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Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and environs: October 10 - 15
Arriving Wednesday afternoon with Fellows Vicki Blanton, Danielle Nava, Raj Pai, and Darnella Robertson (bios here) I'll check in to the Ambassade Hotel. We'll be introduced to the Amsterdam program by Bram Boxhoorn, Director of the Netherlands Atlantic Association, who will then take us to dinner with Marshall alumni.
Thursday, we'll begin with a briefing on multiculturalism in the Netherlands, given by Marietje Schaake, the Director of Diversity Dialogues. Then we'll take a tram to the Slotervaart Neighborhood, and meet with Ahmed Marcouch, the chairman of the Slotervaart Neighborhood Council, for a briefing on Dutch integration policy. Following that, we'll have a lunch meeting on Dutch foreign policy with the journalist Juurd Eijsvoogel, a commentator for the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad. Then we walk over to city hall, for a meeting on urban development with Tjeerd Herrema, Alderman for Traffic, Transport and Infrastructure, Public Housing and Monuments, for the City of Amsterdam. And that evening we'll have dinner at the homes of Dutch Marshall alumni.
Friday morning, we take a minivan over to the Hague. At nine, we meet at the Ministry of Justice with Nebahat Albayrak, the State Secretary for Justice (Social Democratic Party) on Dutch immigration and integration policy. Then we take the minivan to EuroJust (an EU body established in 2002 to enhance the effectiveness of Member States when they are investigating and prosecuting cross-border crime, especially organized crime). We'll speak with Mr. Arend Vast, the national member for the Netherlands. And all that before lunch! Speaking of lunch, we'll have a lunch meeting on Dutch politics and foreign policy, and then visit the Dutch Parliament. Following that, it's back in the minivan and over to the Kurhaus Hotel, where we will meet with Hans Terlouw of the Ministery of the Interior. Then we go back to Amsterdam.
Saturday, we're studying land reclamation. We'll visit a family farm in the Flevo Polder. Back in the minivan, we'll head for Lelystad, where we will have lunch at the Nieuw Land Heritage Centre, and visit there for a couple of hours. Then we go back to Amsterdam.
Sunday is free most of the day, to give us time to take in some Dutch culture. The Rembrandtmuseum is high on my list... We finish with a farewell dinner at the Restaurant Kantjil en de Tijger.
And Monday morning, I'm off to Turin, Italy!
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"...hunt, drink, sing, dance, sail, and dig; and those that would not should be compelled by force."
-- HILAIRE BELLOC
Stephen@Hollingshead.com
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