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110-640: The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ) is an intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW, with its 193 member states, has its seat in The Hague , Netherlands ; it oversees the global endeavour for the permanent and verifiable elimination of chemical weapons . The organisation promotes and verifies

220-489: A raid on the homes and offices of then-aldermen Richard de Mos and Rachid Guernaoui, as part of an investigation of alleged administrative corruption, bribery and violation of confidentiality. The offices of several municipal civil servants and the homes of three entrepreneurs were also searched for the investigation. The aldermen were suspected of receiving bribes in exchange for granting permits. In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted of all charges. The Hague

330-653: A stadtholder to rule in their stead with the States of Holland and West Friesland as an advisory council. Although their seat was in The Hague, the city became subordinate to more important centres of government such as Brussels and Mechelen , from where the sovereigns ruled over the increasingly centralised Burgundian Netherlands . At the beginning of the Eighty Years' War , the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowed Spanish troops to easily occupy

440-493: A treaty that acts as a charter creating the group. Treaties are formed when lawful representatives (governments) of several states go through a ratification process, providing the IGO with an international legal personality. Intergovernmental organizations are an important aspect of public international law . Intergovernmental organizations in a legal sense should be distinguished from simple groupings or coalitions of states, such as

550-559: A buffer against France. As a compromise, Brussels and Amsterdam alternated as capital every two years, with the government remaining in The Hague. After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague. When the government started to play a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. Many streets were specifically built for

660-735: A capitalist economy. The oldest regional organization is the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna . There are several different reasons a state may choose membership in an intergovernmental organization. But there are also reasons membership may be rejected. Reasons for participation: Reasons for rejecting membership: Intergovernmental organizations are provided with privileges and immunities that are intended to ensure their independent and effective functioning. They are specified in

770-527: A charter dating from 1242. It became the primary residence of the Counts of Holland in 1358 and thus became the seat of many government institutions. This status allowed the village to grow; by the Late Middle Ages, it had grown to the size of a city, although it did not receive city rights . In its early years, the village was in the ambacht , or rural district, of Monster , which was governed by

880-640: A fair trial . Otherwise, the organizations' immunities may be put in question in national and international courts. Some organizations hold proceedings before tribunals relating to their organization to be confidential, and in some instances have threatened disciplinary action should an employee disclose any of the relevant information. Such confidentiality has been criticized as a lack of transparency . The immunities also extend to employment law . In this regard, immunity from national jurisdiction necessitates that reasonable alternative means are available to effectively protect employees' rights; in this context,

990-854: A first instance Dutch court considered an estimated duration of proceedings before the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization of 15 years to be too long. An international organization does not pay taxes, is difficult to prosecute in court and is not obliged to provide information to any parliament. The United Nations focuses on five main areas: "maintaining peace and security , protecting human rights , delivering humanitarian aid , supporting sustainable development , and upholding international law ". UN agencies , such as UN Relief and Works Agency , are generally regarded as international organizations in their own right. Additionally,

1100-534: A good resource for developmental projects in developing countries. The UN has to protect against any kind of human rights violation, and in the UN system, some specialized agencies, like ILO and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ), work in the human rights' protection fields. The UN agency, ILO, is trying to end any kind of discrimination in the work field and child labor; after that, this agency promotes fundamental labor rights and to get safe and secure for

1210-533: A letter to Den Haag will be delivered just as well. The railway stations use the name Den Haag , as do signposts. The area was part of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and was close to the border of the empire, the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes . In 1997, four Roman milestones were discovered at Wateringse Veld. The originals are in the " Museon " museum. The milestones indicate

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1320-557: A new theatre, Amare , which would house both institutes as well as the Royal Conservatory . Despite efforts of the municipality, public support for the proposed theatre remains low. At the heart of the city centre across the palace gardens is the home of Summerschool Den Haag , an international school for dance with guest teachers such as Valentina Scaglia , Igone de Jongh , and Maia Makhateli . The Koninklijke Schouwburg , home to Het Nationale Theater , can also be found in

1430-533: A population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of the second-largest conurbation in the European Union . The Hague is divided into eight official districts which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods. Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas such as Statenkwartier , Belgisch Park , Marlot , Benoordenhout and Archipelbuurt are generally in

1540-520: A population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea , The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government , and while the official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam , The Hague has been described as the country's de facto capital since the time of the Dutch Republic . The Hague

