February 14, 2023 The employees of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in the Netherlands under the leadership of Ambassador Razdan Duggal and Deputy Chief of Mission Woodward signed a charter to formalize the U.S. Mission’s council for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The employee-led council will uphold the U.S. Mission to the Netherlands’ commitment …
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Ambassador Razdan Duggal traveled to Washington D.C. to join the bilateral meetings between U.S. President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra. Photo Gallery Readout of President Joe Biden’s Meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. …
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Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Shefali Razdan Duggal [as prepared] The Hague – Peace Palace, November 15, 2022 Good morning, everyone! My name is Shefali Razdan Duggal, the newly arrived United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a genuine privilege to be with you all here today in the Peace Palace to …
Read More» The Hague, October 17, 2022 –The Ambassador-Designate of the United States of America to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Shefali Razdan Duggal, will present her credentials to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander on Wednesday, October 19. Shefali Razdan Duggal was nominated by President Biden to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands on March 11, …
Read More» Recently, together, we commemorated Memorial Day at the Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten. In my opening remarks there I quoted our Founding Fathers who famously wrote, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Recent events …
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Margraten Announcement Letter (PDF 159 KB) 27 March 2020 The Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten is a special place. Americans and Dutch alike honor the soldiers buried here, men and women who gave their lives 75 years ago in a titanic struggle against tyranny and oppression. Together as friends and allies, each year the American and Dutch people …
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The 1969 lunar landing was an unprecedented achievement — a milestone in human history. How did it happen? Decades of relentless scientific development as well as courageous astronauts who were determined to explore the unknown did the trick. But there is more. Technologies that are common today came out of Apollo space research. CAT scans, …
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U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra hosted the celebration of the 243rd year of America’s independence at the John Adams Park in Wassenaar, the location of the U.S. Embassy in The Hague. We thank all our amazing sponsors for their generous donations. The reception celebrated the 75 years since the Liberation of the Netherlands, with World War …
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Item on the website of “De Maatschappij” – In gesprek met Pete Hoekstra, ambassadeur van de Verenigde Staten van Amerika, met een primeur! On June 25, 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra spoke to more than 80 members of the local chapters of “De Maatschappij” at the Carlton-Ambassador Hotel in The Hague. Founded in 1777, “De Maatschappij” is the oldest network organization in the Netherlands. The Ambassador talked about recent geo-political developments and the Dutch-U.S. …
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Ambassador Hoekstra and a U.S. Embassy team joined over 15,000 other riders in the traditional Fietselfstedentocht on Whit Monday. The 235 km (or 146 miles) track led the participants through the eleven cities and the countryside of the beautiful province of Friesland, from Dokkum in the East to Stavoren on the shores of the IJsselmeer. What …
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Ambassador Hoekstra’s Remarks at the annual Memorial Day ceremony as prepared. Sunday, May 26, 2019 Minister Blok, Governor Bovens, Admiral Ishee, Mayor Akkermans, distinguished veterans, your excellencies, Superintendent Williams, ladies, and gentlemen, it is truly an honor to join you once again, marking the 75th annual Memorial Day ceremony on these hallowed grounds. Everyone here …
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On the occasion of the opening of a new exhibition in Museum Eenigenburg, West-Friesland, commemorating the 170th anniversary of the dramatic journey to the United States by several Eenigenburg families, Ambassador Hoekstra was presented with the first copy of a book entitled “Geloven in een Nieuwe Wereld,” written by local historian Fred Hoek and specially …
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On May 10, 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra opened a special workshop at The Next Web Conference TNW2019 in Amsterdam, dedicated to the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The Next Web Conference is the largest tech conference in Europe, with more than 17,500 people participating. The two-day conference consists of speakers, panel discussions, and workshops. Ambassador Hoekstra tweeted: “Great to be at @thenextweb …
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More than 35 members of the 50PLUS political party attended a town hall meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Wassenaar. 50PLUS leader Mr. Henk Krol is a member of the U.S. Contact Group in the Dutch parliament. Ambassador Hoekstra addressed the group, and had an interesting exchange on how to improve the economic and security …
