2015

#peacejustice

The Hague is recognised

globally as the home of
international justice.

- Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General

THE
HAGUE
INTERNATIONAL CITY OF

PEACE AND JUSTICE

The Hague is the present and

future legal capital of the world.
- Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former United Nations
Secretary-General (1998)

World-level conferences are held with great regularity in the Netherlands. In

2014, the Nuclear Security Summit, the largest summit ever organised in the
Netherlands, took place in The Hague. Other examples of top-level consultations
of this kind held in The Hague are the Afghanistan Conference in 2009 and the
Global Conference on CyberSpace in 2015. At these meetings, dozens of world
leaders consult on the prevention of, and non-violent solutions to, problems in
the field of peace, justice and security.

02

The Hague:
working towards
a better world

There are good reasons for holding these conferences in The Hague. The city
has a strong reputation when it comes to peace and justice. It is the only city
outside New York to boast a main UN organ, that is, the International Court of
Justice. In The Hague, every day, tens of thousands of people jointly pursue a
more peaceful, just and secure world. They work in around 160 organisations,
hundreds of companies and various knowledge centres, and also in the Peace
Palace, the symbol of international justice for more than 100 years. The
Hague is the place where conflicts are prevented and peacefully solved. It is,
furthermore, the host city for international conferences and a meeting place
for dialogue and debate. For everyone; both now and in the future.
This brochure tells you about The Hague as City of Peace and Justice. Meet the
people behind the scenes and see the results of their work. Find out all about
this fascinating city, its history and its ambitious plans for the future.

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01

02

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An
unforgettable
day

Official opening of the Peace Palace in the

presence of Queen Wilhelmina, 1913
United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon, King Willem-Alexander
and Prime Minister Mark Rutte attending
the celebrations for the 100th anniversary
of the Peace Palace, 2013

05

01

The Peace Palace was established in The Hague on 28 August 1913 as

a temple for world peace, with two courtrooms and an extensive
legal library. The building was officially opened by ScottishAmerican financier Andrew Carnegie in the presence of Dutch Queen
Wilhelmina, and journalists from all over the world flocked to the
event. This was an unforgettable day for The Hague.
The Peace Palace was the only place in the world where international
disputes were resolved before a court in order to prevent nations
from fighting them out on the battlefield. It was the very first
institution in The Hague where people worked daily to achieve world
peace. The Peace Palace has developed into a global symbol of peace
and justice during these past hundred years, and The Hague has
become the International City of Peace and Justice where institutions
are working every day towards a better world.

02

Resolving
disputes instead
of fighting
06

The concept of building a Peace Palace arose during the First Hague
Peace Conference in 1899, when delegates from 26 countries met to
discuss peace and disarmament. This was the first time in history that
such an event had taken place. Emperor Nicholas II of Russia was very
much in favour of the talks. He was aware of the effects of war on
the Russian people and he wanted to create dialogue among nations
by holding a conference. His message was clear: dialogue prevents
war. Nicholas chose The Hague as the location for this conference for
three reasons: the city was easily accessible for people from other
countries, it was situated in the Netherlands which was a neutral
country, and Queen Wilhelmina and Nicholas were distant relatives.

Melted-down cannons
During the Peace Conference, the
French emissary proposed that
all participating nations make a
contribution to the building of the
Peace Palace. This might be a gift
for the interior such as building
materials, decorations or works of art. The other emissaries
were very keen on this idea, and as a result, the Peace Palace
was constructed using the very best types of timber, marble
and other materials and embellished with works of art from
all over the world. One of these - a bronze replica of the statue
of Christ the Redeemer of the Andes - truly symbolises peace
and justice. The original statue was made from the melteddown arms of two countries which almost declared war on one
another: Chile and Argentina.

The Hague Peace Conference

resulted in the founding of the
Permanent Court of Arbitration
(PCA), an international arbitration
tribunal whose purpose is to
mediate in conflicts. Since the
PCA needed its own premises,
Andrew Carnegie donated one
and a half million dollars to finance
construction of the Peace Palace
and the State of the Netherlands
donated the plot of land in The
Hague.
On 15 July 1899, the British
journalist G.H. Perris wrote in
his diary: [The city is] a place
of contemplation, courtesy and
patience. Convening a Parliament
for Peace here was an excellent
notion. And The Hague has reaped
its just reward, for this modest
city has meanwhile grown into the
worlds legal centre. Could a higher
honour befall any metropolis?