1650-690: A unanimous agreement of OPCW member states allowed the addition of the Novichok agents to "list of controlled substances" of the CWC "in one of the first major changes to the treaty since it was agreed in the 1990s" in response to the 2018 poisonings in the UK . The activities of the OPCW and its core organisational structure are described in the Chemical Weapons Convention (whose members are all in OPCW). The principal body

1760-595: A variety of issues—was the League of Nations , founded on 10 January 1920 with a principal mission of maintaining world peace after World War I. The United Nations followed this model after World War II . This was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945. Currently, the UN

1870-644: A year, it is the most popular beach town in the Benelux area. Kijkduin , in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents. The former Dutch colony of the East Indies , now Indonesia , has left its mark on The Hague. Since the 19th century, high-level civil servants from the Dutch East Indies often spent long-term leave and vacations in The Hague. Many streets are named after places in

1980-758: Is Muziekcafé de Paap. The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite the Nieuwe Kerk . Besides the City Hall , this was also the location of the Anton Philipszaal , home to the Residentie Orchestra , and the Lucent Danstheater , home to the internationally celebrated modern dance company Nederlands Dans Theater . These buildings, designed by Rem Koolhaas in 1988, have been demolished to make space for

2090-414: Is a consortium of those institutions. Its member institutions are: In 1948, the Congress of Europe was held with 750 delegates from 26 European governments, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development of European integration , which eventually culminated in the creation of the modern-day European Union . The Hague has a service-oriented economy. A professional life in

2200-480: Is also host to the regional headquarters of Siemens , T-Mobile , AT&T , Huawei , Kuwait Petroleum Corporation , McDermott International , Saudi Aramco , TotalEnergies and Worley . There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with the possible exception of the fishing activities of the harbour in Scheveningen . Many of the city's logistical and minor-industrial services are in

2310-519: Is becoming more student-friendly with the introduction of a new campus in 2012 of Leiden University as well as Leiden University College The Hague , which was established in 2010. The Royal Conservatory of The Hague and the Royal Academy of Art are also located there, as well as The Hague University , a vocational university and a branch of The Open University of the Netherlands . The city has many civil servants and diplomats . In fact,

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2420-453: Is certain is that The Hague was founded by the last counts of the House of Holland . Floris IV already owned two residences in the area, but presumably purchased a third court situated by the present-day Hofvijver in 1229, previously owned by a woman called Meilendis. Presumably, Floris IV intended to rebuild the court into a large castle, but he died in a tournament in 1234, before anything

2530-603: Is directly appointed by the Conference for a maximum of two four-year terms. A historical list of Directors-General is shown below. The appointment of Ambassador Arias followed a consensus recommendation by the OPCW Executive Council in October 2017. Ambassador Arias is a career diplomat with extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy. Previously, he served as Ambassador of Spain to the Netherlands and

2640-692: Is home to many different international judicial bodies, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). It houses Scheveningen Prison , the ICC's detention center for those suspected of war crimes and other violations of international law. The Hague is the fourth major centre for

2750-484: Is intended to be ensured by legal mechanisms that are internal to the intergovernmental organization itself and access to administrative tribunals. In the course of many court cases where private parties tried to pursue claims against international organizations, there has been a gradual realization that alternative means of dispute settlement are required as states have fundamental human rights obligations to provide plaintiffs with access to court in view of their right to

2860-561: Is the Conference of the States Parties (CSP) , which normally is convened yearly, and in which all countries can participate, with equal voting rights. Countries are generally represented in the conference by a permanent representative to the organisation, which in most cases is also the ambassador to the Netherlands. The conference decides on all main topics regarding the organisation (for example, taking retaliation measures) and

2970-700: Is the core municipality of the Greater The Hague urban area containing over 800,000 residents, and is also part of the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area , which, with a population of approximately 2.6 million, is the largest metropolitan area of the Netherlands. The city is also part of the Randstad region, one of the largest conurbations in Europe. The Hague is the seat of the Cabinet ,

3080-817: Is the main IGO with its arms such as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the General Assembly (UNGA), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Secretariat (UNSA), the Trusteeship Council (UNTC) and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). When defined as "organizations with at least three state parties, a permanent headquarters or secretariat, as well as regular meetings and budgets",

