2022

ELECTION NEW BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION

2 December 2022
Jachtclub Hillegersberg Rotterdam

At the annual meeting on 2 December 2022, members voted and elected a new board for the next three years. The incumbent board members, Eliseo de la Fuente González, honorary consul Ecuador, chairman, Bert de Nooijer, former honorary consul Gambia, vice-chairman, Karin van Rooyen-Winkelman, honorary consul Slovenia, member, Alexander Roos, honorary consul Belize, treasurer and Andrea Teunissen-Oprea, honorary consul Romania, general secretary, were re-elected.  Kees Jan Rietveld, honorary consul Seychelles, was elected as a new board member. 

LOOKING BACK – ANNUAL DINNER 2022

2 December 2022
Jachtclub Hillegersberg Rotterdam

After a two-year brake due to restrictions because of the Covid pandemic, we were once again able to end the year festively with the annual dinner. It is with great pleasure that we look back on an enjoyable evening in the warm and cosy Yacht Club. The fantastic piano recital by Laurens van Rooyen, who played on a special for the evening arranged Fazioli piano added lustre to the evening.

LOOKING BACK ON THE CELEBRATIONS 115-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

9 September 2022
Depot Museum Boijmans van Beuningen Rotterdam

The celebration of the 115th anniversary of Union des Consuls à Rotterdam on September 9, held in the at the Depot Museum Boijmans van Beuningen has been a great succes.

Welcomed by the director of the museum, Mrs Ina Klaassen, consuls, ambassadors and all guests enjoyed together a guided tour discovering the beautiful art works cherished in the new building, the Depot, the new architectural icon of Rotterdam. The representative of the City Council, Mr Said Kasmi, vice mayor of Rotterdam noticed in his speech the appreciation of the city council for the work of honorary and career consuls as bridge builders between countries, with a valuable contribution in the economic, cultural and social relations.

Special thanks to our colleagues’ sponsors for their contributions at this remarkable day. Ben Melissa (Danser), honorary consul of Switzerland, Dirk van Wassenaer (M&R De Monchy), honorary consul of Spain, Jan Valkier (Anthony, Veder), honorary consul of Finland.

LOOKING BACK – ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING

13 April 2022
Port of Rotterdam

In April we held our annual meeting at the premises of the Port of Rotterdam, where we were welcomed by the CEO mr. Allard Castelein with an interesting presentation about the latest developments within the Port of Rotterdam and the impact and challenges of the Russia Ukraine conflict for the port activities. A nice port tour on board of the Maze with a lunch offered by the Port of Rotterdam followed.

LOOKING BACK ON 2021

December 2021

Season’s Greetings

Looking back 2021 will be remembered as a year full of challenges and marked by the pandemic. For many honorary consuls this meant more work than usual because all travel in and outside Europe remained problematic and people needed to be informed adequately and helped if necessary. Due to the restrictions and the lockdowns, we had no choice but to postpone some activities. Since working from home and online meetings became the “new normal” we moved to Zoom and Teams meetings.

See Blog

Andrea C. Teunissen – Oprea awarded National Order of Faithful Service of Romania

In November 2019, Andrea C. Teunissen – Oprea, honorary consul of Romania for South and North Holland, has been awarded by the president of Romania, Mr. Klaus Iohannis, for her continuous commitment and involvement for over thirty years as a bridge-builder between Romania and the Netherlands, with the second highest Romanian decoration, the National Order of Faithful Service in the rang of Knight. The decoration has been handed during a meeting at the Romanian embassy in The Hague by the ambassador of Romania in the Netherlands, her excellency Mrs. Brânduşa Predescu.

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2021

LOOKING BACK ON 2021

December 2021

LOOKING BACK – ANNUAL MEETING

September 3, 2021
Rotterdam

Looking back to a successful and interesting annual meeting that happily could be held face to face after many months of online meetings due to the pandemic. A nice opportunity for the members to see each other, to share news and experiences and meeting with the new members.

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2020

Andrea C. Teunissen – Oprea awarded National Order of Faithful Service of Romania

ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING AND THE ANNUAL DINNER 2020

November 27, 17.00 – 21.00
The Hague


The Annual Meeting will be followed by the Annual Dinner, and will be held this year in the Hague.

Please save the date, detailed information and an invitation is following.  

Looking back – Summer Meeting

JULY 24, 2020
Rotterdam

Looking back to an interesting and very pleasant meeting, July 24 in Rotterdam.  