This modest city has

meanwhile grown
into the worlds legal
centre. - G.H. Perris, British author on
world peace, 1899

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The International Court of Justice seeks peaceful

alternatives in disputes between nations, and the
Permanent Court of Arbitration also gives rulings
on matters between nations and international
organisations or private individuals. The Permanent
Court of Arbitration and the International Court of
Justice are held in very high esteem all over the world.

Snowball effect

08

An increasing number of organisations involved

in international law and world peace became
established in The Hague during the second half of
the 20th century. This was particularly noticeable
during the 1990s. The International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia opened in The Hague in
1993, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) followed suit in 1997.
The International Criminal Court, whose origins date
from 1998, was established in 2002. This Court is
the first permanent international court of justice
founded on the basis of an international treaty:
Rome Statute.
At the International Criminal Court, individuals are
put on trial for genocide, war crimes and crimes
against humanity. Its predecessors include the
Nuremberg Trials held at the International Military
Tribunal, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, and
special ad hoc tribunals such as the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
The Municipality of The Hague and the Dutch
government provide these international
organisations and their staff with an excellent
working and living environment. The city is happy to
do this. Here in The Hague, were working towards
a better world, says Mayor Jozias van Aartsen.
Were very proud of this fact and we want to
spread the word everywhere.

World centre
for international justice

After the Second World War, the United Nations was

founded by 51 nations. All the UNs principal organs
established their main offices in New York, with one
exception: the UNs judicial organ, the International
Court of Justice, was housed in the Peace Palace in
The Hague. Like the Permanent Court of Arbitration,
its purpose is to resolve disputes between nations
and to prevent war wherever possible.

Success stories

Eurojust is proud to have

its seat in The Hague,
the city of peace and
justice, surrounded by
many other international
organisations. Our
mission is to support and
strengthen coordination
and cooperation between
national judicial authorities
in the fight against serious
cross-border crime and
terrorism and ultimately
to make Europe a safer
place.
- Michele Coninsx, President of
Eurojust

01 Proceedings at the

International Court of Justice
02 Yugoslavia Tribunal,
Churchillplein

Nowadays there are about 160

international organisations in
The Hague that are working
towards a better world. These
organisations prevent and resolve
innumerable conflicts all over
the globe using peaceful means.
Here in The Hague, we resolve
conflicts with a well-balanced and
legally valid ruling, not by force
of arms. Knowledge, science and
experience in the field of peace
and justice join forces in The
Hague.
The presence of a large
number of international
organisations in The Hague
attracts other internationallyactive organisations. In 2014, for
example, the NATO Civil-Military
Cooperation Centre of Excellence,
the Global Network of Womens
Shelters and the Human Security
Collective established offices in
The Hague.
The Hague frequently hosts major
international conferences as well,
thanks to its worldwide reputation
as City of Peace and Justice.
Prime examples of this are the
Afghanistan Conference in 2009,
the Nuclear Security Summit in
2014 and the Global Conference on
Cyberspace in 2015.

The Hague is the world

centre of international
justice. If people
organise anything to do
with international law,
they always look to The
Hague. It works better
to have everyone with
the same ambitions and
mission all in one place.
- Joan Donoghue, ICJ Judge

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Device encapsulates what The Hague stands for

For over a century, The Hague and its citizens have
worked to further peace and justice the world
over. That is why on 9 May 2012, the Dutch Queen
Beatrix bestowed this heraldic device on the city.
And since 5 June 2014, the Municipality of The
Hague also includes the phrase in its logo.

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Peace and
justice is in
The Hagues
blood

Article 90 of the Dutch Constitution

states that it is the duty of the Dutch
government to promote development
of the international rule of law. The
Netherlands is one of the very few
countries in the world to include this kind
of article in its Constitution.
In practice, this means that the Dutch
government endeavours to foster
international peace and security and to
safeguard human rights. Another aspect
of this is that the Dutch government, in
collaboration with the city of The Hague,
ensures that the Netherlands is a good
host country to organisations concerned
with peace and justice. This includes
such factors as being easily accessible
and providing attractive public space,
excellent international schools and topquality cultural and other facilities for
international staff.
This policy has proved successful. It can be
seen in the number of NGOs with offices
in the city, such as the Red Cross, Amnesty
International and UNICEF (the United
Nations Children's Fund). This number has
more than doubled from 60 to 135 during
the past ten years. The NGOs appreciate
the presence of the courts, tribunals
and other international organisations,
as well as the stable political climate in
the Netherlands. In addition to this, The
Hague has set up a multi-tenant office
building for NGOs in order to facilitate
contact among them, and has created
a special International Zone in the city.
And the Municipality has made additional
investments in security, accessibility,
public space and excellent facilities in
this zone, where many international
organisations have their offices.

