Surprise all around
To put things back into perspective, yesterday I was in Belgium for my former employer’s New Year’s reception. People there were supremely interested in what is happening at our place. And everyone is really impressed: the violence with which civil society organisations are dealt with in the Netherlands, the fact that we can no longer talk about civil society (because it doesn’t exist – it’s a left-wing hobby, after all), the large-scale budget cuts, the rudimentary way in which things are done, and how our own minister talks about our work. Isn’t she actually a minister against development cooperation?
It was nice to be in an environment where people were genuinely surprised by our situation. Somehow, we don’t seem to be able to hold that astonishment. We need to move forward, we need to look at how to keep programmes on the air, how to continue our work, we need to get fundraising in order, we need to downsize, we need to reorganise (or do we?). We have a whole to-do list to complete. And this is all in response to reality. But above all, what we need to keep doing is to find this whole mess in The Hague abnormal and name it.
Against or for?
I was confirmed in this again yesterday. It is not normal. It is a far-right agenda. The minister is increasingly showing her cards. Her bet is to give business in the Netherlands a subsidised outlet, or just continue to guarantee food supplies to the Netherlands, including through business. Equality, humanity, international stability: forget it.
Or rather, forget it! In this strange year, let it be our commitment. Last year, we were mostly against everything: against austerity, against the untying of ODA and GNI, against the barrenness of civil society, and so on. This year, we are going to change tack and become pro: for equality, for the rule of law, for working together and standing strong together. It gives more energy to be for something. And we want to start telling our own story about the importance of international cooperation for the Netherlands and for the world.
This year, we will change tack and become pro: for equality, for the rule of law, for working together and standing strong together.
Moral duty
It is our moral duty to remain optimistic. It is a saying by philosopher Karl Popper, which was quoted in yesterday’s speech by the Belgian DGIS. I thought that was a beautiful and powerful statement. In this world where everything is dark, and currently also very foggy, it is damned hard not to give up, not to despair. Especially when the stakes are high and there is a risk of things getting worse, it is important to stay in our strength. We, therefore, must remain optimistic and fight for a better world. The figurative boxing gloves are going on! Will you join us?
It is therefore our duty to remain optimistic and fight for a better world. The figurative boxing gloves are going on!