you may wonder how one
girl from veghel
at the united nations in New York
it ends up
some of you may know me as
that very little girl that everyone’s the
ears from the head chatted so keeps bowl
talking or that teen with that job
at the gas station in echo or as it
girl next door who liked to go on vacation and
the trips without final destination it
most liked that trip of the destination
is still my favorite trip I have
I made a sense of my work
after a short stop and is especially rice
through to Argentina and then to
new york to thailand and then to new
york and I do not know where the future is
will still bring
but I do know that I feel at home
I’m never here in london
lose and it is thanks to that safe
home base
that I feel at home worldwide
I have never been known for one
patience that my parents can confirm
it is a condition for it
functioning in an official
organization
I am not really diplomatic anyway
I stand before you as a diplomat working
in the political department of the
Dutch mission to the United
nations
I am a diplomat because I am not at peace
with war and diplomacy
deals with negotiations
communication and about the representation of
interests and diplomacy only works if
you are in contact with the people for whom
it’s alright
maybe it looks a bit far from their bed
but for me it has work at the
United Nations
also a link with brabant
a lot is said about the
United Nations
especially when things go wrong sounds hard
criticism from around the world
Maybe you also think if you have the newspaper
reads world peace, why, where then
but we must not forget that to
two world wars and shortly after the cold
war that it was true that it was
sense of international solidarity
completely disappeared there was admittedly
no third world war but there were
but wars in the third world
and those wars that usually affects us
nothing was tasty far from
so we did not suffer from it
since niner’s life is the feeling of being satisfied
of solidarity back again
inland and abroad
inextricably connected
that we know here in Brabant as none
other
for the territory of brabant is finite
not in the Netherlands
After all, we live in northern Brabant
but the south of Brabant is simply
in Belgium
that we can not do the outside world
exclude that we also see one
a lot of other things
think of the refugee crisis at the
mh17 fly gram or a terrorist
attacks
they are problems that you do not have in you
one can solve without
international cooperation is that
not
so if people ask me you believe in it
you believe the vm in the united nations
do you believe in the united nations as
people ask me do you believe in the un
I say it is not a question of faith
it is a tough business
weighing interests for a country like
The Netherlands
and if we were to lift the un today
then we should be back tomorrow
and I can explain that in one
long story with a lot of numbers a boring
abbreviations but I prefer to do it
otherwise by means of a comparison
you could be the united nations
compare with a beautiful historical
apartment building with the association of
owners of a beautiful historical
apartment building
the association of owners has the vvd
193 members in the flat live neatly neat
residents quiet residents who are neat
but are also worn
nuisance causes and there is a voucher
between the neighbors about noise and
lying around dirty and there is fighting
between the neighbors about the exact separation
between the gardens
and the neighbors we go with each other on the
fist and the tensions run high
and there are rumors that at six high
there is domestic violence and the
victims who flee to three high
and the local residents who are talking about it
what is going on inside
all off and the neighbors go with it
interfere
how do you think in that flat there I want
really do not live but also now live in that
flat in that world of 193 countries in the
world that is also characterized by
climate challenge
the war through poverty
terrorist attacks all
phenomena that all of us can do
also touch us here in brabant and
happy is that vvd
you drag yourself to the every month
meetings to
sighing and supportive but you will
because it is nice that he is there
and that the house rules are who you are together
makes and applies to everyone
and that also maintains together
and it will never be ideal rules
will always be violated but it
is nice that they are there it is not
easy to agree with 193 parties
to be about complex problems though
it is the only way
if that vvd speaks about peace and war
then not all countries can be equal
join in
then it is only fifteen residents
who participate in the so-called safety
and five of those residents have the
in the construction of the flat in 1945 the
penthouse apartments got where they
live permanently and they also have it
veto rights with which they are unilateral
can block decisions and the
is sometimes said
they can be the one-sided
block decisions and we call that
the aspect of the skewed relationships
sommar more equal than others some
are more equal than others
it is the harsh reality, but we have to
to participate for the time being
the brush is said to be the current one
