An interview with Mayor Jozias van Aartsen

“The Hague is the only city I would have wanted to be mayor of in the Netherlands!” The Hague’s new mayor, Mr. Jozias van Aartsen, took time out from his busy first months to speak with me in advance of the Feel at Home in The Hague Fair.

“I think The Hague offers a wonderful quality of life—it has the cultural and commercial benefits of a city, while the sea and its many parks makes it pleasant and relaxed. I’ve been told by many foreign residents that they value the safe environment here where everyone cycles and teenagers can develop their independence.”

A native of this city, he spoke in a thoughtful, unrushed manner in his office on the second floor of City Hall. He was almost keener to talk about the international community than to answer my questions.

“There are so many initiatives in this city that I am just getting to know. I’m very happy to learn that the Feel at Home in The Hague Fair exists. I know that the Dutch can come across as gruff and discourteous, but the city has come a long way in recent years. Experience in other European cities tells us that a multicultural and diverse citizenship is a motor for dynamism and growth. This fair is an excellent step in getting people settled and fully functioning in this community from day one.”

Mr. Van Aartsen has been active in Dutch politics at the national level since 1970. From 1998 to 2002 he was Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is in part his international experience for which he was selected for the job. The current city council was keen to select a mayor who had the city’s international goals at heart and who would enhance its role as a centre for international peace and justice.

“I take my experience as minister with me to this job. All the travelling I did, all the countries I visited, all of the foreign dignitaries I met both here in the Netherlands and overseas—this experience helped me see my own country from different points of view. When I was young, The Hague was a provincial city, very inward looking. Today we are an international city and if we want to live up to our name, we have to embrace the international community with open arms—and not just because we need to keep the economically important international companies and organisations happy. Openness and tolerance is part of what this city is all about.”

Mr. Van Aartsen was reluctant to share his plans for his term in office. He has always been a vocal advocate for publicly electing mayors (they are currently selected by the City Council). He is thus keenly aware of the limitations to his ability to pursue his own agenda without the backing of the electorate. However, towards the end of our interview he did admit to having at least one issue at heart.

“What you now see in many parts of the city is burgeoning innovation, a creative drive which didn’t exist 10 or 20 years ago. The Caballero Fabriek, Korzo Theatre, BorderKitchen—these are small, very small examples, like tiny pieces of New York in The Hague. From my position I’d like to stimulate this sort of dynamism and creativity which bring the city alive.”

by Diane Lemieux
www.idiommosaic.com
 

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