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Initiatives and cooperation in The Hague

The Hague is a
fascinating city to
work in.
- Abi Williams, president
of The Hague Institute for
Global Justice

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The city is developing its own institutions

for peace and justice. One of these is The
Hague Institute for Global Justice (The
Hague Institute), which was set up in
2011 in collaboration with organisations
located in the city. Its purpose is to carry
out research and practical activities and to
provide recommendations in connection with
peace, justice and security. This institutes
objective is to prevent and resolve conflicts
and to promote international peace through
programmes such as Conflict Prevention, Rule
of Law and Global Governance. It conducts
innovative top-quality research, such as a
report on working towards peace published in
2013 and entitled The Hague Approach.
In addition to the above, the institute
focuses on bringing international experts
together - in public and in camera - and
facilitates professional training courses. In
the summer of 2013, for instance, the institute
received a delegation of eminent judges and
prosecutors from Libya for a training course
on international criminal law. The Hague
Institute is strongly emerging as a leading
international 'think-and-do tank' and will make
a major contribution to consolidating The
Hagues position as International City of Peace
and Justice.

Security
The Netherlands and The Hague are committed
to the pursuit of national and international
security; after all, this is an essential condition

for peace and justice. Increasing national and

international links are being made between
peace, justice and security in the Hague region
through various bodies, including the Hague

HSD is guiding the golden

triangle of knowledge institutes,
government and the business
community towards full maturity,
which will enable us to use
innovative security solutions to
create a safer world and achieve
economic growth. - Rob de Wijk, General
Manager, HSD (The Hague Security Delta)

Security Delta (HSD), the largest security

cluster in Europe. In this cluster, companies,
authorities and knowledge institutes
throughout the whole of the Netherlands
cooperate on innovations and the development
of knowledge in the fields of cyber security,
national and urban security, the protection
of vital infrastructure and forensic activities.
These organisations have a common ambition:
a more secure world and more jobs.
The Hague is the beating heart of this cluster,
with 400 security companies providing
employment for 13,400 people. The HSD
Campus, the national innovation centre for
security, with living labs, training facilities
and flexible office and meeting rooms, is,
moreover, also located in The Hague. Of
particular interest is the presence of the
Cyber Security Academy, a unique partnership
between Leiden University/Campus The
Hague, The Hague University of Applied
Sciences and Delft University of Technology in
the field of cyber security education.

Employment
In addition to all the organisations concerned
with peace and justice, there are more than
300 international companies located in The

Hague and environs. The biggest of

these are Shell, AEGON and KPN, all
of which have their head offices in the
city. The Hagues international image
also attracts other large companies.
The Hague is of particular interest
to companies in the energy, IT and
security sectors.
The Hague has meanwhile become an
international byword, which is good for
the city and the rest of the Netherlands
too. The international organisations
in The Hague have a positive effect
on employment and the economy,
since their total workforce numbers
about 19,500 people. Sectors such
as IT, cleaning services, tax-related
services, the catering industry, the
retail trade, taxi services, security and
education benefit from the presence
of international organisations, while
indirect employment is estimated at
about 17,500 jobs. This means that the
presence of international organisations
in The Hague has resulted in a total of
more than 37,000 jobs for people at all
levels of education, and it has also had
a positive effect on tourism.

There are about 160

intergovernmental and
non-governmental organisations
(IGOs and NGOs) in The Hague
that work hard every day to
make the world a better place.
At least 26 of the 35 IGOs in the
Netherlands are located in The
Hague and environs.
1
The Hague Conference on Private International
Law (HccH)

The purpose of the HccH is to conclude global agreements

on private international law. This relates to matters such
as uniform international regulations on adoption or child
abduction.

2
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

13 14 The PCA is an intergovernmental organisation that

peacefully resolves disputes between nations,

intergovernmental organisations and private individuals.
115 nations have joined and the number of members is
increasing.

3
International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Thanks to the numerous

international institutions,
government organisations
and knowledge-intensive
companies, The Hague is the
obvious place for us to work
every day on research and
innovation that foster peace
and security in the world.
- Henk Geveke, Managing Director for Defence, Safety
and Security at TNO

The ICJ is the only principal United Nations (UN) organ

located outside New York. The ICJ deals exclusively
with legal disputes between nations, and makes
recommendations to the United Nations General Assembly
and the Security Council on request.