A nice opportunity and pleasure to see each other, to share experiences and last but not least to honour our distinguished board members whose term as board members has expired. 

Many consuls have been and still are intensively involved in supporting people and authorities from the representing countries during the corona period. It was very interesting to hear stories and share recent information. A few stories will be published as Blog articles on the website shortly.

SUMMER MEETING

July 24, 15.00 – 17.00h
Jachthaven Hillegersberg, Rotterdam

An informal summer meeting at Jachthaven Hillegersberg, a private venue in Rotterdam. Followed by a farewell drink honouring Gert Zandsteeg and Ehsan Turabaz, two of our distinguished board members whose term as board member is finished.  As appreciation for their valuable contribution within the association the board will offer, on behalf of the association a nice art work made by a Dutch artist.

An invitation to all our members is sent by mail.

PRESENTATION / BREXIT – experts meeting

Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Port of Rotterdam / Havenbedrijf

Brexit, the transition period: Presentation by:  Roel in het Veld, 

EU Customs Policy Lead at National Office Dutch Customs, Brexit coordination

Insight in the transition period until the end of 2020 while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements and the way the current rules on trade, travel, and business for the UK and EU will continue to apply during the transition period.

The Post Brexit:  Presentation by: Mark Dijk,

Manager External Affairs, Port of Rotterdam

New rules will take effect on 1 January 2021. The meeting, followed by a Lunch.

MR. Kees Jan Rietveld – Appointed as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Seychelles, 2020

With roots in Rotterdam, started his professional career in 1988 with General Electric, who he served for 13 years in various commercial, marketing and senior management positions in the UK, Benelux and Hong Kong. Since 2001 Kees Jan is has been an entrepreneur, initially as Managing Partner of a advertising and market research firm (VDM-Dataview).  As off 2006 he started his own agency, aptly named Buro Rietveld (www.buro-rietveld.nl): professional communication services to a wide range of B2B and B2C clients with inhouse creatives, designers and communication strategy experts. Additional professional ventures include an telecommunications infrastructure development company (Mabin), investments in various e-commerce scale ups, techfunds and StartupBootcamp in Amsterdam. 

As board member, Kees Jan endeavor to spend time and energy on helping other organizations and institutions with their ambitions such as Theater Walhalla, Zangexpress, Classic Young Masters, Vokaal Talent Nederland,  Comite ter Behartiging van Nationale Belangen and Stichting KinderOncologie Rotterdam.

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2019

MR ELISEO DE LA FUENTE GONZALEZ Honorary Consul of Ecuador, new Chairman Union des consuls a Rotterdam et La Haye

During the Annual Meeting, October 2019 the members of the association have chosen as the new Chairmen of the association, Mr Eliseo de la Fuente Gonzalez. Mr Eliseo de la Fuente Gonzalez, Honorary consul of Ecuador is since many years an active member of the Board, the last few years as the association treasurer.  Mr Eliseo de la Fuente lives and works in Rotterdam as managing partner of De la Fuente Advocaten.

UNIFICATION UNION DES CONSULS A ROTTERDAM ET UNION DES CONSULS LA HAYE

Union des Consuls à Rotterdam, founded on Avril 25, 1906 is one of the oldest, if not the oldest consul’s association in the Netherlands. In 2019 the association unified with the sister association, Union des Consuls La Haye, to consolidate the good cooperation between the two associations and to respond to the actual strategies of local government to more regional cooperation. Approximately 160 honorary consuls are active in the Netherlands, 70 of which are members of our association, representing over 40 countries.

JAN VALKIER, HONORARY CONSUL OF FINLAND, Gekozen tot Havenman van het jaar 2019

De Stichting Havenman/-vrouw van het Jaar in Rotterdam heeft ceo Jan Valkier van rederij Anthony Veder gekozen tot Havenman van het Jaar 2019.

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VICTOR SCHOENMAKERS, HONORARY CONSUL OF SEYCHELLEN, Farewell reception, as Director Corporate Strategy, Port of Rotterdam

Our board member Bert de Nooijer, represented the association during the farewell retirement reception of Victor Schoenmakers at the Port of Rotterdam, February 2020.  Victor worked for a very long period at the Port Authority, as an International Logistics Port Corporate/strategist. On 10 October 2014 Victor Schoenmakers has been appointed as Honorary Consul of Seychelles in Rotterdam, position that will be continued by his successor, the new Honorary Consul of Seychelles in Rotterdam, Kees Jan Rietveld.  

Victor confirms he will continue his membership of the association, of which he has been a valued member for many years.   

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