Toespraak door Jan van Zanen bij de uitreiking van een Stadsspeld aan Nanda Jagusiak-Monteiro, 2 oktober 2025

 

 

Your excellencies,

 

Good afternoon,

 

And especially: dear Nanda and Tony (husband),

 

 

I hope you will forgive me for interrupting your meeting.

 

Of course, I have a good reason for “cutting in”.

 

As you know, this is the last information meeting about healthcare in the Netherlands that Nanda will attend.

 

That makes this an excellent moment to celebrate everything she has done for the members of the international community of The Hague.

 

It is of great importance to our city that internationals quickly feel at home here.

 

First of all, we attempt to make a contribution to that process ourselves.

 

For example, by facilitating The Hague International Centre, located in the atrium of our city hall.

 

Only last week, the Centre celebrated its fifteenth anniversary.

 

But of course, we cannot achieve our goals without the help of others.

 

People like Nanda.

 

Nanda,

 

For the past twelve and a half years, you have worked tirelessly as expat coordinator of the Haaglanden Medical Centre.

 

The creation of this role resulted from a request of the then mayor, Wim Deetman.

 

He asked the hospital to appoint a liaison for diplomats and expats.

 

Nanda, you subsequently made countless people familiar with our Dutch healthcare system.

 

Whether they needed to know about visiting the infant welfare centre, finding a GP (general practitioner), or getting specialist care: you were always available as their first point of contact, answering any and all questions they had.

 

In this way, you have been a major help and support to many people.

 

This information meeting became an annual event, and it has always been well-attended.

 

It is for good reason that your nickname is “Mrs. Healthcare”.

 

Now, Nanda, we can say without a doubt that you are perfect for this role.

 

For a start, you and Tony once started out as expats here.

 

You, too, had to get to know every aspect of life in the Netherlands.

 

The do’s and don’ts.

 

And, of course, this includes our health care system.

 

You are well-known in our international community.

 

Not only were you President of the International Women’s Contact, you also have a knack for writing.

 

A knack which you have used right up until today – for example, when writing articles for the Holland Times.

 

Furthermore, you inspire others – including myself – to take up the pen.

 

Last summer, at your request, I wrote an article reflecting on the successful NATO summit.

 

Dear Nanda,

 

Now, after twelve and a half years, you are retiring.

 

However, I am sure you will not settle into passive retirement, staring at your geraniums, as we say in the Netherlands.

 

On behalf of the city of The Hague, I would like to thank you most sincerely for the difference you have made to the international community of The Hague.

 

As a token of our gratitude for your dedication, it is my pleasure to present you with the city pin known as the ‘Stadsspeld’.

 

Good luck with your future endeavours.

 

Take care, and all the best to you and Tony.