Toespraak van Z.K.H. Prins Constantijn als erevoorzitter van het Prins Claus Fonds bij de presentatie van de Prins Claus Prijzen 2003 in het Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam, 10 december 2003
Dear friends of Prince Claus, and HIS fund&
Many of you have known my father and cherish special memories. Much has been said about what he meant to the fund, therefore I would like to take a moment to share with you what you and the Prince Claus Fund meant to him.
For him the Fund was a challenging and exciting space. Here he met people that really mattered to him. Here he discussed issues close to his heart. This diverse gathering of backgrounds, stories, insights, and ideas, but also trauma's, and frustrations provided much of his inspiration. My father strongly believed that we develop ourselves and learn from each other through interaction and culture. He saw the Fund as a platform for learning, listening and sometimes even preaching - although he would not easily admit the latter. He might have been frustrated at times that culture still remains a limited factor in main stream development policy, but he nurtured the small but effective contributions the Fund could make to the debate and especially to the people and organisations working on the ground. In the last years of his life he would fight his physical handicaps to deliver this annual speech. He made us laugh and cry, and both will stay with us as we go forward.
And now here we are. While you were used to one honorary chairman, you are now suddenly confronted with two, both facing the difficult task of treading in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessor with obvious anxiety. We are proud and honoured to succeed our father in this role, though this was by no means inevitable. The Fund is not a family business. Rather, it is dedicated to our father as an individual, and to his vision and personal achievements in the field of development. We cannot and do not aspire to match those achievements. But we do hope to make a modest contribution, by taking the Fund into its next phase and by ensuring that 'His' Fund, will continue to reflect his legacy and ideas. Just as our father's ideas could not be boxed in, the Fund - as we have come to discover it over the past few months - is a buzzing entity that is difficult to describe in a few words. It is many things at once. It is a platform where people meet and exchange ideas. The Fund is authentic and innovative, both in its thinking and working methods. It is independent and seeks independence in others. It is vibrant and pioneering, and it is also serious, putting quality at the heart of everything it does and stands for. Most of all, the Fund is about supporting culture that helps development across the globe - with artists and intellectuals, civil organizations and folklore festivals, museums and yes, even football clubs. It is about culture at its best and broadest.
Today's award ceremony expresses the Fund's commitment to reward quality, authenticity, independence and innovation; virtues that were so important to our father and that are all represented on the colorful list of laureates. From the Arab Human Development Report that challenges current thinking and promotes self-examination in the Arab world and pushes for more research on key issues of development and civil society, to the preservation of local crafts in China and Indonesia. However different, all laureates contribute to the development of their countries within their own historical and cultural context. Recent world events have shown again that understanding and appreciating culture is truly essential to ensuring long term sustainable social and economic development. The laureates' accomplishments exemplify the qualities that we strive to promote.
The awards are only one aspect of the Fund's range of initiatives - which include projects, publications and promotion of personal networks. The Fund actively encourages contacts between partners in its network and supports regional organisations in their activities and in working together with the Fund. True interaction means sharing of information, knowledge and experiences. But the Fund can only do so much. Achieving success is a responsibility it shares with all its partners.
Beyond these serious matters, the Fund is also a place for laughter and light-hearted interaction. Our father loved the debates and the differences of opinion, even though at times he would come home complaining that "again he did not get his way"&. More than anything, he felt the need to laugh at his own failings and at our western habits and rituals. Interaction, understanding and building relationships can only go so far if there's no laughter!
Now back to what we came for&.
Today we celebrate the Prince Claus Fund Awards and their prestigious awardees. They share in the vibrancy and energy of the Fund. They help it grow and ensure its dynamism. The awards are an acknowledgement of their achievements and provide support for the continuation of their important work, from which we all hope to benefit in the future.
We would warmly like to congratulate the 2003 Prince Claus Awardees, and look forward to working with them in the coming years.