the bottom. Twenty-three municipalities in the province of South Holland decided not to be critical of each other, not to oppose each other, but to work together on the basis of mutual trust.

This unique administrative situation has existed since 1 January, a Big Improvement, the Metropolis region Rotterdam The Hague, in which we present ourselves together to the outside world. With a minimum of bureaucracy, and no fourth administrative layer, because the municipalities control this partnership themselves.

We started with two pillars: transport and economy. And, despite scepticism in various political parties and grumbles in the province, we plan to make this a success. A success, not just for our region, but for the economy of the Netherlands as a whole.

And I’ll make an additional forecast

too: this example of municipalities taking the initiative will be copied in more regions and in more fields.

But back to our identity. We like to boast that the American Constitution, the oldest in the world, is based on our Act of Abjuration, signed here in The Hague in 1581. Our own Constitution, again inspired by its American counterpart, is then the second oldest. Why do we show so little pride in it? It contains many marvellous things. But what it lacks is an inspiring preamble, as in the American Constitution: “We the People”. A text with which the citizen, wherever he was born, can easily identify.

Why not, in the footsteps of President Roosevelt, refer to the four freedoms: • freedom from want • freedom from fear • freedom of worship • freedom of speech.

The four freedoms which are intricately entwined.

I propose adding – obviously in modern language – a new preamble (which is therefore a new addition to the Constitution), containing this all-encompassing passage from our first Constitution, the Batavian from 1798: “All the duties of Man in Society are based in this holy law:

Do not do to others what you would not wish them to do to you.

Do to others, at all times, as much good as you would wish to receive in similar circumstances.”

In short: Do to others what you would have them do to you.

That’s it. Anyone who sails on this compass will never lose their way. * Johan Rudolf Thorbecke (17981872) liberal politician and statesman led three cabinets, in which he also held the position of minister of Foreign Affairs. He laid the foundations for the present Dutch polity. He drafted the constitution of 1848 that greatly expanded the power of the parliament, and limited that of the king. His name is also linked to laws

expanding the independence of municipal and provincial governments.

Jozias van Aartsen (1947) has been Mayor of The Hague since 2008.

Prior to this appointment, he was Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and the Fisheries, Minister of Foreign Affairs and party chairman of the VVD in the Lower House.

Jozias van Aartsen is married and has three children.

The first ever Diplomat Magazine in the Netherlands Founded in The Hague in June 2013

by Diplomats and for Diplomats www.diplomatmagazine.nl

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28-01-15 14:16

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 2015 | 23

No lack of sports in 2015

Girl Power, Oranje-style

Women’s soccer continues to make the headlines in the Netherlands. Having placed themselves for the upcoming World Cup in Canada last year, a first in Dutch women’s soccer, the ladies game is surging forward. It is currently the fasting growing category of sport in the country, and is expected to surpass favorite Dutch sporty pastime field hockey in the nottoo-distant future in terms of active participants. The game received an additional boost recently, when it was announced that the Netherland will host the European Women’s Soccer Championships in 2017.

Photo: Roel Ubels

ADO in Chinese hands

Soccer in The Hague has attracted attention from the East; the Far East, that is. The Eredivisie club announced that a majority share in ADO The Hague traded hands from shareholder Mark van der Knallen to United Vansen, a Peking-based sports marketing company. The Chinese company reportedly paid the sum of 8 million euros for the team, which is normally found on the right side of the standings table. There is no word yet on any menu changes at the Kyocera Stadium concession stands.

Photo: Ringnalda

Even without Olympic Games or World Cup antics, 2015 is shaping up to be quite the sporting year. JOHN MAHNEN put together a sampling of places to go and things to see where the whole family can enjoy a day out at its sporting best.

After the cornucopia of sport that was on offer in 2014, this sporting year 2015 would certainly seem to be destined to a disappointment. The need not be the case, especially when it comes to spectator events that we can see right here in the Netherlands.

In April, top ice hockey will be on offer in Eindhoven. In the battle of the ‘1B’ countries, the Netherlands will fight it out with Croatia, Estonia, Great Britain, Korea and Lithuania.

The Dutch team will look to book progress although there is still a lot of progress to be made to return to the form which saw them take place in the Lake Placid Olympic Games of 1980. The action will take place in the IJssportcentrum in the City of Light where the first puck will be dropped on April 13.

Another one of the sporting season’s early fixtures is the annual Rugby Sevens tournament in Amsterdam.

This year’s version takes place from June 22 to 24 at the National Rugby Center, featuring a new addition at the complex. Ruggers from around the world compete but also party just as hard in this rain or shine affair. If you haven’t made it out there yet, be sure to put this one on the agenda and be part of the fun in Amsterdam

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New-West.