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On March 29, 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra spoke at an event organized by the America Europe Friendship Association (AEFA) in cooperation with the Municipality of Brunssum. More than 120 guests, including Limburg Governor Theo Bovens, Mayors and NATO representatives were present. The AEFA aims to strengthen the transatlantic relationship, particularly from Limburg but with inclusion of …
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The U.S. Embassy co-hosted the annual Dutch-American Friendship Day reception with the organization “Americans Overseas Remember” (OAR) . Each year, OAR presents a ‘Certificate of Appreciation’ to an individual or organization in the Netherlands that provided a great contribution to the Dutch-American relationship. For 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Mr. Wiel Lenders, Director of the …
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More than 60 members of the CDA Business Club (a network organization of the Dutch political party Christen-Democratisch Appèl) attended a town hall meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Wassenaar. Ambassador Hoekstra addressed the group, and had an interesting exchange on how to improve the economic and security relations between the Netherlands and the United States. Besides that, …
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Ringing the market bell, Ambassador Hoekstra yesterday officially opened the Gouda Cheese Market season. After a tour with Mayor Salet of this world famous cheese market, museum director Marc de Beyer showed the Ambassador and his wife the collection of Museum Gouda , including the beautiful 16th century religious art and impressive scale model of the historic city. The visit …
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Ambassador Hoekstra and Mrs. Diane Hoekstra traveled to Zeeland on April 2 and 3 for an official visit to the province. They were greeted by King’s Commissioner Han Polman. Ambassador Hoekstra then gave the Roosevelt Lecture at the Roosevelt Institute for American Studies, followed by a dinner with students from University College Roosevelt and Ostrea Lyceum in …
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In close cooperation with the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam, Ambassador Hoekstra hosted a town hall meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Wassenaar for more than 80 American Citizens living in the Netherlands. After brief remarks on the issues that the U.S. Embassy is currently working on, such as the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Summit and …
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Ambassador Peter Hoekstra traveled to Curacao to take part in events around the “Road to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES)-Caribbean.” Ambassador Hoekstra addressed more than 200 entrepreneurs from throughout the Caribbean about the importance of entrepreneurship in today’s global economy. He said that he had been highly impressed by the business concepts, innovation, and entrepreneurship …
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During a visit to the province of Friesland on March 1, 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra went to Jirnsum, where he visited the factories of Concorp, the third-largest confectionary company in the Netherlands. Founded in 1960, Concorp is a 100 percent family-owned business with an annual turnover of 60 million euros and 150 employees. Concorp brands include …
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Press Release- U.S. Consulate General Curaçao The Government of Curaçao and the U.S. Consulate General Curaçao are excited to announce that Curaçao will host the Road to GES Caribbean event on March 14-15, 2019 in Willemstad, Curaçao. The Road to GES events are a series of signature events in anticipation to Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019, which …
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On February 28, 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra visited the province of Groningen. His trip included a tour of Groningen Seaports and its operations in Eemshaven and Delfzijl. In Eemshaven he met companies in the energy, chemical, and data management sectors, and was given a tour of the largest wind farm in the Netherlands. A later visit to the …
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On February 21, 2019, Ambassador Hoekstra hosted a reception for business people from the Transatlantic Christian Council . More than 50 entrepreneurs attended the event. This reception was a follow-up of Ambassador Hoekstra’s visit to Barendrecht and Bodegraven on October 30, 2018. In his speech, the Ambassador spoke about investment and innovation. He also focused on two major …
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Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, will host a town hall meeting for U.S. citizens resident in the Netherlands. The town hall is a chance for U.S. citizens to meet the Ambassador and other members of the U.S. Mission. During the town hall, subject-matter experts will be available to answer questions on topics such as passport renewal, personal …
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Ambassador Hoekstra gave the annual Machiavelli lecture for the Machiavelli Foundation in Nieuwspoort Press Center in The Hague on February 13, 2019 Remarks – Ambassador Pete Hoekstra February 13, 2019 Machiavelli Lecture As prepared Thank you for inviting me to be with you this evening. It is a real honor. Diane and I thoroughly enjoy living here, …
