“I’m a Diplomat, But I am Honest”
The THIMUN Thread hosts an exclusive with Her Excellency Anneke Adema.
THIMUN was honoured to host Anneke Adema, the Dutch Ambassador to Singapore. From the starting line of her opening address, it was clear that Adema was passionate about her job. Through a commanding engagement, she quickly earned the crowd’s attention and respect, as their nervous laughs faded to roaring applause. Instead of simply praising the youth for being the “voices of tomorrow”, she followed up with a sincere interest in their opinion. The THIMUN thread appreciated her questions so much that we decided to return the favour. Keep reading to learn more about Her Excellency and how you can find inspiration in her earnestness.
How did you get into a life of diplomacy? What drew you to your career?
“My interests in the world outside, since I was very young, very, very young, I always was interested in faraway countries— in different people. Yeah, I was very curious. I think my curiosity is the key to where I ended up. I grew up in Rotterdam, and I think maybe that added to my curiosity because it’s a big port. There were always ships coming in from far away. I remember, I was asking my father when I saw there was a ship from Shanghai, and I said, Bucha, where is Shanghai? Where’s that? And then many, many years later, I got the call from the ministry: Congratulations, you’re the new consul general in Shanghai.”
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job that you experience day to day?
“For me, the most rewarding is people, bringing people together and making things work. I always have many, many ideas about what we could do, and what kind of projects we could start when it flies. I’m a happy woman, great.”
Are there any aspects of your job that you don’t like as much?
“I don’t like people who complain. Come on, Be positive. Be positive. That’s my philosophy in life: be positive. There’s always a bright side, and be grateful for all the opportunities and all the things you have. Yeah, I love that. And there’s so much to learn. I think what’s also something I really like in my job, although with grey hairs and a long career behind me– I learn every day.”
During your opening ceremony speech, you said “I am a diplomat, but I am also very honest.” How do you feel that influences your daily actions?
“Um, well, most of the time people expect diplomats not always to say what they think and to be really conscious. I think honesty helps. Honesty helps in bringing peace, and in developing a better world. You need to do it absolutely but in a respectful way. Be honest. That is also a bit of my philosophy in life, be honest in a respectful way. Don’t play games. I’m not saying diplomats play games, but the image is that often diplomats don’t speak up, and I think they should just be honest.”
In your speech, you asked the crowd if they were critical of the UN. Are you critical of the UN?
“No, I’m, I’m, I’m really halfway for UN. I’m a strong believer in multilateralism. I have participated in many, many negotiations, and I see really what it can bring as a result. So I think the UN has been doing a good job so far. But we need to adjust to modern times. The UN is almost 80 years old so a little Botox or whatever is necessary to adjust to modern times and modern challenges.”
What current issues do you find to be the most pressing?
“Most pressing? Well, there are many. But for me, always the most important is the people. People and peace. The words have two identical starts, and two identical letters, people, and peace. I think that is always the most important thing.”
