Toespraak door burgemeester Van Zanen bij de opening van de tentoonstelling Palimpsest Worlds op donderdag 26 maart 2026 t.g.v. EU-voorzitterschap van Cyprus

Distinguished guests,
Ambassador Attas,

Europe is not a blank page.
Its history is layered, textured and persistent.
Even when we attempt to erase the past, it reappears beneath the surface.
The artists behind Palimpsest Worlds show us this truth with remarkable clarity.

What their beautiful artwork allows us to experience is, in many ways, a mirror of our own reality.
The present never stands apart from the past.
Events do not occur in isolation.
Feelings and tensions have deep roots.
Recognizing what is and what was is essential if we are to make wise, responsible and humane decisions.

That is why Palimpsest Worlds is more than an exhibition.
It is an invitation to reflect, to question and to act with care.
Thoughtful action is a discipline our world urgently needs.

As the City of Peace and Justice, The Hague has dedicated more than a century to upholding the international rule of law.
We do this together with the ICJ, the ICC and over 500 organisations in our city that share this mission.
And we do this with the support of many nations across the world.
Cyprus is one of those nations.

Your island, positioned at the crossroads of three continents, carries a history as layered as any palimpsest.
That history continues to reveal itself, including in your current Presidency of the European Union.
The division of Cyprus since 1974 reminds us how fragile peace can be and how essential cooperation remains.
Your accession to the European Union in 2004 reaffirmed this truth.

During its first Presidency in 2012, Cyprus distinguished itself as an honest and constructive broker.
Such leadership is needed again.
One might even say: “You have your work cut out for you“
Nevertheless, we look forward to following in your footsteps in 2029,
when the Netherlands assumes the Presidency of the EU.

In these unsettled times, I often recall my father’s question whenever I travelled for city diplomacy.
“Is such a visit really useful?”, he would ask.
My answer never changed. “As long as people are talking, they are not shooting.”

Dialogue is the foundation on which peace is built.
It is the instrument that allows us to write the next layer of our shared history in a responsible way.

Dialogue is what we must continue to nurture,
every day and in every setting,
patiently and consistently.

Our history demands it.
So does our future.

Thank you.