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Stichting Nederland-Sri
Lanka
In 1976 the “Stichting Nederland-Sri Lanka
(Ceylon)” (Netherlands-Sri Lanka Foundation) was
founded in The Hague in order to raise funds for the
restoration of the former VOC-orphanage in Colombo.
After a successful campaign the building
could be opened in 1982 as Dutch Period
Museum by the then President Jayewardene.
Afterwards the Stichting concentrated its
activities on:
* co-founding the Netherlands Alumni
Association of Lanka (NAAL) which is joined by former members of
international post-graduate courses in the Netherlands. The association has now over
500 members and is housed in the Dutch Period Museum.
* finding financial
resources for the publications of NAAL
(Netherlands Alumni Association of Lanka), like:
Sinhala Vocables of Dutch Origin by Dr P.B. Sannasgala; A book of Dutch Ceylon, links between
Sri Lanka and the Netherlands by Dr R.L. Brohier; De Wolvendaalsche Kerk by Dr R.L.Brohier; The Netherlands Ceylon
Heritage by E. Jongens.
* creating in 1976 the twinning between the Dutch and
Srilankan municipalities of Velsen and Galle. This twinning has
proved to be a great success. Besides running a number of projects in the fields of housing, community centres,
waste management, computer training etc. much support was given after the
tsunami of 2004. For the victims in Galle nearly one million
euros were donated.
* giving information on Sri Lanka, preferably on bilateral
relations in the fields of culture, education and development cooperation. For this
purpose every three months the Mededelingen en Knipselkrant is published. A trial copy of
the Knipselkrant can be obtained by writing an e-mail to: lankajongens@casema.nl. Postal address:
55, Rigolettostraat, 2555 VN The Hague.Tel.: +31/70/3252381.
The
website of the Stichting Nederland Sri Lanka offers the largest collection
of links on Sri Lanka on the internet.
The Stichting Nederland
– Sri Lanka periodically awards the most promising
academic theses, papers and essays related to Sri Lanka. Please contact us for more details.
For the time being the
Stichting Nederland-Sri Lanka will mainly function as information and
advising centre.
The Stichting
Nederland-Sri Lanka is independent, not subsidised and is run by
volunteers.
Contributions are
welcome and amount to at least € 15.- per year for private persons and at least € 25.- for companies and
institutions.
BOARD
Dr J. Van Goor, former Senior Lecturer of History at Utrecht
University, Chairman
Drs P.J.J. de Bruijn, former Indologist Kern
Institute, Leiden University, Secretary
Mr E. Jongens, Initiator
of the Netherlands-Sri Lanka Foundation and of the Twinning between Velsen
and Galle, Treasurer
Prof. dr ir G.E. Frerks, Professor of Conflict Studies at
Wageningen University
Mr B.R. Körner, former Ambassador of
the Netherlands in Sri Lanka
A.A.G. van Schaik, Publicist
Dr L.J. Wagenaar, Amsterdam Historical Museum, senior curator; History
Department, University of Amsterdam, lecturer
The
founder of the Stichting Nederland Sri Lanka was awarded the distinction Sri Lanka Ranjana by the Ambassador
of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Pamela J. Deen during a ceremony at her residence
in The Hague on December 9, 2005.
On
that occasion the Ambassador made the following speech:
Distinguished
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to extend a warm welcome to
all of you this evening. Your presence is very much appreciated in view of
the importance of this occasion.
Dr. Evert Jongens, has been
conferred with the Title of ‘Sri Lanka Ranjana’, Titular, the second
highest National Honour awarded to a non-national, for the distinguished
service of a highly meritorious nature rendered by him to Sri Lanka, in particular, humanity in
general.
The practice of conferring
National Awards in Sri Lanka commenced in 1978. The
investiture ceremony of National Awards this year in November was one of
the last functions executed by the former President, Her Excellency Mrs.
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Dr. Jongens became the second
Dutch National, to be conferred with a title by Sri Lanka as Dr. Herman Steur who built
the ‘Welcome Village’, was conferred with the National Honour
of ‘Sri Lanka Ramya’ previously. Yet, Dr. Jongens remains as the receiver
of the highest honour awarded to a Dutch National from Sri Lanka.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dr.