3190-407: Is the most common religion among people with a Turkish or Moroccan migration background. Among people of Surinamese heritage there is more religious diversity, with Hinduism being the most common. Of The Hague's native Dutch population, most religious people adhere to Christianity. Just under 40% of the population of The Hague regularly attends a house of worship. As of the 2022 municipal election ,

3300-672: The Atlantic Wall was built through the city, causing a large quarter to be torn down by the Nazi occupants. On 3 March 1945, the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout quarter. The target was an installation of V-2 rockets in the nearby Haagse Bos park, but because of navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city. The bombardment wreaked widespread destruction in

3410-546: The Binnenhof ) contains a six-screen Pathé cinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Adjacent to the Buitenhof is De Passage , the country's first covered shopping mall. Dating from the late 19th century, it contains many expensive and speciality shops. One of the country's largest music venues, Paard van Troje , can be found in the centre of The Hague. Another popular music venue in The Hague

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3520-782: The G7 or the Quartet . Such groups or associations have not been founded by a constituent document and exist only as task groups . Intergovernmental organizations must also be distinguished from treaties. Many treaties (such as the North American Free Trade Agreement , or the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade before the establishment of the World Trade Organization ) do not establish an independent secretariat and instead rely on

3630-717: The Haagse Bos and work in the Noordeinde Palace in the city centre. Moreover, there are two former royal palaces in The Hague. The Kneuterdijk Palace , built in 1716, is now home to the Council of State of the Netherlands , and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied by the Escher Museum , dedicated to Dutch graphical artist M. C. Escher . The Hague has its share of museums, most notably

3740-475: The Hagenezen , who speak plat Haags ("vulgar"); see Demographics below. The districts are: The Hague experiences a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen: Cfb ) similar to almost all of the Netherlands. Because of its location on the coast, it experiences milder winters and cooler summers than more inland locations. However, because of its location, it can also be extremely windy in the winter and humid in

3850-608: The International Telecommunication Union and other standards organizations ). Common types include: In regional organizations like the European Union , African Union , NATO , ASEAN and Mercosur , there are restrictions on membership due to factors such as geography or political regimes. To enter the European Union (EU), the states require different criteria; member states need to be European, liberal-democratic political system, and be

3960-661: The Mauritshuis , located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer , Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter . Other museums include the science museum Museon , the modern art museum Kunstmuseum , the historic museum Haags Historisch Museum , the national postal museum Museum voor Communicatie , the Museum Bredius , the Louis Couperus Museum ,

4070-512: The Ridderzaal ("Knights' Hall"), still intact, is the most prominent. It is still used for political events, such as the annual speech from the throne by the Dutch monarch . From the 13th century onward, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative center and residence when in Holland. The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as Die Haghe in

4180-611: The Rotterdam The Hague Airport and a light rail system called RandstadRail . This led to the creation of the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area . This large conurbation centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is, in turn, part of the Randstad —specifically a band of municipalities called the South Wing ( Zuidvleugel ). The Randstad, which also includes among others Amsterdam and Utrecht , has

4290-608: The States General , the Supreme Court , and the Council of State of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander officially lives in the Huis ten Bosch and works at the Noordeinde Palace together with Queen Máxima . Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands are in the city. The Hague is also home to the headquarters of many Dutch companies , with Shell plc having major offices in the city as well. The Royal Library of

4400-468: The United Nations , after New York, Geneva and Vienna. The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and justice" started at the end of the 19th century, when the first global peace conference took place in The Hague on Tobias Asser 's initiative, with a second one a few years later. A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the world's first organisation for

4510-453: The municipal council of The Hague contains thirteen parties, most notably the local Heart for The Hague (HvDH; 9 seats), Democrats 66 (D66; 8 seats), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD; 7 seats) and GroenLinks (5 seats). Since 2019, the municipal executive has comprised VVD, D66, GroenLinks, CDA and PvdA. The chairman of the college is Mayor Jan van Zanen (VVD), and

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4620-446: The 13th century Binnenhof , and this is still considered the cultural centre of the city. Nightlife centres around the three main squares in the city centre. The Plein (literally "Square") is taken by several large sidewalk cafés where often politicians may be spotted. The Grote Markt (literally "Great Market") is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. The Buitenhof (literally "Outer Court", located just outside

4730-622: The 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, opened in the former headquarters of the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service in Leidschendam , a town within the greater area of The Hague. Other major international and European organisations based in The Hague include: Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law, and international development are based in The Hague. The Hague Academic Coalition (HAC)