generation conflicts
more inland countries than between
it simply says more about countries
domestic violence than a neighbor’s quarrels
but there is no conflict in the world
which has had no playing over effect
if the neighbor the crane of the
leaving the bath open then it comes
water automatically through the ceiling at the
downstairs neighbors
you feel unrest in one country
eventually also in the other country
i’m busy with van in new york
domestic violence case with
spillover effect
the civil war in Syria
the number of deaths is already being estimated
more than 400,000 13 million people
dependent on livestock and food aid and
medicines
in addition, there are six million people who
home and hearth to have flight that on
have searched for security and
rattling at the doors of the neighbors or
further from home
that war in syria that takes more
than 6 years and the international
community that has failed
I work in New York for more than three
The crisis is going to be a year and I am too
part of that failing
world community and that is difficult because
work on peace and security
a slow and frustrating process and
that impatient girl is out of that
still in my so I think that is very
difficult
and the Netherlands is a small country and we
try to do everything possible
all kinds of ways to contribute to it
ending the war but it will be you
not surprising that that is not easy
job
let’s be realistic also the geopolitical
giants in this world have none
solution to the conflict
but we can not sit still
can not do anything we need something
do that is also in the interest of
the Netherlands and in such a conflict it is
important that you are the warring parties
together black not only brings the
like minded
but also the dissenters
parties who are at odds with such a conflict
each other
because you make peace with the
enemy not with your friends
a concrete example of what I do in new
york did with a colleague
we organized a meeting where we
invited a group of syrian women
a very diverse group
maybe you wonder why
women because women like no other
know what the tool is of conflicts
they are sometimes shown more than
men to prevent conflicts or them
to solve
they have been around for generations
advocates for peace
both in the home atmosphere and in the
broader society they are indispensable
proved when hitting with
instead of raising walls
women often tend to
to be focused on the coming
generations there what men at times
war might grip more focused
are on the conflict on the fight that on
that moment women must be
indispensable in maintaining
a social order and that they
not really much else here
brabant
I think of my own mother who and
night course organized for the
women in the neighborhood who
volunteer for charity
there is a sense of community and that
syrian women who have the same
community spirit but that is still there
more important because the community
torn by war
that’s why we invite free syrian women
we actually wanted a place
create where women in safety their
view parts
and that were opposing opinions
yet it feels very much for me
to also invite women who
incumbent dictator support and mothers of
heavily armed rebels that we have some
as terrorists stamp
I felt like I was the devil in the hall
invited to join
but those women who are moderate women
supporting the Dutch government
were prepared with those other women
to go into conversation and it became one
huge emotionally charged meeting
because it is not easy at all
remain unmoved by the story of
a mother one of them for our insaf
and insaf had lost her son at one
bomb attack at the university where he
aerospace studied and she sat there
my invitation
on stage next to her enemies
women who support the dictator
the dictator who put that bomb on that
university had thrown that son
had killed
and some of those women who denied it
Anyway that the dictator bombs
thrown at hospitals and schools
yes then you have to swallow
Then you think or you see
fortunately also that those women are very strong
are very good for themselves
come up and I could only make it difficult
then they are in themselves
everyone had forgiven for her own
personal loss because they are not
otherwise
thinking about the future of the syrian
children who are still alive
that wish to live in peace that was
greater than what those women divided and
it amazes me that they are talking about it
many things could get in that inch
women were all against it
starvation as a weapon of war against the
rape of girls as a war
tactics
they were all in favor of the
registration of prisoners
so everyone had at least with
loved ones and they also recognized
all that the bad economic
situation has ensured the
radicalization of their own children
the only difference is that he is for that
the children on different sides
fight the conflict
these women could agree on it
conditions for peace
this heroic something not so successful
into the official peace process
Geneva
these heroic ladies who are fighting for
democracy and peace
something here in the Netherlands here one
brabant is so self-evident and that
sense of humanity that it is
Once made difficult in New York at the
