A year in review in pictures
January & February
From strategic networking at the Grüne Woche in Berlin related to the establishment of the Global Alliance of Horticulture Regions, to providing a tailormade protocol training for the International Energy Agency in Paris, at a stone’s throw distance from the Eiffel Tower, and from continuing cooperating with U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia, to enjoying a museum morning in Madrid, while roaming around the pomp and circumstance showcased in the Galería de las Colecciones Reales after our Masterclass series at Comillas Pontifical University for over 50 Master students from the faculties of International Relations and Global Communication.
March & April
From the first blog of our new working student Stephan van Beukering related to studying and working in Japan, to training participants in preparation for the 6-month duration of EXPO 2025 in Osaka in collaboration with our consortium partners Andreja Wieser and Giovanni Criscione, as well as enjoying a memorable 5-week holiday during cherry blossom season in the land of the rising sun, while also being invited on our last day to the official opening of the Netherlands Pavilion at EXPO by Dutch Prime Minister Schoof, and after my return home, resuming training and consultancy projects for the Municipality of Arnhem, and the European Parliament.
May & June
From the 5th of May Lecture by Polish Prime Minister Tusk in Wageningen, to training Tibetan diplomats in Tokyo, and from providing online training sessions for numerous branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as several EU Diplomatic Representations in Latin America, to consulting with APM Terminals at Tweede Maasvlakte and commenting in Dutch media about geopolitics surrounding the NATO Summit in The Hague, while also being part of a selection day at Hotelschool The Hague, as well as attending the community initiative of Nederland Maakt Impact during Just Peace for young future leaders, in my capacity of advisory board member.
July & August
Revisiting the splendid country house hotel Cliveden along the river Thames, 25 years after my internship as first work experience abroad, before heading to Miami to attend the annual education forum of PDI-POA and together with Maryse Larché Mele being part of a panel discussion led by Jennifer Beckett, as well as briefing emeritus senior scientist Raymond Wheeler from NASA in Orlando for a keynote speech in Japan, and advancing for a UN Global Compact event at Times Square, and straight afterwards delivering a 5-day training programme for Aramco in Al Khobar, but also facilitating a private training course at my roof top terrace in The Hague.
September & October
From organizing several parts of a Dutch trade mission to Osaka related to controlled environment agriculture, to the launch of the website of the Global Alliance of Horticulture Regions on World Food Day, and from offering protocol support at the Unstoppable Africa Business Forum during the High-level Week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, to a workation in Maryse’s hometown Naples, and training numerous representatives from the Municipality of Riyadh in collaboration with the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, as well as several national government officials from Qatar in The Hague, while also hosting the Diplomatic Community in Westland.
November & December
Providing an open subscription training course in Amsterdam, including a guest lecture by Steve Derden as Head of Protocol & Events at NATO Headquarters, as well as bidding farewell to Holland Dance Festival after eight years at its supervisory board, and from providing numerous trainings for the principal institutions of the European Union in Brussels, to welcoming our book An Experts’ Guide to International Protocol in French (many thanks to Amsterdam University Press), while also wrapping up a consultancy project for the Dutch National Police, and last, but certainly not least, spending Christmas and New Year’s Eve with dear family members and friends!