4840-910: The American plan of an invasion of Iraq. He also lodged a complaint before the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization , which, by a judgment of 16 July 2003, quashed the dismissal and condemned the OPCW to compensation for material and moral damage. Bustani did not seek to be reinstated in office. Intergovernmental organization Examples for international organizations include: UN General Assembly , World Trade Organization , African Development Bank , UN Economic and Social Council , UN Security Council , Asian Development Bank , International Bank for Reconstruction and Development , International Monetary Fund , International Finance Corporation , Inter-American Development Bank , United Nations Environment Programme. Scottish law professor James Lorimer has been credited with coining

4950-659: The Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses. Tourism is an important sector in The Hague. The city is the second biggest Dutch tourist destination, after Amsterdam . In 2012, The Hague welcomed 1.2 million tourists (an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous year), half of whom came from abroad. The number of hotel nights in the city increased by 5%; in particular, visitors from neighbouring countries are finding their way to The Hague. Compared to 2011 Belgians booked 27% more hotel nights, while

5060-487: The Convention. Palestine was the most recent state to submit its instrument of accession to the Convention. On 21 April 2021, Syria was stripped of its voting rights at the OPCW after Syrian forces were found to have repeatedly used poison gas during the Syrian civil war . A two-thirds majority of members voted to immediately revoke Syria's privileges at the agency. The Organisation is currently led by Director-General Ambassador Fernando Arias of Spain. The Director-General

5170-468: The French Emperor Napoleon. States then became the main decision makers who preferred to maintain their sovereignty as of 1648 at the Westphalian treaty that closed the 30 Years' War in Europe. The first and oldest international organization—being established employing a treaty, and creating a permanent secretariat, with a global membership—was the International Telecommunication Union (founded in 1865). The first general international organization—addressing

5280-400: The Germans were good for 24% more hotel nights, and the French booked 20% more hotel nights. The 14% average increase in visits by foreign tourists more than compensated for the slight decrease of less than 1% by Dutch visitors. Tourists spend an average of €2 billion a year in the local economy. Today 1 in 10 residents make their living in the tourism sector. The Hague originated around

5390-403: The Lord of Monster. Seeking to exercise more direct control over the village, however, the Count split the village off and created a separate ambacht called Haagambacht, governed directly by the Counts of Holland. The territory of Haagambacht was considerably expanded during the reign of Floris V. When the House of Burgundy inherited the counties of Holland and Zeeland in 1432, they appointed

5500-403: The Netherlands is also located there. The Hague's coastal area includes the popular seaside resort Scheveningen . The Hague is known as the global hub of international law and arbitration. The International Court of Justice , the main judicial arm of the United Nations , is based in the city, as are the International Criminal Court , the Permanent Court of Arbitration , the Organisation for

5610-429: The Netherlands on 20 May 1998. and consist of an eight-story building built in a semi-circle. A permanent memorial to all victims is present at the back of the building and is open to the public. The OPCW headquarters building was designed by American architect Gerhard Kallmann of Kallmann McKinnell & Wood . The first Director-General only served about one year of his second term, after which, in April 2002, he

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5720-486: The Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname) and there is a sizable " Indo " (i.e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, " Indo people " also known as "Indische people" often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies". The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of

5830-444: The Netherlands, while 15.6% has at least one parent who was born abroad in a western country, and 34.4% has at least one parent that was born in a non-western country. Just under half of The Hague's population identifies with a religious group. The two most popular religions are Christianity (29%) and Islam (14.1%). Religiosity is higher among people with a recent migration background from Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco and Surinam. Islam

5940-489: The OPCW is not a specialised agency of the United Nations, it cooperates both on policy and practical issues as a related organisation. On 7 September 2000, the OPCW and the United Nations signed a cooperation agreement outlining how they were to coordinate their activities. The inspectors furthermore travel on the United Nations Laissez-Passer in which a sticker is placed explaining their position, and privileges and immunities. The United Nations Regional Groups also operate at

6050-412: The OPCW to govern the rotations on the Executive Council and provide informal discussion platform. All 193 parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention are automatically members of the OPCW. Other states which are eligible to become members are UN member states : Israel is a signatory state that has not ratified the Convention; and Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan, which have neither signed nor acceded to