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Ambassador Hoekstra toured the campus of the European Space Research and Technology Center ( ESTEC ) in Noordwijk and learned about collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA . Franco Ongaro, head of ESTEC welcomed Ambassador Hoekstra and gave him an informative tour of the space engineering labs and campus. They spoke about the collaboration on future …
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During a diplomatic training program, Ambassador Hoekstra spoke to the youth chapter of ChristenUnie, PerspectieF, on international diplomacy, the tools used by the United States to promote foreign policy, and about his experience in business and politics. Questions from the students followed and it was a productive discussion with people who are on track to be …
Read More» December 19- This week De Telegraaf newspaper published an opinion piece by Ambassador Hoekstra about Nord Stream 2 entitled: “Don’t give the Russians power over your gas.” Below is the original English version. Last week the United States Congress passed a bipartisan resolution asking our European allies to take a very important action: reject the …
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THE HAGUE, the Netherlands, December 17, 2018 – Ambassador Hoekstra joined MFA Director General for Foreign Economic Relations Hanneke Schuiling for a kick-off coffee to mark the global launch of the 2019 GES online application portal for entrepreneurs in Amsterdam. The event was held at Café Dauphine, which is located in the same building as …
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Fifteen-year-old Just Pallandt, initiated a high-profile visit by inviting Ambassador Pete Hoekstra to the 4e Gymnasium in Amsterdam. The Ambassador spoke to a group of 140 students from this secondary school about his personal background, the strong relations between the Netherlands and the United States, economic and security challenges we are facing, and the upcoming …
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November 15 – New York, New York Ambassador Pete Hoekstra , Dutch Ambassador Henne Schuwer, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy Michael Kratsios joined together in New York City to launch the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). The location was fitting given the more than 400 years of friendship between the Dutch and American people began in the city once known as New Amsterdam. This will be the first …
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November 13 – Ambassador Hoekstra co-hosted the third annual Women’s Entrepreneurship Dinner together with Ms. Carine de Meyere, the Dutch Ambassador for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. De Meyer is the Director of Partnerships for TEDxAmsterdamWomen . Around 25 high-level women entrepreneurs and business leaders from a broad range of fields joined the hosts for a presentation by Lotte Leufkens, …
Read More» Statement from the Ambassador – November 9, 2018 On November 4, the United States reintroduced expanded sanctions on the Iranian regime. U.S. sanctions are aimed at deterring Iran’s behavior and driving Iran back to the negotiating table. These actions continue efforts started by the Trump Administration to put into place a framework to prevent Iran …
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Ambassador Hoekstra was presented Friday with the helmet of an unknown fallen World War II U.S. Army soldier. It was donated by a Dutch historian, who recovered the helmet from an Operation Market Garden drop zone near Nijmegen. Despite advances in DNA technology, there was no identifiable traces on the helmet that allowed for identifying …
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Last week, Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat of the Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF) of Baltimore, Maryland, visited the Netherlands. In Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam, he provided insights into successful interfaith and cross-cultural exchanges to Dutch educational, community and religious leaders, as well as students, based on his religious expertise, CECF’s groundbreaking work with youth, and his 10-plus years …
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On October 24, Ambassador Hoekstra visited the city of Eindhoven , the Netherlands’ fifth largest city. Located in the province of North Brabant, Eindhoven is known as a technology and design hub. The Ambassador began with a visit to the DAF Trucks operations and touring the facility. Ambassador Hoekstra learned more about “Van Doorne’s Aanhangwagen Fabriek” – now called DAF …
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By the invitation of Dr Julian Emami Namini, Ambassador Hoekstra spoke at the Erasmus University Rotterdam’s School of Economics on the recent developments in the Dutch and EU economic relationship with the United States. A large and engaged group of students asked the Ambassador questions concerning trade, tariffs, and other economic issues. There were about 500 students in attendance. Erasmus University …
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September 26 – Ambassador Hoekstra hosted a reception to launch the Art in Residence collection at his home in The Hague. The works include 10 pieces from the United States, featuring several artists from Michigan. The other five pieces are by Dutch artists including two pieces on loan from Frisian artist Claudy Jongstra, a Jan …
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At two events this week, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra celebrated the U.S. Department of State’s exchange programs with alumni who participated as long ago as the 1970s to as recently as earlier this year. From Fulbright to the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), and from the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship (BFTF) to Women2Women (W2W), the Transatlantic …
