Sydney - Alumni dinner with UU delegation in the historical centre

Are you a graduate of the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and do you live in Sydney or surroundings? Remember the amazing time you had there?

Meet your fellow graduates in Sydney over drinks and an alumni dinner on Tuesday 13 November! Also joining are several UU scientists who are involved in research in both Utrecht and Sydney.

In addition, you get the chance to take a peek underground in the historical cellars of the city centre where Sydney keeps some of its best stories.

A great chance to (re)connect with fellow alumni and hear the latest news from Utrecht!

UU Alumni Network Sydney ambassadors Frans Verstraten and Nicoline van Cann look forward to welcoming you.

Dinner and drinks will be provided by the hosts.

For more information, click on the link below.

Cleveringa lecture 2018 Sydney
 

To commemorate the famous lecture held by Prof.mr. R. P. Cleveringa on 26 November 1940 at Leiden University, Leiden University Fund (LUF) organises lectures around the world since 1946. Every year these lectures take place in November and discuss recent, scientific topics.

This year's Cleveringa lecture in Sydney is brought to you by the Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Sydney and is titled "Challenges in an Ageing Society: how old will we grow and how will we grow old". It will be presented by Prof.dr. W.P. Achterberg, who is professor of institutional care and elderly care medicine at Leiden University Medical Center. He is also an elderly care physician and medical director of Topaz (Leiden), and visiting professor at Bergen University (Norway).

The event is FREE and will be held at the residency of the Consul-General, 15 Robinson Lane, Woollahra, Sydney.

Date: 21 November 2018

SPACES ARE LIMITED. TO BOOK YOUR FREE TICKET(S) PLEASE REGISTER WITH EVENTBRITE.

Heads of Consular Missions

Consul-General Frank van Beuningen attended the yearly ‘Heads of Consular Missions’ reception on invitation of the premier of New South Wales, the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP.

After the participants were welcomed by the Hon. Niall Blair MP, minister for Trade and Industry, the premier expressed how much she valued the work of the Consular Corps to re-enforce the policy of the government of New South Wales.

“Your countries have so much to offer for us”, according to the premier.

She further proudly emphasised that she is impressed by the efforts of the athletes of the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney and wished them all good luck.

With many representatives of NSW ministries and other officials present at the event, it provided an insightful platform to network and exchange ideas. Although the reception took place in the beautiful “stranger’s function room” of the Parliament House in Sydney, the guests didn’t feel like strangers at all!

Olaf and Kerstens in Ballarat

On 9 November, the photography exhibition of Erwin Olaf and Hendrik Kerstens will officially open at the Craig's Royal Hotel in Ballarat!

In collaboration with Ballarat International Foto Biennale and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the two prominent Dutch photographers are presenting their work in a series of exhibitions that show photographic art from world's most renowned photographers.

The Craig's Royal Hotel Ballarat thus presents a Regional Victoria exclusive of two significant Dutch photographers, paying homage to the traditional Flemish masters of the 16th Century.

The Olaf and Kerstens exhibition will run from November 10 through to February 24 2019, seven days a week and is free to attend.

Invictus Games 2018 Sydney

Last months' 2018 Invictus Games saw pride, courage and raw emotions. On Saturday 20 October, Consul-General Frank van Beuningen attended the official opening in Sydney.

The Netherlands was well represented with 24 participants in 11 sports disciplines, bringing along their personal impressive stories and ambitions. Where at Sydney airport the Dutch defense attaché in Australia, Lieutenant Colonel Elmar Hermans and his partner Simone Steendijk welcomed the participants enthusiastically, their families and friends were eagerly awaiting them at Luna Park.

In the midst of the Games a touching moment was seen that cut through the heart of what Invictus means, when wheelchair tennis player Paul Guest from the UK was comforted by his Dutch playing partner Edwin Vermetten at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, after the sound of a helicopter caused Guest's PTSD to resurface, momentarily leaving him unable to take his serve.

Competitors across the world either beginning, or continuing, their journey to recovery now have the 2020 Invictus Games The Hague in the Netherlands to look forward to! 

Gerard Willems farewell

Yesterday the Consul-General attended the farewell concert of Dutchman Associate Professor Gerard Willems AM. It marked the end of 37 years of teaching, research and performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as Chair of Piano.

The packed audience was treated to an entertaining and heartwarming evening with former pupils like prize-winning pianist and conductor Jackie Wong from China, and colleague SSO principal double bass Kees Boersma joining Gerard Willems on stage. The program included beautiful renditions of Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss, Bach, Elgar, Chopin and Piazzolla in the Verbrugghen Hall at ‘the Con’.

Gerard has had an important impact on many musicians and he is the first Australian and Dutch pianist to record the complete Beethoven Sonata cycle on CD, which was awarded Best Classical Album of the Year twice. The evening was concluded with Gerard’s wife and young daughter joining on stage, after which Consul General Frank van Beuningen gave a farewell speech and managed to persuade Gerard to give the enthusiastic audience an encore. What a wonderful event it was. We wish Gerard and his family all the best in their new adventures!