|
Helen Terekhova
Visiting The Hague: Dutch-Russian Youth Meeting [0] - 28.07.2025
During the NATO HQ Visit Programme Russian delegation of Essay Competition winners and Winter NATO Academy Participants had a visit to The Hague: one additional day in Europe, one Dutch-Russian youth meeting, one more panel discussion … and the unlimited scope of new opportunities!Student Youth Organizations: Russian & Dutch Experience
On March, 19th, with NATO bus departure from Brussels Russian participants are looking forward to coming to Netherlands: expectations and a certain degree of uncertainty may well characterize what it is all about.
The additional day to the NATO programme was agreed for the purpose of Dutch-Russian youth meeting on Security issues, international partnerships and future dialogue establishment.
The Russian part holding the event was the Information Centre for International Security, Volgograd, the Russian Essay Competition "Russia-NATO relations: common threats, challenges, security cooperation prospects” organizer. The Information Centre for International Security is a civic initiative, a project established in 2009 in Volgograd to provide information support to the implementation of "National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation till 2020" as democracy and civil society support organization in Russia. (The head of the Information Centre is Igor Chernov and the additional info on the project could be found here: http://icisecurity.ru/)
Igor Chernov, (ICIS), Anika Ruisch, (JASON Institute). Photo by Olga Shevlyakova © bordersoff
The Dutch part was represented by SIB-Amsterdam and the JASON institute.
SIB-Amsterdam- The Leidse Studentenvereniging voor Internationale Betrekkingen – is the Leiden Students Association for International Relations, founded in 1947. It represents the Dutch United Nations Student Association (DUNSA) and is a student forum for anyone interested in International Relations and politics. (SIB website in English http://www.sib-nederland.nl/index_en.html is here)
JASON institute is the Dutch student organization founded in 1975. The foundation’s main goals are to promote wider understanding of international issues, primarily those of peace and security among the students. Being a platform of opinions’ exchange, JASON also edits a magazine on international relations, published once every three months. (For further information and contacts of JASON institute and JASON magazine you may follow http://www.stichtingjason.nl/english)
Russia-NATO relations: a view from Holland
JASON and SIB-Amsterdam organize visits to international organizations, hold lectures and conferences with students and experts and this time the main topic of the joint conference was NATO-Russia relations.
Dr. Marcel de Haas, Russia security expert, affiliated to the Belgium Royal Military Academy, Clingendael Institute and University of Groningen shared his ideas on NATO-Russia relations future and like any international problem, the situation was described in a versatile way. The presentation on what should be included in the new Strategic Concept combined general positions and special section on Russia: the points of Russia’s rightfully demanding influence on the international arena and the ‘stick-and-carrot’ policy of making clear to Russia a line drawn, bearing in mind the case of Georgia; less dependence on Russia in terms of energy supplies and more cooperation with Russia in the military operational field. What seemed remarkable about Dr. Haas’s presentation was the idea in the limelight: "Even with differences on particular issues, we feel convinced that the security of NATO and Russia is intertwined, and Russia-NATO cooperation is the one "of strategic importance for a common space of peace, stability and security”. Plenty of questions after the presentation proved there was much left to discuss – and the youth meeting of individuals with diverse backgrounds lived up to expectations.
Dr. Haas emphasized all the ideas expressed were his own views on the topic; and after the overview of the Russia-NATO common threats, challenges and security cooperation prospects presented by Yulia Smirnova on the Russian part, he got involved into discussion as the panel member together with Willem van Eekelen, former Minister of Defence of the Netherlands.
From left to right: Yulia Smirnova, Willem van Eekelen, Igor Chernov, Dr. Marcel de Haas. Photo by Olga Shevlyakova © bordersoff
The Hague: "International city of Peace and Justice"
After the highly-informative discussions and meetings Russian students had yet another chance to enrich their experience, and it was not only about the green, blooming and resplendent city of The Hague: International Law was to crown it all. You’re not mistaken as I’m speaking of sightseeing the International Court of Justice, the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. Established in 1945, it is located in the Peace Palace, The Hague, and serves to settle legal disputes of the states and to provide advisory opinions on legal issues submitted by duly authorized international organs, agencies, and the UN General Assembly.
Peace Palace. Russian delegation. Photo by Olga Shevlyakova © bordersoff
The Binnenhof, a castle complex in The Hague, is the centre of Dutch political life: it is the official residence of the Prime-Minister, the location for the meetings of the Dutch Parliament. The Queen gives her annual speech pushing off the new Parliamentary Session at The Knights’ Hall of the Binnenhof.
The Binnenhof © bordersoff
Supreme Court of the Netherlands (Hoge Raad der Nederlanden), also located in the centre of The Hague © bordersoff
Scheveningen beach - The "North Riviera” Photo by Olga Shevlyakova © bordersoff
Kurhaus, a prominent 5* Hotel, built in 1885. Queen Beatrix has her birthday celebrations here © bordersoff
The Hague is all combination of the buildings, old and new; it is what we call ‘Diversity’ with the Nature and the human hand creations all around, it is what we know as ‘Harmony’ of landscape and water! At last, it is home to over 150 international organizations, so to say ‘Heaven’ for an International Relations specialist!
Youth |23.03.2011 | Views: 1940
| Total comments: 0 | |
