Two CounTries, one spiriT, uniTed by Values, HisTory and a Vision

USA
Two Countries,
the
One Spirit,
United by Values,
History and a Vision for the Future.
NY400 was launched successfully on January 28th in New
York City with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Amsterdam Mayor
Job Cohen, Dutch Cabinet Minister Frans Timmermans and
NYC&Company’s CEO George Fertitta. Throughout the year
more than 100 events took place in both New York and the
Netherlands such as dance, theater performances, historical and
cultural exhibitions, and festivals, conferences and symposiums,
all held at prestigious venues such as the Museum of the City
of New York, the Museum of Modern Art, the Frick Collection,
the Museum of Arts and Design, the Brooklyn Museum and
more. The highlight of the year was the culminating events
during NY400 Week, September 8 - 13.
Earlier this year Minister Maxime Verhagen presented to Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton replicas of the Schagen Letter and the Vingboon map
Netherlands
the
Four centuries ago, a Dutch ship captained by
Henry Hudson, landed in what is now New York
City. The voyage of the Half Moon was the genesis
By Marjan Inbar
of a 400 year relationship between the Netherlands
and the United States. Little did we know that the
establishment of New Amsterdam and the New
Netherland colony would lay the foundation for the
thriving relationship between the Netherlands and
the United States that exists today.
This year with NY400, we celebrate 400 years
of enduring friendship between the Netherlands
and the United States, as well as the free spirit,
openness, entrepreneurship and tolerance of those
Dutch-American pioneers, qualities that continue to
permeate American society today.
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On July 14, Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime
Verhagen visited Washington. They were received by President Obama at the White House for
a meeting. Prime Minister Balkenende also met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and
Minister Verhagen met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The NY400 Week: 400 years of Friendship
Many New Yorkers celebrated the start of a fifth century of
friendship with the Dutch as the Netherlands “invaded” New
York City once again. NY400 week was a citywide series of
events and activities to celebrate the 400th anniversary of
Henry Hudson’s arrival on a Dutch ship in September 1609 to
what is now New York Harbor. At NY400 Week events, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors enjoyed Dutch
festivals, sailing races, dance parties, free bike rentals, museum
exhibitions and other activities on land and sea. The week was
highlighted by a visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of
Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands.
Shared History, Shared Values
NY400 week started with a 21-gun salute ceremony aboard the
USS Intrepid in New York City. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg officially
welcomed TRH Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess
Máxima to the city.
“Henry Hudson arrived on these shores 400 years ago and
helped lay the foundation for what would later become New
York City,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “New York City’s
history has early and deep connections with the Dutch, and
NY400 week opening ceremony, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton and NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg welcomed Their Royal
Highnesses the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands to New York City
NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Job Cohen of the City of Amsterdam, Dutch
Cabinet Minister Frans Timmermans and CEO of NYC & Company George Fertitta announced the start of the yearlong NY400 celebration
– with the City welcoming a record 241,000 visitors from the
Netherlands last year – that relationship continues to flourish.”
In his speech, His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange
recalled the small group of men arriving on board the Halve
Maen, and the values they possessed of passion, liberty, freedom
of conscience and the unwavering belief that everyone has the
right to the pursuit of happiness: “These are the principles on
which this great city was built and every New Yorker, regardThe replica of the Half Moon and the Dutch Navy ship HMNLS Tromp
less of their background, race or creed, will agree that these
principles have always been and will always remain its defining
characteristics.”
Here are “common values and shared hopes” between the
two countries, Secretary of State Clinton said. “It’s exciting
that we are celebrating this 400 year anniversary kick-off on
the deck of the Intrepid. It gives us a chance to celebrate all
that New York has been, is today and will doubtless be in the
future.” “It’s not only the greatest city in the world, [it’s] still a
beacon of diversity, excitement and dynamism for all that have
called this great city their home.”
