Toespraak burgemeester Van Zanen bij International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (ISCRAM) op 1 juni tijdens bijeenkomst in Mauritshuis, in aanwezigheid van Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response van Ontario, Canada.

Minister Dunlop, Distinguished guests,

Crisis? What crisis?

This was the title of a 1975 album by the British band Supertramp. The band and the album are known worldwide, but became even more popular in Canada. Perhaps that is no coincidence. Because resilience is not just policy in Canada, it is a mindset. You prepare for crises. You face them head-on. And then, you deal with them.

That mindset is more relevant today than ever. Because in today’s world, resilience is no longer just a national issue. It is a shared responsibility.

And it is from that perspective that I warmly welcome you here today to The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice. It is a title we wear with pride. At the same time, it also brings a certain vulnerability.

Because when the world is in turmoil, when not all nations choose to abide by the rule of law,

those who defend that law – our many international institutions – increasingly become targets themselves.

There are, of course, many other factors that make our modern societies vulnerable. Today, everything is interconnected, digitally, economically and institutionally.

This interconnectedness makes us faster. More efficient. But at the same time, it also makes us fragile.

When one part of the system fails, the effects do not stay contained. They spread, locally, nationally, and sometimes globally.

This is a reality we know particularly well in the Netherlands. Safety and security have long been core priorities here. Together with the Scandinavian countries, we have built a strong tradition in the science of crisis management. A significant part of this expertise is concentrated here, at Leiden University’s The Hague Campus.

That focus is no accident. It is born from our history and shaped by the challenges we face. A large part of our country, including Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, lies below sea level. For us, risk is not an abstract concept; it is part of everyday life. And living with that reality has shaped not only how we think, but how we act.

What is the right thing to do when everything goes wrong? That’s the most import question. A question that has many answers.

Ontario offers us a compelling example. This province has not only chosen to inform and prepare its citizens for crises, it actively involves them in the response through the Ontario Corps. These trained civilian volunteers stand ready to assist in times of need. That approach inspired a promising pilot project here in our region, where we train students of the The Hague campus to volunteer and assist our emergency services in crisis situations.

This underlines a broader principle. Reliable information and thorough preparation are key to effective crisis management. And that is precisely why a conference like the ISCRAM is so important.

By exchanging knowledge, lessons learned and new insights, we strengthen our collective readiness for whatever challenges lie ahead.

So perhaps, when all is said and done, we might even dare to say:

Crisis? What crisis?

Together, we ensure that when the next crisis comes, we are ready.

I wish you a fruitful and inspiring conference. Thank you.