Welkomstwoord bij de conferentie Women and Peace: in the footsteps of Bertha von Suttner, 9 december 2025 

 

Excellencies, 

Dear all, 

 

It is my pleasure to welcome you to The Hague, the city that is honoured to host this important conference.  

A gathering that highlights the vital role women play in peace processes.  

At the same time, we pay tribute to a heroine who is both universal and deeply connected to The Hague: Bertha von Suttner. 

In the late 19th and early 20th century, she was the face of the international peace movement.  

We may rightfully consider her the spiritual mother of our international city of peace and justice.  

This is emphasized by the unveiling of her statue during this conference, tomorrow afternoon. 

Bertha von Suttner rose to fame after she published her book Die Waffen Nieder, known in English as Lay Down Your Arms. 

In a time of extreme nationalism and in a society where women were given almost no voice of their own, she had the courage to plead for peace, disarmament, and international co-operation.  

Her influence extended far. 

She played a prominent role during the peace conferences of 1899 and 1907.  

Andrew Carnegie was inspired by her and gifted the Peace Palace to The Hague.  

Her influence helped inspire Alfred Nobel to create the Nobel Peace Prize.  

And of course, one hundred and twenty years ago, she herself became the first woman ever to receive that honour.  

Bertha von Suttner may have lived over a century ago, but her message is still as urgent today as it was during her lifetime.  

Her legacy lives on in the international and non-governmental organisations that The Hague is home to.  

And in all of you, who have gathered here to carry her flame of peace forward. 

When we look at history and at today’s society, what we see is this: 

Women are often the engine that drives peace. 

They carry hope, they bring about change. 

Only last month, the courageous Syrian girl Bana Alabed won the International Children’s Peace Prize – an award closely connected to the Hague.  

Alabed, who is now 15 years old, became world famous in 2016 for her tweets sent from Aleppo, which was then under siege.  

Her voice, once nearly drowned out by the violence of war, reminds us that peace starts by protecting those who are most vulnerable.  

Another courageous woman, Eleanor Roosevelt, was the first to step out of the shadow of the powerful President of the United States and take an active role in the peace process.  

Her famous quote resonates in the Hague: after all, where do human rights begin? In small places, close to home.  

And that, exactly, is the core of our mission: peace starts close to home.  

In our streets, in our neighbourhoods, in our cities. 

The Hague understands this. 

In the past year, we put the The Hague Charter for Municipal Peace on the international agenda. 

And by now, it has been embraced. 

Because peace is not just made at diplomatic meeting tables – it is made between people.   

World peace must have local roots. 

And to achieve this, we accept our role and our responsibility.  

Women and women’s rights cannot be separated from a strong international legal order. 

When propagating these values, you will always find The Hague by your side.  

I sincerely wish you a successful conference.  

Thank you.