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| Little international city behind the dunes |
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Reactie uit de wijk / Reaction from the district
Peter Kaiser, OPCW: ‘Little international city behind the dunes’ This is how Peter Kaiser calls The Hague. He is an American and head of Media and Public Affairs of the OPCW, a big international organisation that has over 500 people working in The Hague. His view on the city is somewhat different from the one put forward in the ‘Structuurvisie’ - ‘Global city near the sea’. Beating Geneva and Vienna OPCW stands for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Its aim is to make sure that by 2012 the world will be free of chemical weapons. The Hague was chosen for its headquarters ten years ago. Why? Peter Kaiser: ‘There is always a competition among various candidate host countries to convince an organisation to base their headquarters in a particular city. In our case three cities put in a proposal: Geneva, Vienna and The Hague. Geneva and Vienna, being UN cities with a large number of international organisations, held a standard presentation. Not so The Hague. The city was eager to acquire the OPCW as it was building its international reputation as the world’s legal capital. So its presentation aimed to meet the specific requirements of our organisation. The Hague made a very special effort to ensure that the OPCW would have the best possible welcome.’ Cost of living The Hague proved to be a hospitable host. Peter: ‘It has all the advantages of a small city. It is relatively easy to move around, it is still possible to find affordable housing – prices have not skyrocketed the way they have in Paris for instance – and at the same time you don’t feel overwhelmed by a huge urban environment. The beach is an enormous attraction to anybody, no matter where they call home. It is a healthy place, simply because it is not as densely populated as other international cities, like New York for instance. If you compare The Hague to Geneva, the cost of living in The Hague is far more affordable. This makes it much easier for a family to make the move from one continent to another – which is important for expats who face much larger expenses than anyone moving within the same country.’ Culinary capital Expats like to have their own cuisine, according to Peter Kaiser. It makes them feel at home. Restaurants, supermarkets and shops are beginning to offer a wider variety of products from different regions and cultures: ‘This has improved a great deal over the last few years and can make The Hague even more attractive. Take London. The world’s worst culinary capital transformed into one of the best. This was due to immigrants that brought with them their own cultural specialties.’ Medical aid Health care is another aspect of life in The Hague that is improving. Peter explains: ‘Everyone has their own expectation of how they should be treated by medical professionals. This is different for every culture. Of course as a host city, it is not easy to live up to all of these expectations. Now, there is a new International Health Centre in Scheveningen that caters to each patient’s particular needs in several languages, while arranging swift, specialised medical attention. If you or a family member are ill or need specialised care, and you are from abroad, it is wonderful if you can use your own language to express your needs and concerns. It is a huge comfort.’ Peter Kaiser has enjoyed his stay in The Hague. There is only one thing he has never got used to: ‘The weather. If you’re not from Northern Europe, if you aren’t used to frequent rain and long, dark winters, this climate is a shock.’ |