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September 21-23 — Despite heavy rains, thousands showed up to pay their respects this weekend at events in honor of Operation Market Garden. On Friday, Ambassador Hoekstra laid a wreath in Airborneplein in Arnhem to mark the 74th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden. Thousands of Dutch came out to pay their respects …
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September 17- Ambassador Hoekstra visited the Province of North-Brabant to learn about this innovative region and to visit some of the businesses located there. He had lunch at the Provincie Huis with King’s Commissioner Wim van de Donk, Vice-Governor Bert Pauli, and others. They discussed the drive and motivation that make the province a unique climate for …
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September 16 and 17 – U.S. Army General Curtis Scaparrotti joined Ambassador Hoekstra at remembrance ceremonies honoring the events of Operation Market Garden and the liberation of the south of the Netherlands in September 1944. Scaparrotti is the Commander of European Command and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR). The two first toured Operation Market Garden …
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On September 14, Ambassador Hoekstra joined Principal Director of Security Assistance at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency Michèle Hizon, and Dutch State Secretary for Defense Barbara Visser at Gilze-Rijen Air Base for a signing ceremony. Dutch and U.S. officials signed a contract to modernize the Dutch fleet of 28 Apache helicopters. To date, the Dutch fleet has been used …
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More than 700 students came to hear what Ambassador Pete Hoekstra had to say. For almost two hours, they asked questions about U.S. foreign policy, the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and the Netherlands and anything else that was on their minds. The event was organized by Studenten Politicologie (SPIL), a study organization for political …
Read More» Press Statement Pete Hoekstra Ambassador September 1, 2018 I want to express my support to those who were attacked at Amsterdam Centraal Station yesterday. We are aware that both victims were U.S. citizens visiting the Netherlands and have been in touch with them or their families. We wish them a speedy recovery and are working …
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World War II veterans Captain Roy Hanna and Lieutenant Colonel James “Maggie” Megellas visited the Embassy August 30 for a question and answer session with the Embassy staff. This was one of many trips the men have made to the Netherlands, but they focused on the first time they entered the country in September of …
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American Ambassador Pete Hoekstra had a special tour of the municipality of Wassenaar on August 29, at the invitation of Acting Mayor J.F. Koen. Their tour began at the Wassenaar town hall building, De Paauw, where they discussed the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Summit, the new Embassy in Wassenaar, and the amenities that the municipality has …
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During his recent visit to the islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, Ambassador Hoekstra discussed including the islands in the work of the Congressional Caucus on the Netherlands. Ambassador Hoekstra was a founding chairman of the caucus during his time in the U.S. Congress as the Representative for Michigan’s Second District. This week Congressman Bill Huizenga …
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Ambassador Pete Hoekstra visited the Dutch-Caribbean islands of Curacao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten July 14 to July 19. Through meetings with officials and exploration of local cultural and educational sites, his visit underscored the strength of the shared values between the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. U.S. Consulate General Curaçao helped to …
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U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra hosted the celebration of the 242nd year of America’s independence at the John Adams Park in Wassenaar, the new location of the U.S. Embassy in The Hague. The reception celebrated the American road trip, by displaying a selection of classic American cars and a Route 66 theme. We thank all of …
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Ambassadors Pete Hoekstra and Henne Schuwer signed a Chapeau Agreement Establishing a Framework for bilateral Defense Cooperation Activities. With this agreement, the Netherlands and the United States strengthen cooperation between the two countries on military equipment and operations. The agreement involves exchanging military personnel, such as pilots, liaison officers, and technicians, as well as exchanging information about new …
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Together with Dutch astronaut André Kuipers, Ms. Christine van der Sman, director of Museon , and former Deputy Mayor of The Hague Karsten Klein, unveiled a special moon rock in the Museon science museum in The Hague. The moon rock was collected by NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. The stone is 3.8 billion years old and …