4
Iran-United States Claims Tribunal (IUSCT)

This international tribunal was established by Iran and the

United States in 1981 in order to resolve the crisis that arose
between these countries as a result of the holding hostage
of people in the US Embassy in Teheran in 1979. The tribunal
arbitrates on claims made by US and Iranian citizens against
Iran or the United States respectively. The governments of
both countries can submit claims to the tribunal as well.

5
International Criminal Tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia (ICTY)

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Eurojust

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Eurojust is one of the European Unions agencies whose

purpose is to improve cooperation among judicial authorities
in the EU member states in connection with serious organised
crime in the EU.

The United Nations (UN) Security Council established the ICTY

in 1993. This tribunal brings individuals charged with genocide,
crimes against humanity, war crimes and violations of the
Geneva Conventions to trial. This relates to crimes committed
by these individuals in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 on.

13
NATO Communications and Information Agency
(NCIA)

6
International Residual Mechanism for Criminal
Tribunals (MICT)

The NCIA is one of NATOs agencies. It focuses on information

technology, digital defence and anti-missile defence.

The MICT is a mechanism established in 2010 to complete the

remaining tasks of the tribunals for the former Yugoslavia
and Rwanda. Both tribunals are scheduled to be closed down
at the end of 2014, and the mechanism will take over their
respective jurisdictions, rights, obligations and functions in the
meantime.

2
5

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Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)

14
NATO CIMIC Centre of Excellence (CCOE)

The NATO Civil Military Cooperation Centre of Excellence is an

international military centre of expertise in the field of militarycivilian collaboration. The CCOE is one of the 18 Centres of
Excellence established by the NATO member states.

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15
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
(HCNM)

1
9

The STL was established by the United Nations (UN) Security

Council in 2007. Its purpose is to investigate a bomb attack
carried out in Lebanon in 2005, in which 23 people were killed,
and to bring the perpetrators to trial. One of the people killed
in this attack was former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

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The High Commissioner is charged with seeking early solutions

to ethnic tensions and identifying tensions that might pose
a threat to peace, stability or friendly relations between
members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE).

8
Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone (RSCSL)

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International Institute for Democracy and Electoral
Assistance (IDEA)

This special court has taken over the jurisdiction, rights,

obligations and functions of the former Sierra Leone tribunal,
which was closed down in 2013. The tribunal brought
individuals to trial who were guilty of violating international
humanitarian law and the laws of Sierra Leone from 1996 on.

9
European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC)

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IDEA is an intergovernmental organisation that contributes

to democratic reforms, electoral processes, constitutional
reforms, the political participation of women and the
reinforcing of political parties all over the world.

22

17
International Development Law Organisation (IDLO)

ESTEC is the European Space Agency (ESA)s technical centre.

Practically all ESA projects are managed from ESTEC.

13

10
International Criminal Court (ICC)

25

The ICC is a permanent court established for the purpose of

bringing individuals charged with genocide, crimes against
humanity and war crimes to trial.

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11
Europol

Europol is one of the European Unions organs whose purpose

is to improve mutual cooperation and effectiveness among the
police forces in its affiliated member states. Europol helps to
combat serious international crime.

The IDLO is an intergovernmental judicial organisation that

is responsible for developing the rule of law. It consolidates
institutions that dedicate themselves to fostering peace,
justice, sustainable development and social and economic
opportunities in fragile states.

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10

12

15
11

14
26

18
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW)

The OPCW is an international organisation that has been

monitoring the destruction of all chemical weapons in the
world since 1997. The organisation carries out inspections all
over the world, and it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in
2013.

The Hague:
the place
to be for
international
study

19
Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP)

The BOIP is responsible for registering trademarks, designs and

drawings in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

20
European Patent Office (EPO)

The EPO ensures that patents are granted to inventors,

academic and scientific researchers and companies through
one central patent application in a large number of European
countries.

21
Representation of the European Commission (EC) in
the Netherlands

This representation forms part of the European Commission.

It explains how EU policies impact citizens lives; monitors
public opinion in the Netherlands and contributes to European
dialogue with its citizens and civil society organisations.

22
European Parliament (EP) Information Office in the
Netherlands

The EP Information Office represents the European Parliament

and its members in the Netherlands. It is one of the 28 EP
information offices, one for every EU member state.

23
Dutch Language Union (NTU)

The NTU focuses on the Dutch language, education in Dutch

and teaching Dutch, Dutch literature and the Dutch language in
the world. The NTU also determines the spelling in Dutch.

