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Dear reader,
Adapting to climate change is a challenge faced by societies around the world, and also the Bay Area. Last month, I had the pleasure to witness a promising example of how we can collaborate to face this challenge together. At the Resilient by Design finale, several projects were presented on how to make the Bay Area resilient for generations to come. Their proposed solutions were not only technical, but also involved local communities.
Besides the Resilient by Design finale, May was full of events. After a wonderful concert by young talents of the Prinses Christina Concours, I traveled to the state of Washington to join the opening of the Dutch Newcold cold storage facility near Seattle, and visited the Anne Frank Exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona.
In June, I look forward to the San Francisco Pride Parade, where we will join other European Consulates to make the parade unforgettable. I wish you a great month, and I hope to see you at one of our events.
Best,
Gerbert Kunst
Consul General
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Sea level rise and the Bay Area
On May 17-18, the finale of the Resilient by Design challenge was hosted in San Francisco. For the last several months, multiple teams developed projects aimed at making the Bay Area more resilient to climate change. The Consulate General supported the challenge by hosting a workshop for the participants.
These 10 projects that were presented covered themes like sedimentation, making better use of creeks, and making communities more livable. The Netherlands, as an expert on water management, was eager to help. Several Dutch companies participated, including Arcadis, One Architecture, Deltares and Goudappel Coffeng, and water envoy Henk Ovink served as a jury member.
The unique way that Resilient by Design brought together designers, scientists and policy experts to create long-term solutions for the Bay Area is a highlight of the challenge. For the near future, the Consulate General will host an affiliate event at the Global Climate Action Summit with the Dutch minister for the Enviroment, to push these ideas forward. We’re now looking to see how we can keep the momentum going and make the Bay Area truly resilient for the future!
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Exploring New Mexico
They call it the Land of Enchantment. Consul General Gerbert Kunst visits New Mexico this week, to strengthen economic, political and cultural ties. New Mexico is home to a number of national labs on agriculture, which fits the Dutch expertise on agricultural technology. New Mexico will also host the Anne Frank exhibition in the coming year. Consul General Kunst will visit a number of key representatives in Santa Fe and Albuquerque to gain a better understanding of the state and lay the groundwork for future collaboration.
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Dutch innovation in Tacoma
Dutch company NewCold opened a state-of-the-art cold-storage unit in Tacoma, Washington. Compared to traditional cooling, NewCold’s storage unit uses 50 percent less energy, saving 8 million kWh per year. That’s more than the energy use of 700 Tacoma homes!
Consul General Gerbert Kunst was present to officially open the storage unit, and congratulate all involved with a successful Dutch-American cooperation.
NewCold and other Dutch companies are frontrunners on logistics, evidenced by innovative logistics hubs like the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport.
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Fast growing Arizona
Arizona is one of the fastest growing economies in the United States, and Phoenix is about to become the fourth city by population in the United States. This provides an opportunity for strengthening ties between Arizona and the Netherlands.
Consul General Gerbert Kunst joined a delegation from the embassy in Washington for meetings with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and American and Dutch businesses to explore future collaborations. Our honorary consul, Siebe van der Zee, introduced us to some innovative and interesting developments in the state. The meetings laid the foundation for an even tighter bond.
Besides strengthening economic ties, the delegation also visited the US-Mexico border near Tucson to learn more about the challenges faced by the Arizonian border patrol. The Dutch delegation learned about the unique terrain and the way Arizona implements border policies.
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Anne Frank Exhibition in Arizona
Together with the economic aspects of the visit to Arizona, the Anne Frank exhibition in Arizona provided an opportunity to discuss human rights and diversity. The exhibition traveled to multiple schools, and was set up in Phoenix City Hall to give the broader audience the opportunity learn more about Anne Frank. The exhibition proved to be a huge success, with many visitors learning about Anne Frank's life and the lessons from her moving stories.
As part of the Anne Frank exhibition, Consul General Gerbert Kunst was interviewed by PBS Arizona. He talked about the importance of her writings today, and how the exhibition helps students develop their presentation skills by leading discussions on important topics. KTAR radio also interviewed the Consul General and wrote a blog post on the exhibition.
The Anne Frank exhibition will travel to Alaska in September, and will return to California in Los Angeles in November.
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Plastic Oceans
Gerbert Kunst visited the assembly yard of The Ocean Cleanup in Alamada,CA. In 2013, student Boyan Slat came up with an idea how to get rid of the tons of plastic in the oceans. Boyan started his nonprofit in Delft in 2013, and The Ocean Cleanup has since attracted the world's attention. The full-scale model will be deployed later this summer in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
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Young musical talents visit San Francisco
The most talented young Dutch musicians visited San Francisco as part of their North American tour. These young musicians are part of the Prinses Christina Concours, a Dutch competition for the next generation of classical musicians.
Vera Werkman, Carter Muller and Daniël Tibben on violin, piano and flute respectively hosted a beautiful concert at the residency of the Consul General. The concert was co-hosted by the Netherland-America Foundation, which helps strengthen cultural ties between our two countries.
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Showcase your startup!
We’re looking for Startups that want to showcase their product in the KLM Lounge at San Francisco Airport! KLM-Air France have opened a tech showroom in their Lounge, to show the coolest and newest innovations Silicon Valley has to offer. Together with the French Consulate General in San Francisco we can select multiple startups to promote their product to thousands of travelers. Send us your product and motivation!
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StartupDelta launches Global Tech Hubs
Where to start when you are a startup and you want to expand abroad? What cities and regions fit your needs? To answer these questions, StartupDelta, together with RVO, launched Global Tech Hubs: an online magazine which allows Dutch startups to navigate through the major startup hotspots around the globe. Included in the magazine will be Silicon Valley Playbook, the consulate's guide on how to be an entrepreneur in the most innovative and competitive region in the world. The Playbook will be extended in the future to include Los Angeles as well.
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SF Pride and the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress
As the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, the Netherlands is a frontrunner on LGBTI rights. This year we will participate in the San Francisco Pride Parade, together with other European Consulates.
The parade will take place on Market Street in San Francisco, at 10:30 a.m. on June 24. We will also partner with the Pride organization to bring the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress to San Francisco. This work of art is made of 70+ flags of countries that still have anti-LGBTI laws. Each time a country changes its laws, the flag will be taken out. Follow our social media to find out where the dress will be on display that weekend!
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What’s up next?
- June 11-14: Visit to New Mexico
- June 24: San Francisco Pride
- August 15-17: Visit to Los Angeles
- September 12-14: Global Climate Action Summit
- October 21-24: Social Capital Conference
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