6160-567: The OPCW". The removal was subsequently determined to be improper by an Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization and consequently Bustani was awarded €50,000 in moral damages, his pay for the remainder of his second term, and his legal costs. On 11 October 2013, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the OPCW had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "extensive work to eliminate chemical weapons". The committee further indicated how " Recent events in Syria, where chemical weapons have again been put to use, have underlined

6270-411: The OPCW. Bustani was dismissed following the vote, held on 22 April 2002, with 48 states voting in favor, 7 against and 43 abstaining. Subsequently, Bustani accused the United States of having provoked his impeachment because he had succeeded in convincing Saddam Hussein to ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention , which implied inspection of the Iraqi arsenal by OPCW investigators and would have thwarted

6380-422: The Permanent Representative of Spain to the OPCW. He also has served as Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations in New York and Ambassador of Spain to Mali, Mauritania, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Bulgaria. In 2002, the United States convened an extraordinary session of the Conference of the States Parties of the OPCW to request the dismissal of José Bustani , then Director General of

6490-517: The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons , Europol , and approximately 200 other international governmental organizations . The name "The Hague" is commonly used as a totum pro parte to refer to either of the international courts that reside in the city. The Hague was first mentioned as Die Haghe in 1242. In the 15th century, the name des Graven hage came into use, literally meaning "the Count's Grove", with connotations such as "hedge", "private enclosure" or "hunting grounds". The count in question

6600-513: The U.S. had tried other measures, although the convention also indicates that states should "not seek to influence" staff. In line with his mandate, Bustani wanted Iraq to sign the convention thus allowing international chemical weapons monitors into Iraq and thus potentially impeding the U.S. push for war against Iraq . The U.S. gave three main arguments for the removal of Bustani's from his position: "polarising and confrontational conduct", "mismanagement issues" and "advocacy of inappropriate roles for

6710-590: The UN such as the World Health Organization (which was made up of regional organizations such as PAHO that predated the UN). A few UN special agencies are very centralized in policy and decision-making, but some are decentralized; for example, the country-based projects or missions' directors and managers can decide what they want to do in the fields. The UN agencies have a variety of tasks based on their specialization and their interests. The UN agencies provide different kinds of assistance to low-income countries and middle-income countries, and this assistance would be

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6820-445: The UN's International Court of Justice . The establishments of the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal (1981), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993), and the International Criminal Court (2002) in the city further consolidated its role as a centre for international legal arbitration. Most recently, on 1 March 2009, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon , a UN tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in

6930-428: The United Nations has Specialized Agencies , which are organizations within the United Nations System that have their member states (often nearly identical to the UN Member States ) and are governed independently by them; examples include international organizations that predate the UN, such as the International Telecommunication Union , and the Universal Postal Union , as well as organizations that were created after

7040-472: The activities mandated by the council and is the body where most of the employees of the organisation work. The main activities of the OPCW are performed by the inspection and the verification divisions. All states parties make contributions to the OPCW budget, based on a modified UN scale of assessments. The OPCW budget for 2020 is €70,958,760 The OPCW has the power to report on whether chemical weapons were used in an attack it has investigated. "The OPCW has

7150-416: The adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction. Verification consists both of evaluation of declarations by member states and onsite inspections. The organisation was awarded the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize "for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons". Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjørn Jagland said, "The conventions and

7260-435: The area and caused 511 fatalities. Because of uncertainty about what to do after the destructions of the bombing, nobody attempted to plan a reconstruction of Bezuidenhout. In 1962, David Jokinen saw an opportunity to put an end to the situation where two main stations each served only part of the rail traffic. The Jokinen Plan included the intent to demolish the Staatsspoor Station entirely, with Hollands Spoor becoming

7370-417: The central station. Jokinen's plan sparked fierce discussions. The plan was not implemented, in part because it was only presented when decision-making had finally reached an advanced stage. In the site of the Staatsspoor station now stands the Den Haag Centraal railway station . After the war, The Hague became at one time the largest building site in Europe . The city expanded massively to the southwest, and

7480-399: The city centre – on the Korte Voorhout. New European Ensemble is a collective for contemporary music consisting on international musicians. The ensemble has its main base in the city. Scheveningen forms a second cultural centre of The Hague, having its own Pathé cinema as well as the musical theatre Circustheater although, especially in the summer, most night life concentrates around