24
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in the
Netherlands
The IOM endeavours to ensure orderly migration with respect
for human dignity, and provides humanitarian aid to migrants
in need, including refugees and displaced persons.

25
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR)

The UNHCR is mandated to protect and support refugees at

the request of individual nations or the UN.

26
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education

The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education is the worlds

largest water and water management knowledge and training
facility. It was established by the United Nations UNESCO
organisation, and is the property of all UNESCO member
states.

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I chose The Hague

because this city offers so
many international career
opportunities. Both the private
and public sectors are amply
represented in this city.

In the words of one of our international students

A lot of important decisions are made in The Hague.
You can feel it in the air. David Chadwick from the UK
is a student of International Studies at Campus The
Hague. He sees The Hague as a prominent city in the
international landscape and consciously decided to
study here. Before moving here, I had already read
about The Hague being the International City of Peace
and Justice but didnt understand what that really
means. After living here for two years, I can see that
its authentic.

- David Chadwick, student of International

Studies at Campus The Hague

People wishing to work in an

international environment at the very
centre of everything that is going
on in relation to international peace
and justice will naturally gravitate
towards The Hague. The Hague is
the worlds leading international city
for peace and justice, and this means
its a fascinating city to work in, says
Abi Williams, president of The Hague
Institute for Global Justice. We also
have the unique advantage of a very
supportive government in The Hague,
which gives us every assistance in our
work, and also the Municipality of The
Hague, which supports us.
Students intending to pursue a career
in peace issues, international law
and security are well aware that The
Hague is the place to be. That is why
more and more students from the
Netherlands and all over the world
come to The Hague. Some of them
study for a bachelors or masters
degree in international law at Campus
The Hague-Leiden University, while
others enrol for an international study
course at The Hague University of
Applied Sciences, the Institute for
Social Studies, or The Hague Institute
for Global Justice.

The Hagues international environment appeals to

David. Its wonderful how people here really do
their best to embrace the international community.
This is tremendously valuable to me. Moreover, its
a good place to find a traineeship at an international
organisation or embassy. Ive attended a number of
information days held at buildings of the UN, but also
at Shells head office. Both organisations offer very
attractive career opportunities.

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In Davids view, having so many international

organisations in one spot offers considerable added
value. The international organisations are aware that
their presence alone is not enough to secure a more
just and more peaceful world, that depends on their
efficacy. In 2013 the OPCW was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize so they must be doing something right!

There are 11 international schools in The Hague: International School of The Hague,
The British School in The Netherlands, The American School of The Hague, Deutsche
Internationale Schule Den Haag, Lyce Vincent van Gogh de La Haye, The Indonesian
School, The Ukranian School, The Polish School, Schoolvereeniging Foundation The
Hague, Mondriaan International School, and The European School of The Hague.

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Here in The Hague, all the international

governmental organisations, including the
international courts and tribunals, and about
135 non-governmental organisations are
endeavouring to create a just and peaceful
world for everyone. The fact that their
offices are close together has resulted in
increasing cooperation, and encourages
institutions that are not yet located here
to come to The Hague. This will further
consolidate the position of the Netherlands
and The Hague as the centre of expertise for
peace and justice in the future.

Without justice no peace, without peace no justice. In

The Hague, this formula is reality rather than an abstract
concept. Here, world leaders, diplomats, activists and
other representatives of the world population meet to
work on a better, more secure world for tomorrow.

And there is increasing focus on national

and international security as well. The
Hague Security Delta, which is a network
of businesses, knowledge institutes and
government authorities, acts as a magnet for
other businesses and institutions in the same
field of activity. The Dutch government and
the Municipality of The Hague fully support
these developments too.

- Bert Koenders, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs

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The future
The Netherlands and The Hague are very proud
of the fact that the city is internationally
acknowledged as City of Peace and Justice.
The Dutch government and the Municipality of
The Hague are working hard to ensure that the
international organisations remain here and to
attract more institutions to the city. The Hague
will be the place where peace and justice
belong and are safeguarded in the future too.

More than 30 NGOs have established offices in the

Bertha von Suttner multi-tenant building (on Laan van
Meerdervoort). This building was set up specially for
them and its presence played a role in their decision to
opt for The Hague.