During the opening ceremony on the Hudson River, a flotilla
of 11 ships comprised of NATO vessels, Dutch barges, Flying
Dutchman racers, yachts,and replicas of Hudson’s ‘Halve Maen’
(‘Half Moon’) and another historic ship
called the ‘Onrust’
sailed past the USS Intrepid. A 21-gun salute was fired from the
Dutch naval ship HNLMS Tromp and its crew lined the deck in
parade format to welcome the fleet. The flotilla of historic and
modern ships sailing up the Hudson River embodied the history and the future shared by the Netherlands and the United
States .
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The event was a great start for an even more successful week
full of colorful events and interesting joint-ventures between the
Netherlands and the City of New York.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, joined by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton,
presents a Tiffany vase to TRH Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima of
the Netherlands on the deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
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THE NY400 WEEK
4OO
years of Friendship
On the evening of October 8th, the Royal Couple
threw the switch illuminating the Empire State
Building in bright orange.
They reviewed cadets marching into the mess hall and were given a standing ovation when they were introduced inside
After the Welcoming Ceremony, TRH Prince and Princess visited Westpoint.
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NY400 Week came to an end at The Battery’s Main Stage, with the Prince,
Princess, Cabinet Minister Frans Timmermans and NYC&Company’s CEO George
Fertitta, who thanked everybody for making this an unforgettable week.
On Governors Island the Prince and Princess visited the Dutch design
houses of Pioneers of Change, where the designers got a chance to show
them their work.
Princess Máxima baptized a new orange species tulip: ‘Tulipa Henry Hudson’
The Royal Couple visited the New Amsterdam Village on Bowling Green, for a treat of
Dutch ‘poffertjes’, and view the life-size windmill, Dutch houses and the traditional and
innovative agri-cultural products the village had to offer.
One of the main cultural attractions of the week was the arrival of “The
Milkmaid”, the famous seventeenth century painting by Dutch artist
Johannes Vermeer, to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City.
TRH Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima met with
the Dutch community in New York at a Garden Party in Nolan
Park on Governors Island.
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The Royal Couple visited the Half Moon replica, docked at The Battery. They met Captain Chip Reynolds,
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On Water Taxi Beach, Dutch DJ Armin van
Buuren played music for New Yorkers in
the presence of the Prince and Princess.
The Royal Couple danced to Armin’s beats,
against the backdrop of the Manhattan
skyline, a magical moment!
WALDORF AD
The South Street Seaport Museum opened the groundbreaking exhibition on the
Dutch origins of New York with ‘New Amsterdam: The Island at the Center of
the World.’
Following in the footsteps of the Dutch pioneers of the seventeenth century, over 150
actors, musicians, designers, comedians and dancers formed a creative colony and
surprised the New York audience at the New Island Festival.
Throughout the year, the Museum of the City of New York marked this year’s NY400
celebration with three great exhibitions: Amsterdam/New Amsterdam: The Worlds
of Henry Hudson, Dutch Seen: New York Rediscovered and Mannahatta/Manhattan:
A National History of New York City. Another highlight was the Dutch celebration on
Governors Island, the Dutch art and design festivals.
The Prince and Princess in a private meeting with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House. Photo by Lex van Lieshout / ANP
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Shared Values of Freedom and Democracy:
During the week, the United States Military Academy at West
Point welcomed the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima.
They were received with a standing ovation before sitting
down and enjoying lunch with the cadets. The Prince, a Navy
officer himself, organized a closed-door seminar on the topic
of Afghanistan. The Dutch military, a member of the NATO
coalition, has been fighting in Afghanistan since 2002. Also that
week, the Royal Couple had a private meeting with President
Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White
House.
While in the US, TRH Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess
Máxima paid their respects to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks. The Royal Couple attended the 9/11 Memorial Service at Zucotti Park, after which they joined the Remembrance
Service in the West End Collegiate Church. West End Collegiate
Church is part of The Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch
Church in the City of New York. Its origins are traced to a loft
above a gristmill in New Amsterdam in 1628, where Dutch
settlers worshipped before the first permanent building was
built in 1642. The millstones from that mill can be seen in the
vestibule of the West End Church.
