Alumni-event on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of Erasmus University ISS at Kortenaerkade The Hague, 28 March 2024

Dear president Ed Brinksma,

Dear rector Ruard Ganzevoort,

Dearest alumni, the diamonds of Erasmus University ISS,

and you know, dear professors Brinksma and Ganzevoort, diamonds are forever.

Dear Emily (accidently you just gave me honour to visit me at Cityhall),

The jubilee year has been in full swing for a few months already, but let me warmly congratulate you on 110 years of Erasmus University.

The Hague feels fortunate to have the presence of The Hague Campuses of Erasmus University, the University of Leiden and Delft University of Technology. Plus the university centre will be housed in the iconic V&D building from next year. With now 50,000 students on MBO, HBO and academic education courses, The Hague is becoming even more of a knowledge hub and student city than it already was. The Hague’s education institutions and the municipality have joined forces in Student & Stad (Student & City) for the welfare of all those students.

The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) has been part of The Hague’s knowledge community for much longer than the Leiden, Delft and Erasmus campuses. It all began in 1952 in Paleis Noordeinde that was largely made available to the institute by Queen Juliana. Thirty years ago, ISS moved into this former building of the PTT. In 2009 it became part of Erasmus University.

ISS is closely linked to The Hague, the international city of peace and justice. ISS has traditionally focused on what was initially called development aid. Then it became development cooperation and now we speak of our relationship with ‘The Global South’. Along with other enlightened public figures, the Scheveningen native, Jan Pronk was a professor here and was also awarded an honorary doctorate at this institute.

ISS is one of the oldest and largest centres for education and research on global socio-political and economic developments. The alumni who came here as students from all over the world streamed out again to put their knowledge and experience into practice in their home countries. Or they stayed in The Hague to work for the major international organisations and NGOs in the field of peace, law and global justice that are based here.

The role played by the ISS is an invaluable part of the profile that we hold dear as a municipality: The Hague, city of peace and justice. It is both our motto and our mission. From its first beginnings with the 1899 peace conference, to the International Criminal Court’s investigations into war practices in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza. From tribunals to punish war crimes, to ISS studies that contribute to more just international relations.

We as a municipality cherish our mission. We facilitate peace and justice institutions to ensure that they can fulfil their mission in freedom and security on our territory. We also look for ways to bring law and justice closer to our residents. It is good to see that some of the research done at ISS is carried out together with the municipality. We both welcome an initiative like the community court that was launched in Moerwijk last year.

Where justice comes to the people. Where punishment is meted out where necessary, but restoring relationships is paramount. The same applies to the youth courts at Zuidwest College and Mondriaan College. Trained in the roles of our justice system, young people there will soon be administering justice for minor offences. But, above all, they will work to restore relations (after the conflict) so that everyone can walk through the school gates together again.

That working for peace, law and justice is about more than the world of higher courts, is something that ISS alumni and other parts of Erasmus University know all too well. I am guessing we will hear more about that from the speakers who will follow in a moment. People must be able to experience law and justice for themselves. Everywhere in the world, and therefore in the local districts of The Hague, too.

Once again, I would like to congratulate ISS and Erasmus University on this remarkable anniversary: a century and ten years more. ISS, the flagship of impact of Erasmus University, 110 years making minds better … Erasmus at the sea (and at the beach).

I wish you all an enjoyable informal gathering in the splendid Panorama Mesdag nearby.