THE HAGUE – Education, geopolitical developments, demographic aging, and a new advisory report from the Council of State on the 70th anniversary of the Charter for the Kingdom are among the key topics on the agenda as the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) begins Friday in The Hague.

The semi-annual meeting brings together delegations from the parliaments of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten with members of the Dutch Parliament to discuss issues that affect the Kingdom as a whole. This session is chaired by Olger van Dijk, head of the Dutch House of Representatives’ Committee on Kingdom Relations.

The IPKO will officially open in the plenary hall of the Dutch Senate. The Caribbean delegations will provide updates on recent developments in their respective countries, after which the forty delegates will visit The Hague University of Applied Sciences. There, they will receive a briefing on the Kingdom Affairs curriculum and hold discussions with Caribbean students about their experiences in Dutch education, including the use of Papiamentu as a language of instruction.

Weekend Program

On Saturday, the dialogue will continue with a session on geopolitical challenges, followed by a discussion on vocational education across the Kingdom. Later that day, Paul Comenencia, Kingdom Councillor of State, will present his advice on “70 Years of the Kingdom Charter.” The delegates will also hear from Richard van Zwol, former chair of the State Commission on Demographic Developments 2050, about the pressing challenges posed by an aging population.

Closing at Noordeinde Palace

On Monday, King Willem-Alexander will host the delegations at Noordeinde Palace. The meeting will conclude with the signing of an official list of agreements.

The opening session and most of the meetings are open to the public and can be followed via livestream from the Dutch Senate.