Bury your wish for peace in the garden of the Peace Palace!

• Date: 21 September 9:00 - 13:00
• Location: Vredespaleis

What is your dream for the future?

On Saturday 21 September 2024, 125 children will bury a time capsule with their peace letter in it in the garden of the Peace Palace, together with the mayor. And you can put your letter in there too!

That Saturday is the International UN Day of Peace, and we want people to reflect on it. We do this by burying 125 letters in a time capsule, which can be opened in 125 years. It will be a festive day where you will also have the chance to discover the Peace Palace!

Why 125? That is because The Hague has been the city where people come together to work on peace for 125 years. Imagine that your letter is read in 125 years. What would you like those people to do (differently) then?

Unfortunately this activity is fully booked. It is not possible to register anymore. 

This is how you can participate:

Do you want to know how to write the letter? Then read on quickly!

1. Unfortunately this activity is fully booked, you cannot register anymore. 
2. Take an A4 sheet of paper: This is where you will write your peace letter.
3. Write the following questions on the sheet:
   1. Tell us something about yourself. Who are you, where do you come from?
   2. If you could make the world a better place, what would be your dream for the future?
   3. What would you like people to do differently in the future?
4. Think about the questions and write your answers on the sheet. You can also draw your answer!
5. Write your first and last name at the bottom of the letter.
6. Bring the letter with you on Saturday 21 September. That way you can put it in the time capsule yourself! It does not have to be in an envelope.
7. Don't forget to bring your passport to the Peace Palace! 

Programme

09:00-10:00
Walk-in and sign in at security, be on time! Upon entering, children may put their peace letter in the time capsule.

10:00-10:45
All children will be welcomed by the director of the Peace Palace. Then the mayor of The Hague will tell about why The Hague is called the City of Peace and Justice and about the time capsule. After that, Joris van de Riet (professor at Leiden University and soon to be seen in the Klokhuis) will answer questions from some children about what the Peace Palace actually is and what kind of work they do there. Finally, the new mayor of Madurodam will lock the time capsule together with the mayor of The Hague!

11:00-11:15
Festive burying of the time capsule in the garden and a photo opportunity.

11:15-13:00
There is a scavenger hunt through the garden of the Peace Palace for those who like it! This will take you to places you are not normally allowed to just go. For the kids who finish the scavenger hunt there is a prize!

Please note that this event will be in Dutch.

Do you have any questions or would you like to know more? Let us know via tijdscapsule@denhaag.nl. 

Why is The Hague called the City of Peace and Justice?

The Hague is called the city of peace and justice. But why? This is because there are many organisations in The Hague that work together to make the world more just and peaceful.

One of the best-known is the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace. This is the highest court of the United Nations. Important decisions are made here about conflicts between countries.

The Peace Palace is often in the world news, especially when important legal cases are being heard. It is the symbol of hope for a better world.

But there are even more international courts in The Hague, for example to punish war criminals.

In addition, inspectors work in The Hague who check whether countries adhere to the agreed rules and do not produce chemical weapons. And Europol, the European police that tracks down international criminals, also has its headquarters in The Hague.

That is why The Hague is known as the city of peace and justice! Curious about what this title means for you and what activities are organised in the city around this theme? Then take a look at the agenda and discover all the stories on our website!

About the Peace Palace

In the past, there was a lot of fighting in Europe. If countries disagreed, they simply declared war on each other. But at the end of the 19th century, people had had enough of all that fighting. They wanted to solve problems in a different way.

In 1899, the First Peace Conference was held. It took place in The Hague and 26 countries participated. They decided that a special court should be established: the Permanent Court of Arbitration. This court would act as a kind of referee between countries that were arguing. In this way, many wars could be prevented.

A large office was built for the Permanent Court of Arbitration: the Peace Palace. A wealthy American, Andrew Carnegie, offered to pay for the construction of the Peace Palace. The first stone was laid in 1907 and it was finished in 1913.

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