Jongen’s association with Sri Lanka commenced in 1960, when he was
attached to the Netherlands Universities Foundation for International
Cooperation, popularly known as NUFFIC. It gave him opportunities to be in
touch with Sri Lanka and its people. At the NUFFIC,
he pioneered the concept of establishing Associations of Netherlands Alumni
in number of countries.
Amongst them, the Netherlands Alumni
Association of Lanka (NAAL), which was established in 1970, occupies a
prominent place having a membership of more than 500 students who studied
at various institutions in the Netherlands. Most of the members hold high
positions in public and private sector in Sri Lanka.
During his long association with
Sri Lanka, Dr. Jongens contributed immensely to
forge closer relations between the two countries. The initiative he had
taken to establish a twinning programme between the City of Velsen and the City of Galle in 1976 is commendable. Since
the inception, this twinning programme has gone from strength to strength
with regular exchanges. City of Galle had been tremendously benefited
by the commitment and generosity of the members of SOS Velsen.
The contribution of Dr.
Jongens to preserve and restore the
Dutch heritage sites in Sri Lanka is laudable. In 1973, he noted
an old Dutch building in a dilapidated condition which was to be
demolished. In order to save this building, he formed The Netherlands Sri Lanka
Foundation in The Hague, to facilitate fund raising for
the restoration of this building as well as other Dutch buildings in Sri Lanka. Thus was the background of the
Dutch Period Museum established in 1982. Dr Lodewijk Wagenaar
of the Historical Museum in Amsterdam wholeheartedly supported him on
these projects.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dr.
Jongens has coordinated the training of hundreds of Sri Lankan students in
the Netherlands. I could recall the presence of
Dr. Jongens at number of graduation ceremonies whenever Sri Lankan students
graduated from various Dutch Institutions. He did not stop this practice
even after his retirement. His presence gave confidence and encouragement
to all of them.
Students who were interested in
learning Sri Lanka Dutch relations were personally accompanied by him to
various events organized in that aspect. I could also recall such an
instance where he brought many students to the Exhibition organized by the
Sri Lanka Embassy, together with the assistance of SOS Velsen and Gemeente
Velsen at the Museum Beekensteijn in Velserbroek, to celebrate 50 years of
Independence of Sri Lanka in February 1998.
Many have been inspired and
encouraged by Dr. Jongens. I am aware that members of many institutions
sought his advice and guidance in carrying out their work related to Sri Lanka. In the field of promotion of
cultural relations between the two countries, many eminent academics such
as Prof. D.B. Sanasgala who helped in tracing words of Dutch origin in the
Sinhala vocabulary, Dr. Brohier, Prof. K.M. de Silva, Ms. Mieke Beumer and
Dr. S. Paranavithana were closely associated with Dr. Jongens.
He has also issued several publications in
the Netherlands for the promotion of bilateral
relations. Even today, he issues a newsletter covering all aspects of
development in Sri Lanka.
In 1990, the Government of
the Netherlands recognising his
services, decorated Dr.
Jongens , with the
Royal Distinction of ‘the Officer of the Order of Oranje
Nassau’. I have no doubt that academics, Sri Lankans who studied in the
Netherlands, as well as Ambassadors served in both countries, will be glad
to note that Dr. Jongens has been
decorated and honoured for his meritorious service. I am certain
that Mr. S.P.C. Kumarasinghe, the President of NAAL is happy today, since
he was keen that Sri Lanka confers such an honour on Dr.
Jongens, for the services rendered to Sri Lanka over the years.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I, as a
person who knew Dr. Jongens, when I was assigned to the Netherlands eight years ago, am proud of
this opportunity of presenting this Title conferred on him, by my country.
I would also like to take this
opportunity to thank the family members of Dr.Jongens for their patience,
understanding and cooperation in giving him the liberty to pursue his
dedication in promoting closer ties between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would
now like to present to Dr. Evert Jongens the decoration and the scroll
related to the title of ‘Sri Lanka Ranjana’.
Thank you.
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