30+

The presence of all the

international organisations,
NGOs and knowledge institutes
serves to make The Hague an
even more attractive location
for other institutions as well
as businesses. The Municipality
naturally encourages these
developments in every way,
and we do all in our power
to provide the international
community in The Hague with
the best possible services. - Jozias
van Aartsen, Mayor of The Hague

Locations for peace and

justice open to the public

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The Peace Palace

A visit to the Peace Palace is a must, and we particularly recommend a guided
tour. A number of such tours are available several weekends a year. Visitors can
also go to the Peace Palace Visitors Centre and view an exhibition or watch a film
about the palace. Admission to the Visitors Centre is free.

A great deal of the work

relating to peace and
justice goes on behind the
scenes. While it is obviously
impossible to access the
activities of Europol staff
involved in combating cyber
crime, there are still a number
of locations which are open to
the public, and special events
are held to enable people
to experience The Hagues
international character.

General Ban Ki-moon and other world leaders

discussed nuclear security in March 2014. And
they can also follow in the footsteps of famous
peace activists like Dr. Martin Luther King, Nelson
Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi.

www.vredespaleis.nl

2 Legal proceedings
Individuals accused of war crimes all over the world are prosecuted and
tried in The Hague, and conflicts are resolved here too. Many of these legal
proceedings are open to the public, such as those at the International Court
of Justice, the Yugoslavia Tribunal and the International Criminal Court. If you
would like to attend any of these legal proceedings, just have a look at the
agenda on the relevant court or tribunals website. For more information,
please go to www.icj-cij.org, www.icty.org and www.icc-cpi.int
3 The city hall
The City of Peace and Justice is administered from the city hall, whose building was
designed by American architect Richard Meier. The film The Hague Impressions is
continually showing in the film theatre. This film tells you about the International City
of Peace and Justices past and future. www.denhaag.nl/home/bezoekers/vvv.htm
4 The Hague Peace app
The Hague Peace App is a prime example of how The Hague is working towards
a better world. This app takes users on a digital and interactive voyage of
discovery through many international organisations and unique locations in The
Hagues International Zone. It enables people to experience the way in which
these organisations work, and gives them the opportunity to see from the
outside what is happening on the inside.

Users can pay virtual visits to the world-famous Peace Palace, Nobel Peace
laureate OPCW and the World Forum, where President Obama, UN Secretary-

The app was developed by Museon, The

Hagues cultural and science museum. For more
information, please go to
http://werkenaanvrede.museon.nl/nl/vredesapp
5 Movies that Matter
The Hague has its own film festival, an initiative
of Amnesty International, which shows films
on peace and justice. The name of the festival
is Movies that Matter. This programme
also comprises interviews and debates with
international film makers, activists and politicians,
and there are exhibitions and live music too.
www.moviesthatmatter.nl

6 Humanity House
Humanity House is a unique museum set up by
the Dutch Red Cross and many of its partners. It
shows visitors what it is really like to have to flee
your home as a result of war or natural disasters.
The museum tells stories about real-life refugees
who have endured terrible wars or other disasters.
Humanity House is suitable for children aged 10
and over. www.humanityhouse.org

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22

Just Peace

HagueTalks
One goal: just peace
The first Just Peace weekend
was held in The Hague in 2014, and
The Hague, as International City
of Peace and Justice, celebrated
the United Nations International
Day of Peace during this weekend.
The celebrations included music,
debates, exhibitions, running
events, guided tours, walking tours
and lots more. About 500 people
took part in Peace Palace by Night,
a unique tour of the Peace Palace
which had been beautifully lit up
for the occasion. A further 8,000
people ran for peace during the
Peace Run and about 3,500 others
joined in a tour of The Hagues
international organisations, which
are normally closed to the public.
In 2015 'The Hague for UNICEF' will
be a central theme during the Just
Peace weekend.

Peace Run
The second edition of the Peace
Run The Hague was held on
20 September 2014, and more
than 8,000 people took part in a
10-kilometre run near the Peace
Palace. The Peace Run was held for
the first time in 2013 to mark the
centenary of the Peace Palace.

HagueTalks is a new series of interactive

debates in which experts, critics and other
interested parties can debate global issues
relating to peace and justice online, in
the Peace Palace Academy Building, and
offline. HagueTalks brings together views on
topical peace and justice situations from all
over the world. About 200 people - mostly
enthusiastic students - took part in the first
edition of HagueTalks on 19 September 2014,
and it was followed online in 21 countries.
The debate will be held in and outside The
Hague on several more occasions during the
next few years.