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The U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos , travelled to the Netherlands for an official program on June 11-12, as the second stop on a three country trip to Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, to explore the vocational education, decentralized school systems, and apprenticeship programs within Europe. Her visit to the Netherlands, planned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, …
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Ambassador Pete Hoekstra delivered remarks and handed out awards at the annual Fulbright Award Ceremony in Leiden. Out of a pool of Dutch applicants, nine PhD candidates and eight graduate students were selected to participate in the internationally renowned program. Established in 1946, the Fulbright Scholar program is an American scholarship administered jointly with the …
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The annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten is always emotional. The ceremony is held among the names of 10,023 service men and women buried or honored in the cemetery. Those service members died in World War II during the liberation of Europe. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra spoke at the ceremony of …
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Each Memorial Day weekend, thousands of visitors travel to the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten to honor the Americans killed in World War II. On Saturday, American children from the local Boy and Girl Scout troops, as well as other volunteers, spent several hours planting U.S. and Dutch flags on each of the 8,301 graves. …
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In a short ceremony hosted by Ambassador Pete Hoekstra at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague, jump boots belonging to 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Humphrey were returned to the 82nd Airborne Division. Lt. Humphrey was killed in action in September 1944 during Operation Market Garden and was buried in Kansas City. His boots remained lost until …
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Ambassador Hoekstra led a four-person Embassy team to complete the 11 city bike race called the Fietselfstedentocht on May 21. For more than 100 years the Province of Friesland has hosted the bike race. More than 15,000 participants ride 235 kilometers through the province. This was Ambassador Hoekstra’s third time completing the race. The Embassy team …
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The U.S. Embassy in The Hague hosted a symposium May 16 to discuss tolerance, discrimination, and freedom in relation to the play Anne & Emmett. The play, written by symposium panelist Janet Langhart Cohen, details a conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till in a town called Memory. The play has its Dutch debut May …
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Ambassador Pete Hoekstra visited the towns of Gouda and Oudewater on May 7, 2018. In Gouda he first visited the Driestar College where he met with students and administrators. He then went to Driestar Educatief to speak with administrators about the Dutch educational system and school choice. He was invited to join Mayor Milo Schoenmaker for lunch …
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On May 2, 2018, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra visited the Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten to commemorate the fallen and missing men and women who helped in the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II and to show support for “ The Faces of Margraten ” initiative. He was joined by Theo Bovens, the King’s Commissioner of the Province of Limburg, and Dieudonné Akkermans, …
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Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, and the Dutch State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Mona Keijzer spoke before a group of automotive industry experts, Dutch and American business people, and government officials at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Netherlands and the State of Michigan on April 25 …
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The U.S. Embassy co-hosted the annual Dutch-American Friendship Day reception with the organization “Americans Overseas Remember” (OAR). Ambassador Hoekstra delivered brief remarks and presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Sebastiaan Vonk of the “Faces of Margraten” organization. He received the award for his commitment to the memory of the American soldiers who are commemorated at …
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Ambassador Hoekstra travelled to Friesland April 11 and 12, to strengthen cooperation between the Mission and the province. The Ambassador participated in a handful of political and cultural events over the duration of his stay. He met with the King’s Commissioner to Friesland Arno Brok in Leeuwarden, where they discussed the economic and historic relationship …
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April 4, 2018 – On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. King, a special evening of commemoration, organized by volunteers, was held at the Abdijkerk in Loosduinen , the oldest church in The Hague. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra was guest of honor for the commemoration. The evening was filled with video, choir songs, and …
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On March 27, 2018, the Rotterdam Chapter of the AmCham hosted a welcome dinner on board the SS Rotterdam to honor the arrival of U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. Among the guests were members of a bipartisan Congressional Delegation consisting of Congressman Bill Huizenga, Congressman John “Judge” Carter, Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, Congressman Gregory Meeks and Congressman …