7590-442: The city has eight aldermen: Anne Mulder , Kavita Parbhudayal (both VVD), Robert van Asten, Saskia Bruines (both D66), Liesbeth van Tongeren , Bert van Alphen (both GroenLinks), Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA) and Martijn Balster (PvdA). Each alderman is responsible for a number of particular policy areas and one of the city's eight districts. On 1 October 2019, the National Department of Criminal Investigation ( Rijksrecherche ) performed

7700-706: The city is dominated by a large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; as of 2006 , 26% of the jobs in The Hague are those offered by the Dutch government or the international institutions. Large employers in this sector include the ministries of Defence , Justice , Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment , Foreign Affairs , the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Transport, Public Works and Water Management . Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague. Significant companies headquartered in The Hague include Aegon , APM Terminals , Damco , NIBC Bank , Chicago Bridge & Iron Company and PostNL . The city

7810-433: The city is more spacious than other Dutch cities and because of the incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks, and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much more green city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. The Hague has a canal system around the old city center, which is mainly used for boat tours around

7920-483: The city of The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague annexed large areas from neighboring and non-adjacent towns to build new residential areas, which are still being developed today. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea in the Netherlands and forms the centre of the Greater The Hague urban area . Westland and Wateringen lie to

8030-640: The city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century and some were filled between 1910 and 1970 but many have been restored recently. The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries of Justice and Security and the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, designed by Hans Kollhoff . Other significant skyscrapers include the Hoftoren , Het Strijkijzer and De Kroon . Religions in The Hague (2015) As of 1 January 2021, The Hague counts 549,163 inhabitants, making it

8140-507: The convention (approving guidelines, imposing retaliating measures against members). The Executive Council (EC) is the executive organ of the organisation and consists of 41 states parties, which are appointed by the conference on a two-year term. The council amongst others oversees the budget and cooperates with the General Secretariat on all matters related to the convention. The Technical Secretariat (TS) applies most of

8250-457: The convention. None of those activities have taken place, although the OPCW contributed to investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria as part of a United Nations mission. The OPCW only undertakes these inspections on request of another member state, after verification of the presented proof. To avoid misuse, a majority of three-quarters can block a challenge inspection request. While

8360-413: The destroyed areas were quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965. In the 1970s and 1980s, mostly white middle-class families moved to neighbouring towns such as Voorburg , Leidschendam , Rijswijk and (most of all) Zoetermeer . This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities in

8470-405: The distance from the nearest Roman city, Forum Hadriani (modern Voorburg ), and can be dated to the reign of the emperors Antoninus Pius (138–161; the column is dated 151), Caracalla (211–217), Gordian III (238–244), and Decius (249–251). Little is known about the origin of The Hague. There are no contemporary documents describing it, and later sources are often of dubious reliability. What

8580-640: The distinction from international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), which are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that operate internationally. These include international nonprofit organizations such as the World Organization of the Scout Movement , International Committee of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières , as well as lobby groups that represent the interests of multinational corporations. IGOs are established by

8690-424: The growth to continue to just over 600,000 inhabitants by 2030. The demonym of The Hague officially is Hagenaar , but the term Hagenees is informally used for someone who was born and raised in The Hague. The usage of these demonyms appears to be class-bound, with Hagenaar being the upper-class term and Hagenees being that of the lower-class. 43% of the population of The Hague has two parents that were born in

8800-529: The jurisdiction of national courts. Certain privileges and immunities are also specified in the Vienna Convention on the Representation of States in their Relations with International Organizations of a Universal Character of 1975,. which however has so far not been signed by 35 states and is thus not yet in force (status: 2022). Rather than by national jurisdiction, legal accountability

8910-467: The laborers. United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) is one of the UN's (United Nations) agencies and is an international organization that coordinates U.N. activities on the environment. An early prominent example of an international organization is the Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815, which was an international diplomatic conference to reconstitute the European political order after the downfall of

9020-583: The large number of civil servants employed in the country's government and for the Dutchmen who were retiring from the administration of the Netherlands East Indies . The growing city amalgamated the rural municipality of Loosduinen partly in 1903 and completely in 1923. The city sustained heavy damage during World War II . Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally,

9130-418: The main aim is to check the declaration and to verify the absence of Schedule 2 and Schedule 1 production units. The time limit Schedule 2 inspections is 96 hours while Schedule 3 and DOC inspections can take a maximum of 24 hours. There is no time limit on Schedule 1 inspections. In case of allegation of use of chemical weapons or the prohibited production, a fact-finding inspection can be employed according to