dilute un to contain the tears
because you literally face it
becomes with the suffering in the world
what drives the un the un who is there and
for the people and the Un Charter begins
with the words
who the people we the people and that
feeling that you should help others
I have also been at home from a very early age
and I know it from that
little bit who can not share is also possible
do not multiply
the situation in Syria remains natural
a huge dark situation but off and on
You see a dark spot and
this women’s meeting was one
bright spot for me
I realized that big problems
ask for big solutions but that you
that can only reach step by step
by small solutions the women
individuals as in I abolish
I also realized that we are not so much
should speak about the Syrians
but more to speak seriously
if we want peace, then that of the van
to be for everyone
and that is not a matter of course
you have the people on stage who can
and want to tell but not that stage
have no seat in that
security does not enter into a penthouse
apartment building
but that does have a lot of solution
because they are direct
stakeholders and that is not
self-evident because in my field
it is often the world leaders and the
diplomats that name is a countries more
to speak then the people for whom
it goes and I make myself there too
is innocent and that is not good because
it is not good for the
credibility and not good for the
authenticity
because we can not do anything from the outside
solution to the conflict in Syria
impose
we can help the Syrians, but the
solution will eventually come from them
must come myself I think the
syrian women
the reconciliation in syria can get on its way
help them become the backbone of that
can be and the united nations think
happy about that and
created the first women’s advisory group
in the history of the un around it
peace process in Geneva
this woman here is this syrian women
example a small example of mine
work in new york at the un
and I’ve been whole for the past three years
I learned a lot , for example
learned that it is very easy to
with someone with whom it thoroughly disagrees
are to criticize it with the
point out and condemn from
the sideline but it is much more difficult
to talk to your opponent
to go
it is hard to be courageous but also
useful
without you something about your principles
to put aside or that you committed
crimes should be forgotten
I also learned that it is very
important to the dignity of the
people who are concerned about it
to lose
the international community that cares
a lot of humanitarian aid and that well
was important in the Netherlands
but now and again we knock ourselves that we are
on the chest
but if you speak to people about who
it will then be all of you
tell that the permanent depends
are not humanitarian aid either
way of living
is and people who flee war
they are entitled to protection
what stands in the un
refugee treaty
in my experience these people are more
peace the seekers then asylum seekers
but we’re getting through lately
threats
robbery we become anxious of the
threat around us and the world is one
scary place
the world is a scary place but fear is
a bad counselor
and it is important that we face that threat
on where to estimate and a good one
give appropriate response but not
panic or overreact
it is important that a bit
modesty have the will the
complexity of the world problems
understand without us therefore
becoming polarized because what we see as
what we see more and more often is that people
want to withdraw
closing that world
but can not afford it
is not an option
an American journalist is about that
you have targets debate neighborhood
I will come and visit you if you have one
not visiting bad neighborhood then he comes
to you and visit you and I think
that the choice between stability
export or import instability
not a difficult choice and I see it
as a task for myself to be good
react free of fear and with the
dignity of the fellowmen in it
back of the head
I’m still not always patient
and still not always that
political but with the same openness
which at the gas station in it
I was now behind the checkout
contacts as a diplomat
and I really know what I am doing with that
one who does not go to war in syria
to resolve
The Netherlands can not do that either, but I hope
I know that because of my impatience and far
slightly harder pressure
something more tenacious and knows more
to reach than wait-and-see people
I see it as my role for a light
to shine on the darkest places in
the world
and those people who have a story
also give a podium on it
world stage
and in that association of owners
from that apartment building where we are all together
now live in Brabant and they live in Syria
because I do not believe that we are here
really know peace
as long as there is conflict elsewhere in anger
also because there is always play about effects
if there is war elsewhere or
we experience this early at home or
let the disadvantages
and I also do not think we are like people
have peace that the toddlers die
the beach or on the wash
we have no peace with war
thank you
[Applause]
”
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