Toespraak minister Timmermans (BZ) opening Pasar Malam

Toespraak | 20-03-2013

Ladies and gentlemen,

You’re providing a wonderful atmosphere here today in The Hague, so thank you very much for that.

I was in Jakarta just a month ago – it was my very first visit.

Ambassador Ibu Retno just said: we share DNA – that’s true. And I was really reminded of that watching the dancer on the stage. Because my daughter has exactly the same hands, which she certainly didn’t get from me but from her Indonesian grandmother. So in that sense you can see that this DNA is quite literally part of who we are.

I also want to say that I am so glad that one of my predecessors, Dr Ben Bot, is in the audience here today. He, and especially his role in the relationship with Indonesia, has been a great example to me. When he was Minister, his wisdom – in relaunching the relationship with Indonesia, in taking full account of the past, and in being open and direct about the past – inspired me. And it gave new impetus to an age-old relationship that can never be broken but needs to be maintained. Thank you, Ben Bot.

I want to share with you the wonderful experience I had in Jakarta – in two brief days. And I now understand – even after just two days – the life-long sense of longing that many of my countrymen feel for Indonesia. Because once you’ve been touched by Indonesia, it will never let you go. That is why it is so important that we are able to get a taste of Indonesia, quite literally, here today at the Pasar Malam Indonesia.

I also want to say that, besides of course talking about our past and seeing that past in Jakarta, one of the greatest experiences I had was talking to so many young people. Students, and also people who are part of the Jakarta Vespa Organisation – which is quite an impressive club of young people.

All these young people – 44% of your population is under 25 – have the attitude that they have everything to gain. They want to gain everything they can. And they have great enthusiasm. They want to know everything about the world, outside of Indonesia. They are active on Facebook – you can join me on Facebook too, by the way. They are active on social media. They are active with their friends all over the world.

And this is the future of our world: young people connecting across the continents. Finding new ways of trading, of working together, and of sharing experiences. I see a great future for the cooperation between our two countries. The Netherlands wants to be Indonesia’s gateway to Europe. We want to be your preferred partner, because you are part of us. You have been part of us for centuries. We will not let that go.

We will build on that. And we will make sure that our two countries remain preferred partners in the coming centuries, too.

Ladies and gentleman,

I am looking forward to banging the gong. And I think you are looking forward to me shutting up!

So I will close by congratulating Ibu Retno and Pak Bayu on this wonderful event.

Thank you once again – terima kasih – for inviting me, and allowing me to witness this wonderful event.

Thank you.