At the Remembrance Service, the Prince and Princess were
accompanied by Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime
Verhagen. “Freedom, openness and mutual respect are the val-
Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima joined the Remembrance Service in the West End Collegiate Church.
ues the Netherlands shares with the US, thanks to our historical ties,” said Minister Verhagen. “On 9/11 we remember the
victims of terrorism and reaffirm our commitment to defending
those common values.” Both countries have seen their values
challenged but continue to safeguard and protect them under
the rule of law and sense of responsibility that are inherent with
those freedoms.
Further that same week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
received the 2009 Four Freedoms Award on September 11 in
attendance of guests of honor the Prince of Orange and Princess
Máxima. The prize is awarded by the Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, which aims to preserve the freedom ideals of US
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton accepted the Roosevelt Institute’s Four Freedoms Award, which honors a
lifetime of distinguished service and an unwavering commitment to freedom.
A Shared History of Trade and Finance
The Colony of New Netherland was established by the Dutch as
a trading post. Their progressive spirit of trade and enterprise
still characterizes New York today. The Dutch financial industry
started back in 1602 when the Dutch East Indies Compagnie
was the first in the world to go public. The Amsterdam Stock
Exchange (now NYSE Euronext) also founded the first European option exchange. The Netherlands was also the first country
to loan money to America. Due to these historic connections
and because of the successful working relationship between
Dutch and US trade and finance partners, a Dutch Financial
Day was organized during the NY400 week with workshops on
trans-Atlantic investment and a conference on sustainability in
economics attended by Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade, Mr.
Frans Heemskerk.
The Netherlands is not only a world class player in financial
services, it is also the third largest foreign investor in the United
States. Supporting open markets and free trade, the Netherlands
is one of the few European countries that imports substantially
more from the US than it exports to the US. Dutch investment
in the US is primarily found in services, chemical, telecom and
The Netherlands was
also the first country to
loan money to America.
electronics sectors. The Netherlands is also the largest foreign
investor in the US in financial and insurance services and the
second largest in manufacturing. Foreign direct investment by
the Netherlands and US exports to the Netherlands support an
estimated 845 thousand American jobs, representing 0.5% of
total employment in the US. The Netherlands is the Gateway
to Europe for many US companies because of its favorable tax
structure, skilled workforce, excellent infrastructure, strategic
location as well as a reputation for strong R&D capabilities and
innovative capacities. Trade and investment between our countries create jobs, promote innovation and increase prosperity on
both sides of the Atlantic.
During the NY400 week Dutch Cabinet Minister Timmermans rang the NYSE closing bell and the
Royal Couple attended the NYSE Euronext dinner, joined by Dutch and American captains of industry.
Two-thirds of the Netherlands is at or below sea level
Shared Vision for the Future
Global Water Challenges & Dutch Water Expertise: During
the NY400 week, Dutch and American business leaders, experts
in engineering, planning and environmental topics explored
how major 21st century water challenges can be dealt with
to ensure a sustainable future at the H209 conference. H209
focused on the Netherlands and the New York/New Jersey
metropolitan region, but conference conclusions can potentially
benefit coastal cities worldwide.
The Netherlands is an expert in water management, more
specifically pioneers in water and delta technology, having
survived centuries of struggle with water. Hurricane Katrina
made Americans all too aware of the importance of effective
water management. Dutch water management companies have
been active in sharing their expertise in helping the people of
New Orleans to rebuild their levees after Hurricane Katrina.
In addition to Louisiana and Mississippi, the Netherlands is
also helping California, Florida and New York with their water
challenges. And today, the US faces more hurricanes as well as
floods, droughts and challenges of water shortages, contamination and storage. By sharing experiences and effective water
policies, and by working together with other countries to create
innovative technologies, the Dutch are finding new, more effective ways to manage water in both the Netherlands and the
US. The Netherlands strives for a sustainable future, sharing
unparalleled creative solutions in climate change adaption and
other policies.
Dutch Bikes & Sustainable Transportation: The NY400
biking program is a great incentive to promote Dutch bikes and
Dutch biking cullture. The past few years New York City has
embraced biking as the most sustainable, green and clean way
of transportation. In the Netherlands, bikes have been a vital
part of the Dutch cityscape for centuries. Earlier this year two
hundred bright orange bikes were placed on a ship and took
the same journey as Henry Hudson across the Atlantic Ocean.