Read More» I was sad to hear of the passing of the Dutch World War II hero Johan van Hulst, who died last week in Amsterdam at the age of 107. Mr. van Hulst was not a decorated soldier, but rather an educator who is credited with saving more than 600 Jewish children during the war. He …
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The U.S. Embassy to the Kingdom of the Netherlands is pleased to announce that today it was officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at John Adams Park 1 in Wassenaar. The ceremony was hosted by Ambassador Peter Hoekstra and included officials from the Department of State, a five-member bi-partisan delegation from the U.S. Congress, the Minister of Social …
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On March 20, 2018, Ambassador Hoekstra met with Dutch financial experts from the mortgage, real-estate, and banking sectors to discuss general trends in the U.S. economy and U.S.- Dutch economic priorities. This Dutch delegation will be traveling to Miami and New York in April for a study program through the Atlantic and Pacific Exchange Program …
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March 21, 2018 – Ambassador Hoekstra and his wife, Diane visited the Voorlinden Museum and Gardens to familiarize themselves with the American Embassy’s new neighbor. The Voorlinden is an influential local museum that connects people, art, nature, and architecture. Established in 2016, the museum showcases modern and contemporary art and wants to be “an oasis of tranquility in the …
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March 6-7 2018 – Ambassador Pete Hoekstra visited his birthplace – the city of Groningen. His two-day journey offered a nostalgic look at the city where his parents lived, but also included briefings and meetings with officials, local businesses, universities, and institutes to learn about the innovative opportunities in the northern city. The Ambassador visited …
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March 5, 2018 – Ambassador Pete Hoekstra was delighted to hand over the key for the old U.S. Embassy at the Lange Voorhout to Mayor Pauline Krikke of Gemeente Den Haag, who promised to give the building a good second life. For nearly 60 years, from 1959 until 2018, the U.S. Embassy in The Hague …
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February 16, 2018 – Ambassador Hoekstra and his wife Diane hosted 10 participants of the third IMC Weekend School’s “Ambassador’s Training” program at their Residence for a meeting and dinner. The IMC Weekend School, organizes extracurricular Sunday lessons for high-potential school children in underprivileged communities throughout the Netherlands. It currently has ten branches. During a …
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February 22, 2018 Dank u wel. Ik wil u allereerst mijn excuses aanbieden. Ik wil deze toespraak heel graag in het Nederlands houden, ondanks dat mijn Nederlandse uitspraak nog niet perfect is, maar ik werk er aan. Burgemeester Bruls, collega’s van het corps diplomatique, overlevenden, verwanten van de slachtoffers, dames en heren, beste kinderen, ik …
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Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and his wife Diane, invited faith leaders and experts in the field of religious freedom in the Netherlands to a lunch on February 8, in honor of National Religious Freedom Day. Leaders from various faiths discussed religious tolerance in the Netherlands and other relevant international religious freedom issues. The dialogue provided a …
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Ambassador Hoekstra and his wife Diane visited the Anne Frank House Museum in Amsterdam recently. Director Ronald Leopold explained his organization’s educational mission and talked about the renovations being made to the building that houses The Secret Annex where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis for more than two years during World War …
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Tonight Gershwin Bonevacia and Frank Sheppard performed an original piece written by Paulette Smit and directed by John Leerdam at De Nieuwe Kerk as part of the “We Have a Dream: Gandhi, King, Mandela” exhibit. The performance honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr on his birthday with words, song, and photographs. Ambassador …
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On Wednesday, January 10, Peter Hoekstra presented his credentials to King Willem-Alexander to officially become the 67th U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. Ambassador Hoekstra was driven to Paleis Noordeinde in a ceremonial state coach accompanied by his wife Diane. Upon arrival at the palace, the Ambassador inspected the Koninklijke Militaire Kapel Johan Wilem Friso, which played the …
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Vice President Mike Pence performed the ceremony to swear in Peter Hoekstra as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands in Washington, DC on December 11. The Vice President congratulated the Holland, Michigan native on Twitter, noting that he knew from serving with Hoekstra in the Congress that “there’s no better man to be in the Netherlands …
Read More» The U.S. Senate confirmed Peter Hoekstra as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Thursday, November 9, 2017. Mr. Hoekstra is a prominent politician and business executive who served as a member of Congress from 1993-2011, representing Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District. He was the Chairman of …
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