9240-417: The need to enhance the efforts to do away with such weapons." In the year ending September 2014, the OPCW had overseen the destruction of some 97 per cent of Syria's declared chemical weapons. In 2014, The OPCW–The Hague Award was established to honour select individuals and institutions by highlighting their exceptional contributions towards the goal of a world permanently free of chemical weapons. The award

9350-553: The northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern neighbourhoods such as Transvaal , Moerwijk , and the Schilderswijk are significantly poorer, except the Vinex-locations of Leidschenveen-Ypenburg and Wateringse Veld . This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-called bekakt Haags ("posh"), this contrasts with

9460-439: The number and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates ) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs , shops and cultural events. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and includes two distinct beach resorts . The main beach resort Scheveningen , in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10 million visitors

9570-524: The number of IGOs in the world increased from about 60 in 1940 to about 350 in 1980, after which it has remained roughly constant. The Hague The Hague ( / h eɪ ɡ / HAYG ; Dutch : Den Haag [dɛn ˈɦaːx] or 's-Gravenhage [ˌsxraːvə(n)ˈɦaːɣə] ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands . With

9680-511: The parties for their administration, for example by setting up a joint committee . Other treaties have established an administrative apparatus which was not deemed to have been granted binding legal authority. The broader concept wherein relations among three or more states are organized according to certain principles they hold in common is multilateralism . Intergovernmental organizations differ in function, membership, and membership criteria. They have various goals and scopes, often outlined in

9790-531: The power to send inspectors to any signatory country to search for evidence of production of banned chemicals. It also can send experts to help countries to investigate crime scenes where chemical agents may have been used." In June 2018 following the Skripal poisoning the UK convinced other members despite the Russian opposition that the OPCW needed to grant itself new powers to assign blame for attacks. The vote

9900-652: The privileges normally granted only to cities. In modern administrative law, "city rights" have no place anymore. In 1806, when the Kingdom of Holland was a puppet state of the First French Empire , the settlement was granted city rights by Louis Bonaparte . After the Napoleonic Wars , modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to form

10010-619: The purpose of realizing a common end". He distinguished between bilateral and multilateral organizations on one end and customary or conventional organizations on the other end. In his 1922 book An Introduction to the Study of International Organization , Potter argued that international organization was distinct from " international intercourse " (all relations between states), "international law" (which lacks enforcement) and world government . International Organizations are sometimes referred to as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), to clarify

10120-415: The requirements imposed on production and use of scheduled chemicals and to verify that industrial activities of member states have been correctly declared according to the obligation set by the CWC. The intensity and frequency of the inspections is dependent on the type of chemical produced (in descending order: Schedule 1 , Schedule 2 , Schedule 3 or DOC, see Scheduled Chemicals ), but is regardless of

10230-557: The sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants and gambling halls. Several other attractions can be found in Scheveningen, such as the miniature park Madurodam , the Beelden aan Zee museum, and a Sea Life Centre . The Hague is the residence of the Dutch monarch, and several (former) royal palaces can be found in the city. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands live in Huis ten Bosch in

10340-653: The settlement of international disputes, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). Shortly thereafter, the Scottish-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie made the necessary funds available to build the Peace Palace to house the PCA. After the establishment of the League of Nations , The Hague became the seat of the Permanent Court of International Justice , which was replaced (after World War II ) by

10450-522: The south, Rijswijk , Delft and the Rotterdam conurbation (known as Rijnmond ) to the southeast, Pijnacker-Nootdorp and Zoetermeer to the east, Leidschendam-Voorburg , Voorschoten and the Leiden conurbation to the northeast and Wassenaar to the north. The conurbations around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be seen as a single conurbation in some contexts. For example, they share

10560-484: The southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect H.P. Berlage about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large amount of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architect W.M. Dudok planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings. The layout of

10670-439: The standing of the member state. For Schedule 1 and 2 facilities, a mass balance is prepared to identify whether all produced chemicals can be accounted for and whether the amounts are consistent with the declarations made by member states. Furthermore, at Schedule 2 and 3 facilities clues are investigated whether, contrary to the declaration and to the rules in the convention, Schedule 1 chemicals are produced. At Schedule 3 and DOC,

10780-538: The summer. It also gets more sunshine. City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof , where the States General of the Netherlands is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague differs in various aspects from the nearby smaller cities of Leiden and Delft . It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead, it has some small streets in