Fans of round ball sports have some interesting opportunities this year as well. The Dutch national soccer team will play two international friendlies, keeping tuned up for their quest to grab a spot in the European Championships in 2016. On March 31, the Red Fury from Spain will invade the Amsterdam ArenA, looking to extract a bit of revenge for the 1-5 thrashing Oranje handed them last year in Salvador, Brazil. In June, Jürgen Klinsmann will come calling at the Amsterdam soccer temple together with his charges from the United States Mens National Team. Klinsi and his men will be on the lookout to see if Nigel de Jong is patrolling the grounds. De Jong broke the leg of US midfielder Stuart Holden in a lessthan-friendly tackle against the stars and bars back in 2010. The game will take place on June 5.

If you’re the sort of sports fan who prefers to see a ball go over a net rather than into one, you’re in luck this summer, when the World Championships of Beach Volleyball will be pouring their sand in Amsterdam, Appeldoorn, The Hague and Rotterdam. Notwithstanding the attraction of scantily clad athletes competing

for gold, the organizers have selected some truly marquis sites to showcase all of this Olympian skin. In Amsterdam and The Hague, the action will take place in the heart of the city, on the Dam Square and the Hofvijver respectively. In Rotterdam, the serves and spikes will take place next to the ss Rotterdam, with the decommissioned passenger ship serving as the headquarters for the event as well as housing for the athletes.

In June, The Hague will be the place to be for the sailing aficionados to clean their binoculars and peer into the ocean in wonderment, when the Volvo Ocean Race and her big boats pay a port call at Scheveningen during their stopover. The high-tech ships will arrive at the Dutch coast coming from Lorient in France. A full menu of activities is planned above and beyond the chance to get a close up look at the magnificent Volvo Ocean 65’s.

Cycling fans will be setting their sights on Utrecht this summer, when the Tour comes to the Dome City.

The Tour de France will launch from the Netherlands once again this year, buoyed by the success of the Grand Depart from Rotterdam in 2010. Two stages will be ridden in the Netherlands: the first a time trial on the

streets of Utrecht on July 4, while the second stage will be a jaunt from Utrecht to the North Sea at Neeltje Jans the following day. The second stage will route the peloton through Rotterdam for a return engagement in the harbor city before the run home to Zeeland. Amateur pedaleurs can ride the second stage themselves in the official cyclosportive, to be held on June 28. Outside of the racing, there are a myriad of activities and side events for young and old including a special exhibition at the Dick Bruna House, where kids can see sport through the eyes of the famous Bruna characters such as Miffy. The official website at Utrecht2015.com offers more detail on all the exciting activities.

So fear not, sports fans - even in this non-Olympic, no World Cup year, there is plenty on offer. Perhaps the relative quiet of 2015 will offer us the opportunity to get a little better at the sports we participate in ourselves.

What is shaping up to be a mild winter should be taken advantage of. Time to get the golf clubs out of the shed and get an early start at the driving range, or head to the cycling track to get ready for the road season ahead!

Photo: sbo9

Cruyff vs. Van Gaal

The latest round in the ongoing feud between soccer legend Johan Cruyff and Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal recently played out on the sports pages of newspapers on both sides of the English Channel. Cruyff criticized Van Gaal’s complaints about the English Premier League playing throughout the Christmas holidays. Cruyff was quick to point out that it was no secret that soccer in its birthplace took no break during the holiday season, and if was such a big problem, that Van Gaal could always simply have turned down the job.

Dekker takes on hour record

Thomas Dekker will look to raise the bar for the men’s hour record. The record for the longest distance ridden during an hour has seen a resurgence in interest following changes in the UCI regulations allowing high-tech bikes. Record attempts are ridden on indoor tracks to not only facilitate distance measurement but also to bring air resistance down. Dekker will look to close out his professional career at the age of 30 with an attempt featuring two ways to bring the resistance down even further. The current record is held by Austria’s Matthias Brändle who rode 51.85 kilometres at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle in Switzerland last year.

27-01-15 10:18

Rent a luxurious apartment in the heart of the hague

New development: Fully renovated luxurious rental apartments

Palladium Nederland has developed four apartments and a shop unit in a late 19th-century monument (1870) on the charismatic Denneweg, known for its stylish fashion and beauty stores, antique stores and wide variety of nice restaurants and bars. It is only 50 metres away from the Lange Voorhout, and within walking distance of government buildings, the train station and other city centre locations.

DENNEWEG 4, the hague 2 Bedrooms with build-in wardrobes · 2 Luxurious bathrooms · Stylish, high-quality, open-plan Miele Kitchens · New floors, curtains, net curtains, fireplaces · Alarm system, video intercom, balanced ventilation system · Authentic details such as wooden beams, stained glass and a staircase from 1870 · Prices between € 1750,- and € 2600,-

Palladium group: Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Switserland, UK, Netherlands, USA.

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