Toespraak minister-president Schoof bij opening Nederlands paviljoen bij Expo 2025 Osaka
De toespraak is alleen beschikbaar in het Engels.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you all for being with us today.
I had heard that the Netherlands Pavilion was an impressive sight. But now I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I must say that the designers and builders have truly captured the essence of Japan and the Netherlands in a single building.
Not least, of course, through the symbols that everyone associates with our countries: The sun for Japan. And water for the Netherlands.
This symbolism and its dazzling execution are impressive achievements in themselves. But if you look closer, you’ll see something else too.
The entire pavilion is built of materials that are meant to be re-used.It’s a perfect example of how sustainability and aesthetics can go hand in hand, and it illustrates the theme of this year’s Expo:
Designing Future Society for Our Lives.
This is an urgent and compelling theme, as I’m sure everyone will agree. Every country has its own challenges and solutions. But for the Netherlands and Japan this is truly about shaping our lives in the future.
Because, even though our countries are 13 thousand kilometres apart, we have many things in common: A changing society, as a result of demographic ageing.A changing climate, which forces us to think about innovative solutions for the future.
But also: a keen eye for economic opportunities and growth potential. So we do indeed have plenty of ‘common ground’.
And that’s precisely what we hope to find with other countries here at this Expo, too. Because today’s problems can only be addressed by working together.
And that starts with having a good, open conversation. We can do that here in the Netherlands Pavilion, for instance, where everyone is welcome to drop by and share ideas, find inspiration, and work together to build a resilient society.
That may sound ambitious, but history has taught us, time and again, that this is the right approach. After all, it was this hope of finding common ground that brought the first Dutch sailors to Japan, 425 years ago.
In the 4 centuries that followed, our 2 countries have demonstrated the value of that engagement.What started as a small trading post on an island in Nagasaki Bay, has become a relationship between partners who continue to seek each other out to this day.
We’re partners in technology, agriculture and sustainability, for example. And the 6 Dutch trade missions to Osaka over the coming months will create fresh opportunities for collaboration.
I don’t need to tell you how important those opportunities are. But just as important are the encounters between the people of our countries.
They can get better acquainted. They can share knowledge. They can strengthen our old ties and explore new opportunities together. And continue what our ancestors started, 425 years ago.
Thank you.