Mrs. Jannie de Graaf receives an Ambassador for Peace certificate from UPF-NL Sec. Gen. Drs. Wim Koetsie.

On December 30, 2006, UPF-Netherlands joined with the Stichting voor Ontwikkeling van Vietnam (SOV - International Foundation for the Development of Vietnam) in a conference entitled "Towards a common future?" to mark the 30th anniversary of Vietnamese in the Netherlands – and Hopeful Developments in Vietnam; SOV feeling, as does UPF, that change in communist countries might now come from cooperation rather than confrontation; though at the same time acknowledging that much improvement is still needed in terms of human rights and respect for alternative opinions, which SOV’s Drs. Ngo Van Tuan acknowledged in his welcoming address.

Ir. E. Hessing complimented the Vietnamese on their successful integration into Dutch society, valuing freedom and self reliance and friendliness. The Netherlands’ post-colonization experience might be of value to Vietnam.

Mrs. J. de Graaf, a member of the General Synod of the Protestant Church, spoke with much feeling about looking after the first refugees when they arrived in the Netherlands all those years ago, and her pride at their accomplishments, at all levels of society. She had since worked with peoples from some 80 different cultures.

Dr. Monica Bouman, of Dutch-Indonesian family background, reflected on the great upheaval following the end of 125 years of Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia in 1949, and of the "frosty relationship" between the two countries until Dutch Foreign Minister Bot publicly expressed his regrets for the ‘unnecessarily painful and forceful separation’. Today’s cooperation might be a model example to help current confrontations between Jews and Arabs, Indians and Pakistanis, Chinese and Japanese and, "particularly necessary", Americans and Iranians.

Kofi Annan’s Alliance of Civilizations was to be appreciated, but the High-Level Group (HLG) had not taken into account the "personal attitude that has to be fostered and forged for practicing the attitude of mutual respect: progress towards an ideal always starts with responsible individuals". That needed maturity of mind, best learnt in the family. Mrs. Bouman is the author of the book Dag Hammarskjöld – Citizen of the World and closed with a reading, "Forgiveness", from Hammarskjöld’s book "Markings".

UPF-NL Secretary General Drs. W.A. Koetsier stressed that what was most important in the government of a country was not the system but the people. One needed to realize that there is was Creator, God, and to learn the importance of living for others, best learnt in the family, "the school of love".

Dag Hammarskjöld’s spiritual attitude was a pointer, but the UN had not managed to fulfill the hopes of its creators. It needed without take sides, to acquire the heart of a parent with squabbling children. The UN’s prayer and meditation room was very small, its tiny window letting in minimal sunlight: a symbol of the minor role spirituality played in UN policies and politics? UPF proposed that an Inter-religious Council be created within the UN system.

The noticeably harmonious spirit of the conference was enhanced with a performance by the renowned Dutch singer Milly Scott.

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