The Hague for UNICEF

Every two years since 2005, The
Hague, the International City
of Peace and Justice, has been
campaigning to raise funds for
an organisation that works for
international peace and justice.
UNICEF was the first charitable
organisation it selected ten years
ago. After having supported the
Red Cross, Warchild, AMREF Flying
Doctors and Save the Children, in
2015, The Hague will once more
be coming into action for UNICEF.
The Hagues municipal executive
has selected this UN childrens
rights organisation as the citys
charitable foundation of choice this
year because of the long-standing
special relationship between them
and because, in 2015, it has been 60
years since UNICEF Nederland was
set up.
UNICEF is one of the largest
childrens rights organisations in
the world. It assists children in 190
countries with better education,
vaccinations, drinking water
supplies and emergency help.
The funds raised in The Hague in
the campaign year, will be spent
on preventing child marriages in
Indonesia. This good cause will
be the theme of various events,
including the City-Pier-City race and
the Just Peace weekend, to be
held in 2015. Schools, companies,
sports clubs, the municipality and
other parties in the city will also be
dedicating activities to this cause
for the duration of a year.
www.denhaagvoorunicef.nl

23

The effect can be

seen the world over

24

Prosecution at the International

Criminal Court
Individuals accused of crimes such as
genocide, war crimes and crimes against
humanity can be prosecuted at the
International Criminal Court in The Hague
if they cannot be brought to justice in
their own countries. These proceedings
are given a great deal of attention in the
international media, and hundreds of
journalists flock to The Hague to cover
proceedings against leaders accused of
war crimes. One example is the former
Congolese rebel leader Thomas Lubanga,
who was charged with war crimes and
crimes against humanity. The International
Criminal Court found Lubanga guilty of
these charges in 2012.

International Court of Justice bans

Japanese whaling

Sipadan: a tropical holiday island instead of

a battlefield
War threatened to break out between Malaysia
and Indonesia during the second half of the
20th century because both countries had laid
claim to the island of Sipadan since 1969. This
resulted in an outburst of violence in 1995 and two
Indonesian soldiers were killed. After this incident,
Malaysia and Indonesia submitted the issue to the
International Court of Justice. Although neither
country was willing to cede their respective
claims, they did not want to go to war either.
After lengthy proceedings in which the Court
investigated the history of the island, among other
things, it ruled in 2002 that Sipadan rightfully
belongs to Malaysia. Indonesia was disappointed,
but it nevertheless respected the Courts decision.
So peace was maintained, and the island is still a
favourite holiday destination for divers and other
tourists. The area is regarded as one of the worlds
best locations for diving.

On Monday 31 March 2014, the

International Court of Justice (ICJ)
officially banned Japan from continuing its
whaling activities for the time being. In its
defence Japan pointed out that whaling
was necessary for scientific research. But
the ICJ, which has been located inside the
Peace Palace in The Hague since 1946,
ruled that there is no scientific justification
for the large number of minke whales that
Japan catches.
Australia submitted the dispute to the ICJ
on the grounds that scientific research
is an excuse for Japan to continue its
commercial whaling activities. Japan
argued that it is studying the whales diet
and reproduction, as well as the effects
of environmental pollution on these
animals. The ICJ was of the opinion that
the large number of whales killed is not in
proportion to Japans scientific results.
Although Japan was disappointed with
the courts decision, it promised to
enforce it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
said that Japan is a country that attaches
considerable importance to international
law.

Europol combats match fixing

Veto is the code name under which
the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) is
investigating match fixing in Europe.
The team comprises staff from
Europol (the European Police Office)
and police teams from 13 European
nations. They have discovered that
corruption is rife in European football,
and Europol announced in March 2013
that more than 380 football matches
in 15 countries had been fixed.
At that point Europol had spent 18
months investigating bribery and
illegal gambling in the football world.
Europol is the European Unions law
enforcement agency whose job it is
to track down cross-border crime.
The agency combats international
computer crime, fraud, corruption,
money laundering and environmental
crime, and ensures cooperation among
legal authorities. This cooperation
makes it easier for the police to track
down and tackle international criminal
networks, which in turn increases
safety for EU citizens.

25

OPCW awarded Nobel Peace Prize

On 11 October 2013, the Nobel Committee announced
that the Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded to the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW). This organisation established its headquarters
in The Hague in 1992. The Committee praised the
role played by the OPCW in reducing the number of
chemical weapons all over the world. Thanks to the
OPCWs work, no fewer than 65 states made a start
on destroying their chemical weapons in 1997. OPCW
inspectors are helping them to dispose of these
weapons of mass destruction and are making sure that
countries such as Syria keep to the agreements made.
The best way to solve
problems and to fight
against war is through
dialogue.
- Malala Yousafzai, Nobel
Peace Prize laureate 2015

26

Albania was the first country to dispose of all its

chemical weapons. Children now play happily in a
playground on the site where chemical weapons
were formerly stored.