Since their arrival in New York, the bikes are used to encourage cycling as an environmentally friendly, safe and healthy way
of transportation. The Netherlands, is often viewed as the bike
capital of the world, being the only country in the world with
more bikes than people.
Throughout the year the NY400 bikes have been used in
several free NYC bike-sharing events such as Summer Streets &
during the NY400 week. The bikes are being donated to the
local nonprofit, Recycle-a-Bicycle for educational programming
to encourage alternative transportation for kids and young
adults in New York City.
On April 30th, Dutch
Queen’s Day, 200
orange Batavus bikes
make their official
arrival in NYC in a very
festive way, in attendance of Dutch Cabinet
Minister Frans Timmermans. The bikes will be
part of a special NY400
Queens Day Bike Tour
organized together with
The Netherland Club
and NLBorrels. (Photo
by Richard Koek)
Permanent Gift to the City of New York as a Lasting Token
of Friendship: As one of the major highlights of NY400 week,
TRH Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima joined NYC Mayor
Bloomberg for the unveiling of the New Amsterdam Pavilion,
designed by Dutch architect Ben van Berkel. The structure is
located at Peter Minuit Plaza at the Battery, the southern tip of
Manhattan and is the Netherlands’ permanent gift to the City of
New York for this year’s celebration.
“When it opens next spring, it will serve as an emblem of
our long and strong ties to the Netherlands and as well as be a
striking entryway for visitors to Lower Manhattan”, said Mayor
Bloomberg in his speech, “It will mark the NY400 celebration
and commemorate the Dutch ideas, commerce, and culture that
continue to enrich our City.”
The Plein & Pavilion will be a dramatic new public destination on the Harbor where more than 5 million people a year
– including 70,000 daily commuters and 2 million annual tourists – will find an ‘outdoor living room’ and a ‘gleaming white,
state-of-the-art pavilion, unique among the city’s many public
spaces.
Warrie Price, President of the Battery Conservancy, said:
“With the New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion, we are delighted
to continue our mission of design excellence, privileged to
expand our connection to the great tradition of Dutch design,
and honored to bring to New Yorkers and guests from around
the world the joy of nature, the pleasure in community and the
value of great modern architecture.”
The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands joined NYC Mayor
Bloomberg for the unveiling of the New Amsterdam Pavilion, designed by Dutch
architect Ben van Berkel.
The Half Moon and the Onrust each gave a single gun-salute as they passed the Prince
and Princess onboard the Dutch Navy Ship the HNLMS Tromp
Harbor Day The NY400 week ended with a spectacular range
of events on both land and water on this first-ever NYC Harbor
Day. Harbor Day celebrates the revitalization of NewYork City’s
harbor with free bike rides and free ferry services and Dutch
themed activities at six high-profile waterfront sites. On Harbor
Day, thousands of people watched the ‘Holland on the Hudson’
flotilla of Dutch and American ships sail pass the Statue of Liberty up the Hudson River.
The centerpiece of the Flotilla was the Replica of Henry
Hudson’s ship The Half Moon. Both the Half Moon and the Onrust each gave a single gun-salute as they passed the Prince and
Princess onboard the Dutch Navy Ship the HNLMS Tromp.
Harbor Day will become an annual event to signify the progress New York City has made in reclaiming its waterfront and
opening harbor parks and greenways.
NY400 is Just the Beginning of the Next 400
Years of Partnership
The bikes were part of a special NY400 Queens Day Bike Tour organized together with The Netherland Club
and NLBorrels. Lasting Dutch Legacy in New York City and the US (Photo by Richard Koek)
Coinciding with this historic celebration the US Congress
passed a concurrent resolution to mark 400 years of friendship
with the Netherlands. The resolution serves to honor, commemorate and celebrate the historic ties of the United States
and the Netherlands. The resolution not only stipulates its historic ties but also acknowledges the vital relationship between
both nations today.
