24 June 2019

What a way for Diplomat Club Wassenaar to spend its 5th Anniversary which coincided with our 11^th Ceremony, meaning we have welcomed 82 Ambassadors so far!
By a sweltering midsummer evening of June, we had the honour of welcoming the six new Ambassadors of: 

China: H.E. Dr. Xu Hong 
Georgia: H.E. Mr. George Sharvashidze and Mrs. Ketevan Ratiani
Iran: H.E. Dr. Alireza Kazemi Abadi
Kuwait:H.E. Mr. Abdul-Rahman Al-Otaibi
UAE:H.E. Dr. Hissa Abdulla Ahmed Alotaiba
Uruguay: H.E.Mrs.Laura Dupuy Lasserre

So many of our cherished guests, members and honorary members turned out to share this joyous moment with us.
They were greeted in the gardens by Mr Frank Koen, Mayor of the municipality of Wassenaar; Tenrande board members, Peter Bliek (President) Dr. Marjolein de Bois, Honorary advisor Mr. Hans Slingerland van Bemmelen and Mrs Shida Bliek, Founder of Diplomat Club Wassenaar, who welcomed the newly arrived Ambassadors to the Club and decorated them with a Dutch flag pin, a tradition we delight in.

Once seated in the concert room, the Mayor of Wassenaar highlighted the wonderful municipality he represents, to the backdrop of photos of the new Ambassadors with His Majesty the King, Willem Alexander and their brightly coloured flags.
The Mayor handed Mrs Bliek a bouquet of flowers as appreciation for all her work and achievements as founder of Diplomat Cub Wassenaar and Diplomat Affairs Magazine. Mrs Bliek thanked him in return for his support and wished him farewell as he steps down this summer.

As spokesperson, I had the privilege of holding a rapid presentation on the occasion of our 5th anniversary, summarising our goal and achievements:

• DCW was founded by Mrs. Shida Bliek with the support of her neighbours on Embassy row near the Peace Palace, where TenRande Foundation is based. Diplomat Club Wassenaar is part of this Foundation. Read more
• The concept was to create a neutral environment where politics and religion would play no part and where all could meet and be in touch with the Dutch. All Ambassadors are honorary members of DCW
• So far, we have had the privilege of welcoming over 82 Ambassadors! Read more
• The emphasis is on Art (we are actively involved in the heritage of a Cobra artist), music (through our collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire The Hague), charity (MC Thorax Foundation/SOS children village), and Sports/business (link with CHIO Rotterdam and PortClub Rotterdam). Read more
• TenRande Foundation is also the official representative and special Delegate to the Netherlands of the Flame of Peace foundation. (Dr. Ben Bot, Chairman of Carnegie Foundation and the former Portuguese Ambassador, H.E. Mr. José de Bouza Serrano were awarded in 2016). Read more

• We thrive thanks to the wonderful cooperation with the Municipality of Wassenaar, the Embassies, Kasteel de Wittenburg and not to forget the Ambassadors Spouses Association. Read more
• All our activities and more are highlighted on our website and in our magazine “Diplomat Affairs- in touch with the Dutch”, which also celebrates its 5th Anniversary. We thank you all for the wonderful articles you have collaborated in.

Director of the Royal Conservatory The Hague, Mr Henk van der Meulen announced the musical interlude: a tenor, Mr Hao Wang (from China) and on the piano Mrs Shintaro Kawahara (from Japan).
It was exquisite and distracted us from the heat of the moment, though the breeze did its best to filter through the billowing curtains.

After the traditional photo, guests partook in the delicious buffet, settling at the round tables in the garden, relishing in the evening breeze and the wonderful atmosphere.

No one was in a hurry to leave from this warm and friendly evening in idyllic surroundings, which was for us the best birthday present we could imagine.

Read article in the Wassenaarse Krant