Rotary Foundation fundraiser, Mauritshuis, 27 februari 2025

Dearest Rotarians, distinguished guests,

It is such a pleasure to be here with you at this fundraising event, in the beautiful Golden Room of the Mauritshuis. I hope you were able to have productive dialogues while appreciating the fine art in this monumental building. I am glad that the Mauritshuis was able to provide the right ambiance for this.

Some of you may be aware that Rotary International holds a special place in my heart. It is because of the Rotary Graduate Foundation that, as a young man, in the early eighties, I was able to spend a year studying at Cornell Law School, in upstate New York. And when you get that honour and chance, I owe one (maybe even more than one). Some ten years later, in the early nineties, I became an active member of Rotary myself (Rotaryclub Utrecht-Krommerijn, classification: national employers organisations).

Becoming a Mayor July 1st 2005 (city of Amstelveen), I deemed it less appropriate to be an active member within the Rotary. One day – although not in the foreseeable future – my mayorship will come to an end. If the opportunity is presented to me, who knows one day I will have the honour to join the Rotary again.

Aside from my personal involvement, as the Mayor of The Hague I am honoured that the first Dutch edition of the Rotary Foundation Peace fundraiser is taking place right here and right now. With the former president of Rotary International (2019-2020) and current Chair of Trustees of the Rotary Foundation, Mark D. Maloney, and his wife Gay in attendance. Mr. Maloney, once again I’d like to thank you for your presence (all the way from Alabama).

We are all aware of the uncertain geopolitical situation and the great pressure this poses on for instance the international rule of law and its institutions. A large number of these institutions and their supporting organizations are based here, in The Hague. We owe our city motto to them: The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice. It is up to us to stand up for this principle, and to give it a new meaning.

Fortunately, we are not alone in this. As president of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), a worldwide network of local and regional governments, representing more than 70% of the world’s population, I recently had the pleasure of visiting the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, in New York. He confirmed the great importance of the role of local governments in global issues, like peace and prevention of conflicts. But also in issues such as climate change, poverty and migration. For the local and regional governments, their districts and neighbourhoods will feel the effects of these issues, and where their solutions must be applied, first.

Rotary International has been actively involved in tackling these issues for the past 119 years, in over 200 countries around the world. Peace and conflict resolution are your main focus areas. I am on your side (and will continue to be). In pursuit of this, you work together with various UN organizations and NGO’s. You act in conflict areas and stand up for positive peace, which is more than simply the absence of violence. It is lasting peace thanks to good governance, fighting for equality, health, opportunities, and rights for all.

Nations should continue to stand up for the international rule of law and its institutions, and we as local and regional governments should do so too, just like Rotary International. Please carry on.

Thank you all.