Genootschap Nederland Engeland

The Hague Branch

Events

For more information about the speakers and their subjects, please click on the links (blue speaker names).

Venue Information
NEW VENUE :  Stichting Gunst, wat een Kunst, Raamweg 45, 2596 HN The Hague.  You can reach Raamweg 45 as follows:
By car - From the A12, turn left = Zuid-Hollandlaan.   Turn right at traffic lights= Koningskade which becomes Raamweg after 2nd set of traffic lights.  No. 45 is on the right-hand side.
By tram – Tram 9 from Central Station to Laan Copes van Cattenburch.  Cross the bridge and cross Raamweg at the traffic lights.  It is a few minutes’ walk to Raamweg 45.
By bus - Line 20 (and follow further directions as per for the tram) or Line 22 on the Raamweg.


For information about the activities of the The Hague Branch, please contact:
Mr. Jacques Zonneveld
Vlierboomstraat 464
2564 JL The Hague
Tel. :070-3684626
send an e-mail

Ever since 1946 the The Hague Branch of the Genootschap Nederland-Engeland (GNE) has been promoting cultural and friendly relations between the British and the Dutch.
Currently our branch comprises some 100 members.
Throughout the season there`s at least one special activity a month. This is generally an illustrated lecture by a British speaker. These talks are held in The Hague. Every year there`s a December event and an `End of Season` party - both important items on the agenda.
We try to keep room for the social element: promoting contact between members.
To summarize what the The Hague branch does:
. Interesting and instructive lectures by experienced British speakers
. Pleasant opportunity to socialize with congenial people
. Easy way to improve your knowledge of the English language and culture
. Regular newsletter during the lecture season 
. Bring-and-buy sale of books at every lecture
. End of Season party
. December event


Latest news
The latest News Flash of the The Hague Branch is now also available in PDF-format: Please click here for a download.

Subscription and admission

Annual membership fee
The membership year runs from 1 July - 30 June and the subscription is:
Single members € 25,00
Couples € 35,00

Events and lectures
Admission fee for members € 8,00 non members pay € 10,00.

Other activities
In 1988, to mark the William and Mary Tercentenary, a public speaking competition for schools was initiated by the GNE. In 1995, the 75th anniversary of the founding of the GNE was reason enough for the society to organize a young writers competition, set up in close cooperation with the British Council. The two competitions continued to grow in popularity and professionalism, thanks to the efforts of many GNE members and several generous sponsors. Since we have the BBC as main sponsor the two competitions are run in parallel as one annual event: the BBC Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards.
GNE organizes this competition for young people of course with more sponsors.
Thanks to the support of many parties, the Awards has now become a prestigious national event in the Netherlands - something the GNE can be very proud of!

We are delighted to announce the successful completion of the BBC Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards 2009, the final of which took place on 28 March in Amsterdam.
Our thanks go to all those of our members who supported us.
And for those who are interested, a vast array of photos and further information can be found on the website 
BBC Awards
Bulletins
Like other branches, we produce our own English language newsletter, the `Bulletin`, which comes out about six times a season and is sent to all members. It contains information on coming lectures, reports on past activities, news, notices and various other items of interest.
Contributions are most welcome, though of course we can’t guarantee to publish everything! Please submit articles and other suitable pieces to our secretary.

Our Bulletins may be downloaded by clicking the appropriate volume below.
Note: depending on the speed of your connection, downloading may take a few minutes.
Latest bulletin:
October-2009 (Newsflash nr. 2)
Earlier bulletins: August-2009 (Newsflash nr. 1) 
 

Lectures

During the GNE lecture season, talks are given about once a month and unless otherwise stated, these are delivered in English. The visiting speakers are all experts in their chosen fields and their lectures are both informative and entertaining. They may feature different aspects of British life, arts and culture, places and people. Occasionally we are also treated to a traveller`s tale. Wherever possible, lectures are illustrated.
An overview of this year`s programme is given below. For more details on the talks please click talks. For the full programme with dates, venues and entry fees per branch, please click branches.
John Pilkington: A Stroll through the Axis of Evil
John`s talk is titled `A Stroll through the Axis of Evil`; Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran are in the news for all the wrong reasons. Starting in Beirut, John will unravel a picture quite different to the news stories as he followed a winding route via the Euphrates, the Caucasus and the Valley of the Assassins to finish on the Persian Gulf. John Pilkington has been called “one of Britain’s greatest tellers of travellers’ tales”. Read more...
John Gilroy: Tyger, Tyger or The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere
John Gilroy retired from his post as Senior Lecturer in English at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge in 2005, but still teaches in its department part-time. He also teaches for the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education on both its residential courses and its international summer schools for which he is a course director.
John has lectured widely in Britain and internationally for organisations such as The English-Speaking Union, ‘Inscape’ Fine Art Tours and for GNE. He specialises in literature of the Romantic period and has published on Wordsworth, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Philip Larkin. His latest book, ‘Romantic Literature’, for the new York Connections series will appear in 2010.
Read more...
Julian Paren: A photographic evening: The Antarctic Experience or The global climate change
Julian has a choice of three talks:
1. A photographic evening:  Going South  - the Antarctic Experience
2. The global climate challenge
3. Exploring the islands and western coast of Scotland
Read more...
Andy Thomas: Exploring Unexplained Mysteries, Global Cover-Ups and 2012 Prophecies
Andy is a leading researcher into unexplained mysteries and is the world’s most prolific writer on crop circles. His many books include Vital Signs, described widely as the definitive guide to the circle phenomenon. His newest and much acclaimed title, The Truth Agenda, explores the link between paranormal mysteries and global cover-ups.
Read more...
Lawrence Goldman: Dutch Connection in British History: Dutch Lives in the Oxford Dictionary of Nat Biography
The illustrated lecture uses the Dictionary as a means of exploring the historic connections between Britain and the Netherlands in both directions, examining the Dutch who came to live and work in Britain from the Reformation onwards, and Britons who visited the Low Countries. Read more...