10890-635: The term "international organization" in a 1871 article in the Revue de Droit International et de Legislation Compare . Lorimer use the term frequently in his two-volume Institutes of the Law of Nations (1883, 1884). Other early uses of the term were by law professor Walther Schucking in works published in 1907, 1908 and 1909, and by political science professor Paul S. Reinsch in 1911. In 1935, Pitman B. Potter defined international organization as "an association or union of nations established or recognized by them for

11000-636: The third-largest city in the Netherlands. Between 1800 and 1960, the city saw considerable growth from 40,000 in 1800 to 200,000 in 1900 and eventually 600,000 in 1960. The growth following 1900 was partially caused by the housing act of 1901, which stimulated the expansion of cities such as The Hague. In the period between 1960 and 1980, The Hague saw a shrinkage from 600,000 to 440,000 inhabitants, caused mostly by spatial policy, demographic processes, and lack of space. After several annexations and housing constructions, The Hague has since grown again, celebrating its 500,000th inhabitant in 2011. The municipality expects

11110-461: The town centre that may be dated from the late Middle Ages and several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, a City Hall (built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-century Protestant church built in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings. The city

11220-605: The town. In 1575, the States of Holland, temporarily based in Delft , even considered demolishing the city but this proposal was abandoned, after mediation by William the Silent . In 1588, The Hague became the permanent seat of the States of Holland as well as the States General of the Dutch Republic . For the administration to maintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of

11330-923: The treaties that give rise to the organization (such as the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Criminal Court ), which are normally supplemented by further multinational agreements and national regulations (for example the International Organizations Immunities Act in the United States). The organizations are thereby immune from

11440-634: The treaty or charter . Some IGOs developed to fulfill a need for a neutral forum for debate or negotiation to resolve disputes. Others developed to carry out mutual interests with unified aims to preserve peace through conflict resolution and better international relations , promote international cooperation on matters such as environmental protection , to promote human rights , to promote social development (education, health care ), to render humanitarian aid , and to economic development . Some are more general in scope (the United Nations ) while others may have subject-specific missions (such as INTERPOL or

11550-665: The work of the OPCW have defined the use of chemical weapons as a taboo under international law ". The Hague was chosen as the location for the seat of the organisation after a successful lobby of the Dutch government, competing against Vienna and Geneva . The organisation has its headquarters next to the World Forum Convention Centre (where it holds its yearly Conference of States Parties) and an equipment store and laboratory facility in Rijswijk . The headquarters were officially opened by Queen Beatrix of

11660-473: Was built. His son and successor William II lived in the court, and after he was elected King of the Romans in 1248, he promptly returned to The Hague, and had builders turn the court into a "royal palace" ( regale palacium ), which would later be called the Binnenhof ("Inner Court"). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed but parts of it were finished during the reign of his son Floris V , of which

11770-559: Was created as a legacy of the OPCW winning the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize. The OPCW—The Hague Award fund was created using the approximately €900,000 monetary prize which accompanied the Nobel Peace Prize , and is also supported financially by the City of The Hague , where the OPCW is based. In June 2018, the OPCW voted to expand its own powers, allowing itself to assign blame for a contravention of its regulations . In November 2019,

11880-455: Was removed from office on grounds of lack of confidence by the member states. It was argued by The Guardian ' s columnist George Monbiot that Director-General José Bustani was being forced out by the U.S. government, despite the convention insisting the OPCW "shall not seek or receive instructions from any government"; the US had tried to persuade Brazil to recall Bustani. Monbiot wrote that

11990-472: Was the Count of Holland (as is the case with nearby 's-Gravenzande ). The spelling ' s-Gravenhage was officially used for the city from the 17th century onward. Today, this name is only used in some official documents such as birth and marriage certificates. The city itself uses Den Haag in all its communications. The post office specifies that letters should be addressed to ' s-Gravenhage , but

12100-515: Was won by a margin of 82 to 24, which exceeded the two-thirds majority needed for the motion to pass. At all operational chemical weapons destruction facilities , 24/7 inspections by the OPCW take place on site to verify the success of the destruction as well as the amounts of weapons being destroyed. In light of the hazardous environment in which the inspections take place, they are generally performed by evaluation via CCTV -systems. Inspections are designed to verify compliance of States Parties with

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