Following on from London, Budapest and Seoul,

The Hague will host the fourth large-scale
international cyberspace conference in 2015. Due
to the rapid increase in cybercrime, cyber security
needs a firm national and international response.
Since everyone in the Netherlands is confronted with this issue every
day at home and at work, the fact that the Netherlands is able to
implement the international cyber agenda is a very good thing. The
conference is being organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Security
and Justice and will be held on 16 and 17 April 2015.

The large international 1899 Peace Conference, which was the beginning of
The Hagues story as City of Peace and Justice, is not the only conference to
be held in the city. Peace conferences are still being held in The Hague such
as the 2009 Afghanistan Conference, which was chaired by United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The 73 cabinet ministers who attended
this conference at the World Forum in The Hague agreed to release funds
for reinforcing the Afghan army, police and other security forces. They
also agreed to tackle corruption in Afghanistan and invest in training
administrators and civil servants in order to provide the country with
reliable government.

The third Nuclear Security

Summit (NSS) was held in The
Hague in March 2014. The aim
of this summit is to prevent
nuclear terrorism worldwide,
and The Hague was the third city to host this important
world summit after Washington and Seoul. The NSS
was the biggest international conference ever held
in the Netherlands, and was attended by 53 world
leaders including United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon, US President Barack Obama, German
Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister
David Cameron. About 5,000 delegation members and
3,000 journalists were also present at the summit.
Speaking of the organisation of the NSS, President
Obama said: Your hospitality has been remarkable.
Your organisation has been flawless. My first visit to
the Netherlands has been truly gezellig.

Syria

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had said a month

previously that they would probably not be able to
meet the 30 June deadline due to fighting between
the government leader and the rebels. But they still
managed to meet this deadline thanks to factors
such as the Syrian authorities cooperative attitude.

Afghanistan conference

Nuclear Security Summit

The Committee said that awarding the prize to the

OPCW was completely in line with Alfred Nobels
philosophy. Moreover, awarding the prize acts
as an incentive. On receiving the prize, OPCW
Director-General Ahmet zmc immediately said
he regarded it as an honour and as recognition
of the work carried out by his organisation. The
Mayor of The Hague, Mr. Jozias van Aartsen, is very
proud that the Nobel Prize laureate is settled in his
city. The OPCW is one of the major international
organisations in The Hague, which is known as the
International City of Peace and Justice all over the
world, Mr. Van Aartsen said.

On 23 June 2014, the Organisation for the

Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which
is located in The Hagues International Zone,
announced that no more raw materials are available
for manufacturing chemical weapons in Syria. The
UN and the OPCW transported the last part of
Syrias arsenal out of the country on that same day,
and the chemicals were destroyed in Finland and the
United States.

Global Conference on Cyberspace in The Hague

The striking feature of The Hague

is that it houses many international
organisations, courts, tribunals, and
legal and security organisations.
- Grace Asirwatham, Deputy DirectorGeneral of the OPCW (Organisation for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)

At the start of the conference, Dutch Prime Minister

Mark Rutte welcomed the world leaders with the
words: Welcome to the Netherlands, welcome to The
Hague, International City of Peace and Justice. Mr.
Rutte emphasised the importance of the Peace Palace
to global peace and stability. He said: Over the past
hundred years the Peace Palace has become the symbol
of efforts to create a stable world order by means of
international cooperation.
In his welcoming speech during the dinner for all the
world leaders at the Royal Palace Huis ten Bosch,
King Willem-Alexander said: The Hague has evolved
into the International City of Peace and Justice
during the past century, and with good reason.

27

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the

Netherlands

The recognition that

the Peace Prize brings
will spur us to untiring
effort, even stronger
commitment and
greater dedication.
- Ahmet zmc,
OPCW Director-General

The Hague has evolved into the

International City of Peace and
Justice, and with good reason.
- King Willem-Alexander during
the NSS 2014

WORKING
TOWARDS A

This brochure is a joint publication by the Municipality of

The Hague and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (February
2015). For more information on The Hague, International
City of Peace and Justice, please visit the website:
www.thehaguepeacejustice.com. You may freely use any
of the images and written texts on this website to tell your
own story of peace and justice.

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