The NY400 year will officially conclude in November on
Dutch-American Heritage Day with another range of events but
this NY400 celebration is just the beginning of the next 400
years of partnership. The Dutch will continue to invest and
innovate in America, sharing their expertise in water management, the environment, creative industries, and finance.
The United States & The Netherlands: Two Countries – One
Spirit United by Values, History and a Vision of the Future.
Sketch of The New Amsterdam Plein designed by Dutch architect Ben van Berkel of
UNStudio.
NY400 is the result of an initiative by the Dutch
Government in close co-operation with Dutch local
and provincial authorities, with New York City and
New York State, and with active participation of
a great number of organizations from the private,
culture and not-for-profit sector.
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The Netherlands and the United States:
Four Hundred Years of
Shared History and Values
In 1609, the Dutch East India Company
commissioned a vessel -- the “Halve Maen”
to find a shorter trade route to the East
Indies. This “short cut” by the “Halve
Maen” led directly to the site of the Hudson River and some very fertile land. The
Dutch seized upon the opportunity to establish the colony of New Netherland on
the shores of the Hudson River. The heart
of the colony was New Amsterdam – on the
island of Mana Hatta now known as Manhattan.
From the very early stages, the colony of
New Netherland was multiracial and multireligious founded on principles of freedom, democracy, open-mindedness and entrepreneurship.
The colony grew quickly due in part to an extensive fur trade
with the Native Americans. In a short period of time, New
Amsterdam developed into a major port for trade in the North
Atlantic, where – unlike the Puritan British colonies - women
could own property, Europeans could marry Africans, and over
16 languages were spoken. This Dutch progressive spirit of trade
and entrepreneurship are legacies still found in New York, and
throughout the United States.
The sprawling influence of that early colony, (unfortunately no
longer called New Amsterdam) is still felt throughout the United
States in the many towns which boasts Americans of Dutch decent; in the Dutch language (such as “Yankee” and dollar) incorporated into English; and the economic and cultural ties between
our lands.
The ties that bind the United States and the Netherlands are
longstanding, and unbroken. The Dutch declaration of independence, which was written to break from Spain’s rule in the late
1500’s, later inspired Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the US
Declaration of Independence.
But several other historical events have cemented the foundation as well including the “First Salute” - which occurred on the
island of St. Eustatius on November 16, 1776, when the Netherlands became the first country to officially acknowledge the
American Flag.
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The Dutch financed the purchase of arms
that General George Washington’s forces
used to battle the British, and we smuggled
weapons into the country which were used
by the American rebels. Later, Thomas
Jefferson asked Dutch bankers to finance
the Louisiana Purchase and, of course, we
agreed, sensing it would make a great business deal.
John Adams, the first US Ambassador to
the Netherlands, predicted that the Netherlands and the United States would be drawn
closely together because of the affinities in
religion, morals, and political philosophy,
but above all, by convergent commercial interests. And he was right.
Today, those commercial interests continue to cement our relations. Over the years, the Netherlands has ranked among the top
foreign investors in the United States and the United States is the
largest investor in the Netherlands. 850,000 American jobs are
the result of our investment and trade relations.
The shared values between the Netherlands and the United
States are highlighted this year with NY400, a year-long celebration of events in Amsterdam and New York City to mark four
centuries of friendship. NY400 not only illustrates the common
ties between our two nations, but reveals that the Dutch roots of
American society are strong and deep.
The celebration featured a visit by Their Royal Highnesses
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima; a performing arts festival; and a flotilla of Dutch ships led by a replica
of the “Halve Maen,” along with traditional Dutch Navy ships.
New Yorkers and Amsterdammers swapped jobs and a shipment
of Dutch bikes was donated to New York City to encourage bike
riding. I invite you to read more about it in this issue of Diplomatic Connections and at www.NY400.org.
And while we celebrate the history of Dutch and American
relations with NY400, we also take this time to look toward our
promising future. The Netherlands and the United States are
truly two countries united in spirit.
H.E. Renée Jones-Bos, Ambassador of The Netherlands to the
United States